No tea in bed this morning, Lemsip instead. Fortunatly Mick was starting to feel improved. He did plenty of chores, filling the coal skuttle, got another bag of coal off the roof. Emptied the ash pan and left the bin on the stern deck for ease of access. Between us we emptied the yellow water tank. Then he packed a bag.
Why can’t she clean her paws before coming in?!
A doctors appointment, dentist, an engineer coming to sort something on our new boiler and a turn around of lodgers have all nicely fitted into a few days, so Mick was headed back to Scarborough. We could have stayed in Manchester making the journey back shorter, but for a few days that wouldn’t have been so good for Tilly. A bus would take Mick to Altringham where he’d then get a tram before a train to York, then another to Scarborough. I wonder when/if they will ever reinstate the through trains to Scarborough?
Thank goodness Mick didn’t have a Vicar of Dibley moment!
But first he had to negotiate the underpass! This leads from the towpath to Little Bollington where he’d catch a bus. With all the rain this year this has become a small lake and with a bus due Mick had to walk through it, deeper than his shoes! Soggy feet for the rest of his journey. I had been thinking of a walk into Dunham Massey, if I do I’ll be digging my wellies out!
I hope I can do better than the gaffa tape
Tilly and I pottered away the day. Some mending of Mick’s slipper required. It was coming away from it’s sole and he’s worn a hole in the toe of it! Being sheepskin and very good for keeping your feet warm they need mending as the left foot is still very much in good order. Uhu used as a contact adhesive stuck the sole back on. Then I cut a patch to cover the toe from an old Ugg boot that moths had attacked in the house. I’ll leave the glue to go off overnight and then have a go at stitching the patch on. I’m not looking forward to that bit!
Lots of dry toes
A few last ends to weave in on some socks. Six pairs now waiting to be sent off. First they needed their photos taking. Then the next pair were cast on whilst watching The Duchess 2008. The period drama based on the true story of Georgina Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire. The line on the poster says it all really, ‘There were three people in her marriage.’ It stars Keira Knightley and Ralph Feinnes and won Best Costume Design in the Academy Awards. The frocks were rather lovely.
Plop!
The weather has improved, less windy but still the occasional thunder storm. At one point today I wondered if we were taking on water, a distinct bubbling noise coming from close to the hull. It turned out to be rather large hail stones landing in the canal.
I spent as much of the day with my feet up. Over the last week my left foot has become a touch uncomfortable, a bit like having your shoe lace tied too tight. The top of my foot had become a touch fat at the end of days working locks, but last night my ankle had blown up too. Not sure I’d get a shoe on it, so it has been elevated on a stool for as much of the day as possible. It doesn’t hurt, so I’m not sure what has happened.
A rather nice sunset to do the washing up by
My plan to walk round Dunham Massey, have a bus ride into Altringham to visit Alty Market are on hold. I need my ankle to be better for the Cheshire Locks, it would also be handy if it fitted into a shoe!
Thomas Telford Basin to Stretford Marine to Trafford Centre Visitor Moorings
Last night was nice and quiet in the basin. Only one goose sitting on a nest so there wasn’t another goose to squabble with and the human residents were quiet too. Before we headed to bed Mick logged onto our C&RT account to book our Bridgewater passage. The Bridgewater Canal is run by Peel Holdings therefore not covered by our C&RT licence. There is an agreement where boats can transit the Bridgewater Canal to reach C&RT waters, Leeds Liverpool, Rochdale or Trent and Mersey. It used to be that you could just enter their water without booking, so long as you only stayed 7 days. Now you have to book this via the C&RT website. There is also an option to extend you visit by 3 days. This is intended to be used within 28 days so boats can visit Liverpool and then return without having to stay off the Bridgewater for several weeks before booking again. This may come in useful for us, so Mick ticked the 3 day extra box.
Breakfasted, and wrapped up reasonably warm we pushed off, thanking the residents for our peaceful night. The entrance in and out of the basin is a tight one, but we know Oleanna can manage it, it just takes a bit of patience to get round.
Time for the Rochdale 9. I’m not sure how many times we’ve done these locks, maybe four times? Dale Street Lock 84 was surrounded by rubbish this morning, a council worker arrived to pick everything up from those who’d sat on the benches drinking last night. Water flowed over the top gate by several inches, not unusual for the Rochdale 9. Some of the locks have bywashes, others don’t.
I lifted a paddle to bring the water in the lock up to match that above. We brought Oleanna in and I lifted a paddle to empty it. Over the top gates there are handrails on both sides. These are very narrow and the hoik up onto the lock beam is quite high. Sixteen years ago I sprang up onto the beam and crossed over without thinking about it , today my knees make me nervous of such things, but both paddles were needed to level the lock with the water below. I crossed the gates twices then realised I should be able to walk round over the road bridge. This made me happier.
Piccadilly Lock
Now down into the depths for Piccadilly Lock 85. Today it was dark, relatively clean and we were on our own. I wondered if the top gates when they were replaced had been made higher, they certainly looked it. Climbing up to get over to the other side was not appealing, could I manage to empty the lock using only one side?
I lifted the paddle and watched as the water emptied. Gradually Oleanna descended. The bottom gates here have a windlass operated chain to open them as the building above has encroached on the space. This is usually quite hard to operate. I waited, worked out which way to turn my windlass. Water still rushing over the top gates, would it ever level out? I waited for the water below the lock to calm, tried the gate, waited some more. Then I could feel the gate just giving a little, phew I wouldn’t have to climb over the top gates.
