Early morning MTB ride

This blip was shot @ 7Am as the sun was clearing the hill side trees and road bridge behind us and managing to highlight the tunnel portal in the process. A lovely day to be messing about by the canal.

Out early on the MTB this morning trying to build some fitness, running on the Trent & Mersey Canal tow path - T&M is 93.5 miles long (@150Km) from Preston Brook to Shadlow, it has 76 locks and 4 tunnels on its length and luckily for us we have 2 of the tunnels at Barnton just over a mile from our home.

Todays blip is the East portal of Barnton tunnel James Brindley cut through the edge of the Barnton ridge and what we have is Barnton & Saltersford Tunnels seperated by a basin in the fold of the hill, Not sure why the waterways board instigated it but Saltersford tunnel has timed access as its "S" shaped when you pass through it - so you can't see if a barge/boat is coming through we used to travel through them a lot years ago in my Grandads cabin cruiser.
Barnton tunnel has a slight bend towards the west portal but if you know the tunnel you can just see the far portal light as you swing round into the tunnel - Barnton tunnel is roughly 572 metres long (actual 572 yards)

Saltersford tunnel Northbound boats are allowed in on the hour and have a 20 minute window, southbound it's on the half-hour.