The overnight stay at Castle Quay - or whatever name, it seems to depend where you look - was quite uneventful and we awoke to the sound of the estates staff cleaning the canalside stonework.
Our first task was to tackle the Rochdale Nine - a flight of broad locks rising out of the basin where we moored. We immediately discovered that there was so much water coming down the flight that the bottom gates could not be opened. About an hour later we were able to make a start, having run a lot of water down from the upper pounds. Progress was only possible up the flight by continuing to do the same.
This stretch of canal is crowded in by many tall buildings developed historically and recently alongside. In fact, several roads create short tunnels and some of the locks are underneath the foundations of the buildings above! Some of the bridges have very little spare headroom.
Two hours and we were at Ducie Street Junction which we thought was not a bad performance - even though we were working through with another boat. Here we left the Rochdale and joined the Ashton Canal where the locks are narrow - semed almost claustrophobic after the broad locks almost universally on the trip so far. However, they are much easier to operate and we made good progress up the first six.
However, we were then met by the crew coming down who reported that there was a broken lock just above (it had failed as they were passing through it) and that we would have to turn around and go back! (They were not so concerned as they had by then passed the problem!)
This time we had a better idea how operate the Rochdale Nine by running water down ahead of the boat and this time we took only an hour and 45 minutes. Mooring back almost in the same place in the canal basin brought our Day Trip to Ancoats to an end. Time to head for Wetherspoons and probably a meal out!
