THE JOURNEY CONTINUES AS THE SCOTTISH WEATHER PEVAILS

 REDDING TO LINLITHGOW  OCT 4, 2026 

Got up and finished the blog and posted it. We had a cup of coffee and at about 0600 made our way to TESCO via the tow path. 

I checked all our lines and they looked good. The skies are grey and the wind is starting to blow. At TESCO we bought enough provisions to maybe last several days as well as some basics. I did find another jumper :) 

 

Returning back to the boat I did the daily morning checks. I opened the weed hatch and found the propeller shaft basically clear with just a few weeds, but there was a good bit of mono filament fishing line wrapped around the shaft. I had to use a knife  to cut the line out, yes the water was cold and up well past my elbows. If renting a narrow boat one should be up onhis tetanus vaccine.  I checked the coolant and all was well. The bilge looked good but the pump came on. 

Lynn stowed the supplies while I did the checks. 

Under the engine hatch and the open weed hatch

 

We then had another cup of coffee with a cream doughnut. 

We then briefed ourselves on today’s journey.

 

Handy things to have are headlamps and two way radios. Not your US FRS radios, they are illegal here in the UK. You will need PMR4 Radios and they can be hard to find in the US. 

 We left our mooring at 0945 headed towards  Linlithgow. Today we encountered several other boats passing head on and all went well. 

We went under 12 bridges and traveled the Avon Aqueduct. 

The Avon Aqueduct is the second largest aqueduct in Britain and the largest in Scotland. It measures 247m long, 25.9m high and 3m wide. All three aqueducts on the canal use the same construction of hollow stone piers and arches spanning 50 ft. The water is channeled over in an iron trough. The canal's engineer Hugh Baird consulted Thomas Telford over this innovative design. There are canal boat trips to the aqueduct from Linlithgow. 

We did see a good number of sheep. And one field of Angus coos. 

 

Birdlife consisted of several mallards, several coots, a cormorant, a unidentified hawk, and several unidentified black birds. 

 



The weather did take a turn as expected. The morning started overcast. Then the wind picked up and then the rain started, first a few drops then a heavy mist the rain. Hey it is Scotland what did you expect. We came prepared with good rain gear. 

The country side was beautiful and a joy to slowly cruise along. 

I did notice  the wind did elevate ones attention to their boat handling. 

 

These handy sign help pone keep track of our location and distance to various locations

 A boat ahead of us, Lynn said my driving was markedly better. 

 

 

At about 1315hrs we arrived at Manse Road Basin at the Linlithgow Union Canal Society. We located a mooring and tied up. Our current plan is to spend two nights here and explore Linlithgow tomorrow. 

I think tonight we will explore a bit and find a pub for dinner. 

 

Our Mooring is across from a very nice park with lovely gardens.

 

This structure is known as the Pigeon Palace. It stored grain and piigeons were allowed to feed on the stored grain from the upper roost. Little did they know they were being fattened up as they became winter food for the laird.  
 

 



Our research indicates the Linlithgow Union Canal Society has a museum and it should be open Sat and Sunday from 1400-1700. Alas it was not open. There was a volunteer there working in the shop and we had a lovely chat about the museum and the canal. 

The Canal Museum is housed in a former canal stable and first opened in 1977.  It is the only canal museum in Scotland.

On display are old photographs and documents that describe the origin, decline and renaissance of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal.  Boat models, original tools and equipment, and objects from the working life of the canal are also on show.

Returning to the boat I opened the hatch and turned the stern tube greaser. Then Dishes and a small load of laundry was done. Exciting but necessary. 



The skies are getting darker and darker and the rain is coming in waves. It is looking like a good night for soup made fresh in the galley. 



Lynn gets most of the photo credits as one can not skipper and take photos. You can but you tend to drift off course. 



I should also mention the LYRA’s heat only works when the engine is running. You only have power to the 240 outlets when the engine is running. You only have hot water heating up when the engine is running. 



The soup is rather good as the rain hits the windows. Yes we are running the engine to make sure the batteries are topped up. 



Tomorrow we will explore Linlithgow.