Before the big lift that so captivated us yesterday was built, the old canal utilised a series of somewhat smaller hydraulic lifts that remain exactly as they were when they were constructed in the nineteenth century. The engineering of these contraptions is diabolically clever and it is not difficult to see why they are World Heritage Listed structures, preserved now in the sort of imperfect state that they have perhaps miraculously remained working for almost a century and a half.
When Andrew and Briony casually mentioned they were planning to take Krys on a scenic tour up the Strèpy lift and return via the historic canal and therefore its four old lifts, we were delighted to be in a position to invite ourselves along. An invitation that was happily accepted, at least as far as we could tell.
Is it odd we wonder, that living aboard as we do, we should derive such pleasure from being on other people’s boats? Under clear blue skies and with nary a care in the world we dallied down a canal steeped in history wondering at times whether we would be as old as the lifts by the time some of the bridges were raised for us to pass. Today was joyride defined.
No comments
Post a Comment