Oh what an occasion. A cruise in warm September sunshine to romantic destinations – such as Liverpool! A dream come true. Now I’ve never been on a long cruise but I’m lead to believe that there’s endless good food and drink to be had and so it was for us – even an excellent bowl of scouse. As usual we set off with only one participant missing (this was nearly three but we managed to delay the sailing by a few minutes). From Salford Quays, past Trafford Park, Irlam, Runcorn, Widnes the list of exotic locations goes on.
OK, so I might be getting a bit carried away but you’d find it hard to beat for interest (I know a cruise along the Nile has a few temples, monoliths, tombs etc) but with a Blue Badge guide giving a running commentary we saw at first hand the results of the labours so vividly described in our February lecture by Glen Atkinson, ‘The Big Ditch’. Huge locks, vast industrial sites, ocean going ships, herons and cormorants galore and even a yet to be excavated Roman site, it seemed there was something for everyone.
Arriving at the Pier Head 6 hours later we then had time to visit some of the museums and galleries in that hugely successful complex Albert Dock. By early evening we were back in Salford after an easy coach journey allowing us to collect our cars and return home for a rest – and supper of course!