Sunning the toes

The Weather forecast said fine for this morning, and heavy rain for this afternoon. It is proving to be accurate.

We haven't managed a bike ride in months, so decided to take them for a trip along the Bridgewater Canal towpath, from Duke's Gate at Monton to Worsley, and then back. A very pleasant amble, although it had a sense of being one big site visit for me.

It's interesting how you have conversations with people on barges as they cruise slowly by. This one concerned the changing character of this section of the Canal, when this chap last came through it was industrial. Now it is becoming residential, and will become more so. "It doesn't seem right" he said. I disagree. The old heavy industries which used the canals have in large part moved on, leaving dereliction,they are recreational assets in large part now, there for people to enjoy. The big issue for me is about the quality of any new development, is it going to be "OK", or better than that.

The discussion could have gone further, but he moved on and I'm enjoying a bit of ambling. Work can wait. Especially when aeroplanes are doing interesting things in the sky - our ambling was interrupted by some good loop the loops, the Barton air show was taking place not so far away.