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Westport Lake moorings - facilities


Ange

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I've mentioned this in a couple of threads and it was suggested recently that it deserves it's own thread to raise awareness.

We paid for a winter mooring at Westport Lake, just south of the the Harecastle Tunnel on the Trent & Mersey, and only found out by accident about the facilities there (it was a dog walker who told my hubby)

Here's a photo of the visitor centre between the canal and the lake

 

westport_lake_visitor_centre.png

 

You can see a door at the bottom of the visitor centre in the middle of the photo - this can be opened with a CRT key and reveals a sparkly clean toilet/shower room and elsan disposal. There are no signs pointing to it, the door is unmarked and there's no mention in any guides. It's all a bit puzzling really as it's obviously well looked after and has all the grab handles and emergency pull cords to make it disabled friendly, but to get to it there's just a muddy track which would make wheelchair access challenging.

 

Anyways I know this is a very popular mooring spot and agree it*s worth spreading the word.

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For info. - these facilities don't appear on CRT's interactive map of the waterways either.

 

It smacks of a classic right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing. Those facilities were probably agreed as part of the Visitor centre construction, which is clearly very new, but somebody clearly forget to tell those responsible for signage and the map coverage for that area.

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There's also the fact that we were the only boat on the winter moorings. I wonder how much the apparent lack of facilities factored into decisions not to moor there for the winter? It's a lovely spot.

Edited by Ange
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Oh lordy - might have shot myself in the foot! I've just been offered a maternity cover contract for next winter in Stoke :D

Don't worry, they've blocked off the Harecastle tunnel to keep Northeners away from your mooring!!!
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For info. - these facilities don't appear on CRT's interactive map of the waterways either.

 

It smacks of a classic right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing. Those facilities were probably agreed as part of the Visitor centre construction, which is clearly very new, but somebody clearly forget to tell those responsible for signage and the map coverage for that area.

 

Perhaps they are not owned by CRT, but by the local council?

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cuthound, on 05 Mar 2016 - 08:57 AM, said:

Perhaps they are not owned by CRT, but by the local council?

Possibly, but from the OP a BW/CRT key fits them so it would indicate that CRT have had a hand in them somewhere. I believe there are other sites where CRT don't actually own the facility blocks or the sites they are on, Leeds Dock springs to mind (I think they are separately owned) but they are all signed up, appear in Nicholson's' and on CRT's interactive map.

 

It's simply weird that these do not.

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Where do you fill your water tank ?

Was this the site of a football ground ?

Can't help with the water, maybe Longport wharf?

 

Yes it is the old Port Vale football ground.

 

It's my home town although I've not lived there for many years.

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Water would be Eturia or Hairy castle tunnel if memory serves me right.

We once topped up at Eturia and from memory this was because it was shown on the map to be the last point before the tunnel southern portal.

 

I too seem to recall though when we got to the tunnel and we're waiting to go through there was a tap there also (another facility possibly not marked ).

 

ISTR there is services at the north portal too but that would be a faff to get to from the moorings at Westport.

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Made I Larf -

 

I remember cruising there xxx years ago when the lake was but a muddy pool left over from the mine workings - with loads of notices saying

"polluted - keep out"

Now it's all been tarted up and looks fantastic!

 

Wonderful!!

 

Let's hope folks treat the area with some respec' and it remains to be a pleasant area to moor - we might even be able to cruise that way again!

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We like Wesport Lake a lot.

 

And Riko adores it there

 

IMG_0469_zps26b7b271.jpg

 

IMG_0463_zps98dae10b.jpg

 

IMG_0464_zps0489f255.jpg

 

Great pics Barry - it always fills my soul with deep joy when I see a dog launching itself into the water. Our Millie doesn't even like getting her feet we :D

Perhaps they are not owned by CRT, but by the local council?

 

It's a puzzle really. They're part of the visitor centre (not sure who that's owned by) and when you go in there are visitor centre leaflets on the wall but you can only get in with a CRT key.

 

Where do you fill your water tank ?

 

 

Water would be Eturia or Hairy castle tunnel if memory serves me right.

Spot on - we filled up with water at the Harecastle Tunnel because it's slightly closer, but you wouldn't be able to wind a 70ft boat there (ours is 57ft) so Etruria would be the next best option

 

It's a lovely spot - well worth stopping there and having a walk round the lakes. Aldi is walking distance away as well and those that travel with cars can park safely in the visitor centre car park.

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Great pics Barry - it always fills my soul with deep joy when I see a dog launching itself into the water. Our Millie doesn't even like getting her feet we biggrin.png

 

It's a lovely spot - well worth stopping there and having a walk round the lakes. Aldi is walking distance away as well and those that travel with cars can park safely in the visitor centre car park.

 

That's good info. Lemontoes has seriously cosidered staying there to trade for a while

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That's good info. Lemontoes has seriously cosidered staying there to trade for a while

Great idea when the Oatcake boat is there and Kay loves the company if you tell Lemontoes to let her know via Facebook she gets the word out on Radio Stoke and Signal. We had a good weekend there with her.

 

Thanks for the info Ange we shall check it out on the way back.

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Great idea when the Oatcake boat is there and Kay loves the company if you tell Lemontoes to let her know via Facebook she gets the word out on Radio Stoke and Signal. We had a good weekend there with her.

 

Thanks for the info Ange we shall check it out on the way back.

 

Thanks for that. I'll let Lemontoes know

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There is a lot of footfall in the vicinity of the visitor centre - there were times over the Christmas period and half term when we had to park in the overflow car park!

 

I'd definitely recommend it as a good spot for trading boats - I was surprised we only saw the oatcake boat there during our stay.

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Yes, but, just a thought!

 

If these facilities are not used, then they are not cleaned, as, presumably they are not in use!.

 

Who is gonna clean them and who gets paid, from whom?

 

Give it a week and then nobody will want to go in them anyway!

 

Just sayin like!

 

Nipper

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Yes, but, just a thought!

 

If these facilities are not used, then they are not cleaned, as, presumably they are not in use!.

 

Who is gonna clean them and who gets paid, from whom?

 

Give it a week and then nobody will want to go in them anyway!

 

Just sayin like!

 

Nipper

They get cleaned daily.

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They get cleaned daily.

It likely will be within the council's responsibility or whoever owns the leisure centre's responsibility or has the contract for the maintenance/upkeep.

 

It will just be part of a cleaning contract. Whoever cleans them will just have it on a list of cleaning responsibilities. It will be materless to them whether they get used or not, it's just their job will be a bit easier if they are rarely used.

Edited by MJG
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They get cleaned daily.

Thats good.

 

I can use them a few days before i put Largo to bed for a month in The Festival Marina.clapping.gif

 

Nipper

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