The last few days have taken us through Middlewich, slowly as we foolishly went through on Saturday, two nights in the country near, but not on Bramble Cutting and on to Anderton.
It was our first trip down onto the River Weaver. I usually leave readers to research anything that might interest them from my ramblings but the Anderton Lift deserves more. I am worried I won't do it justice so I've copied just the next bit of text from the Canal and River Trust webpage.
The Anderton Boat Lift is an incredible edifice, perched on the banks of the River Weaver like some giant three-storey-high iron spider.
It was built by Edwin Clark in 1875 to lift cargo boats the 50 feet from the River Weaver to the Trent & Mersey Canal.
Like all great things, the concept is simple: two huge water tanks, each with watertight sealable doors carry boats up and down. The original counter-balanced system was replaced in 1908 by electric operation, but the lift now works hydraulically again.
No description can adequately convey the sheer scale of this engineering feat. The lift worked until 1983 when serious deterioration of the structure was discovered. Some £7m was raised to fund the restoration, which was completed in 2002.
The completion of the restoration was followed by the opening of an Operations Centre in 2003. This offers interactive displays, educational facilities, a gift shop and a coffee shop.
Me again. It certainly is a well run operation with a great team. They are right to say it defies description.
Some pics from the web to start with...then my feeble attempts
Some pics from the web to start with...then my feeble attempts
On our way
Tied up ready to descend
And behind
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