Only accessible by canal
Access to the next lock is only by boat, sixteen years ago I remember climbing down some steps to it, but this route has now been blocked off, I suspect to keep people from the pubs on Canal Street away from the waters edge. Here I made a mistake, in that I lifted the bottom paddle on the offside. This ended up not being enough to empty the lock fully. Mick climbed the ladder, lifted the other paddle, my gate now opened. Maybe if we’d left it a few more minutes it would have obliged. If I’d started on the other side it maybe would have been easier as I needed to be that side to get back on the boat anyway.
Under bridges and buildings
Back on board we headed to Princess Street Lock. Here rainbow planters cheered up the banks, it was starting to rain. Several runners ran up the towpath and wanted to continue along the canal, only to find they were running onto a pontoon that led nowhere! Then more runners came, and more, and more! How many? I asked one chap if he was the last, no reply. When Oleanna was out of the gates Mick warned me that there were more runners to come all wearing kahki.
A C&RT workboat appeared to be on the lock landing at Tib Lock 89. Some helpful person had however untied it’s mooring lines and possibly had a rifle around in a cupboard. Only brooms to disturb in there. I retied it to some railings and a mooring ring, hopefully leaving enough room for a boat on the lock landing. Not sure how long it will last before someone else decided to untie it though.
Blossom instead of graffitti
Trees on either side of the lock were filled with pink blossom. The flag stones on the offside covered in a layer of slippy green that even my anti slip trainers couldn’t cope with. Working carefully we descended.
Very very high!
At Albion Mills Lock the building work we’ve been under has now finished, the tall building stretching high above the canal. Panels stand out from the building looking like someone has stuck sheets of steel deck haphazedly onto it. Here I ended up having to enlist some one to help with the lock gate, we’d waited quite a while for the level to equalize.
A good place to shelter from the rain
Tunnel Lock 91. Here a chap had made himself a home tucked up by the gate chain mechanism, well under cover of the building next to it. The offside here looked even greener, serious lack of footfall to keep it clear. The top gates were also high and very green too! I hoped that one paddle would do the job, it maybe had, but would the gate open!?! I asked the chap if people had difficulty with the gate and he said most did, it was rare for this gate to be opened. The chain slipped rather than doing anything productive. I’d have to walk round, climb over the beam, be hissed at by a goose to open the gate.
The End
Just before Dukes Lock 92, who should we pass but the boat from Littleborough. Had they come down the locks last night or early this morning? They were making use of the last moorings before reaching the Bridgewater Canal.
If only the sun had been out!
The top gates were open so Mick sailed straight in. Here there is no bywash, apparently it was bombed in WW2 and never replaced, so excess water comes over the top gates. Gongoozlers who didn’t mind getting wet loitered on the bridge to watch our progress. Paddles lifted and then patience was needed for the levels to equalise. The first time we ever did this lock was on NB Bergen Fjord and the bottom gates really didn’t want to open, we ended up with two windlasses on the chain gear. Now I know to wait for the water below to calm right down, take the strain on the chain. My first go had a small amount of movement, maybe if I adjusted my windlass to give me more umph then it would open. I took the strain again, one extra turn had the gate open just that bit, the levels equalised and I easily opened the gate. Looking back at the amount of water still coming over the gates I was surprised at how easy it had been.
Maybe one for a painting
Should we stop or continue? We continued in the rain, we were wet now anyway. A cuppa and some flapjack as we cruised our way out of Manchester as another huge running club ran the towpath. ‘Come on guys lets see if we can beat the boat!’
Runners
The Bridgewater is very familiar water, the sights in the rain were passed easily. At Waters Meeting a narrowboat came past, pram hood up as they do round here. We followed it to the left. He pulled over just before Stretford Marina so we could pass, only to find out we were pulling in to the services.
A flat cap wearing chap in a blue coverall took our ropes and asked what we were after. Diesel and coal please. The chilled medication cabinet was empty despite all the adverts outside! He pulled the long hose out and topped up our tank whilst I topped up our water. He chatted away to Mick. There were comments about having to stay alive as the state pension keeps going up, but how anyone actually spends it all puzzled him. He’d been to buy himself a new fountain pen, spent over £800 on one with a pot of ink. The shop assistant in Selfridges had seemed a bit off with him, ‘I brush my cap every day! Anyhow Selfridges isn’t just for footballers you know!’ What a character, he plays the flute and owns two baroque flutes.
A roaring trade
We winded Oleanna, time to head north. Left at Waters Meeting, we pulled up on the last rings outside the Trafford Centre. After a late lunch with the last of the flapjack we headed into retail hell. A Saturday afternoon at the Trafford Centre not my idea of a good way to spend our time, but a neccessary one. At John Lewis we waited and waited to be served. Numerous shop assistants walked past, none asking could they help or that someone would be with us soon. Eventually Mick managed to get someone to go into the back room for my laptop which was now mended with a new hinge, Hooray!
A new SD card for my camera was required, but despite there being numerous staff about the place none were available to unlock the rack so we could purchase one. I felt that MIck was on the border of a Geraghty strop, we left the store. Game had what we were looking for, it took some time to pursuade the staff that it would work in a camera and they weren’t just for games consoles. A very quick visit to Primark for a couple of t-shirts and we were out of there.
But it looks so good!
Time to sit down at last.
It’s nice to have my laptop back, I don’t keep aiming for the delete button and turning it off!
9 locks, 6.3 miles, 5.35 miles walked, 2 lefts, 1 extra bum, so much water, 91 Locks of the Rochdale finished, 32 miles traversed, 1 bored cat, 63.7 litres, 40kg coal, 1 laptop, £800 pen! hope the ink was free, 1 immaculate flatcap, 1 Bridgewater licence, 1 SD card, 0 flapjack left.
River Irk Aqueduct to Thomas Telford Basin, Ashton Canal
The plan was to set off at 8am, we left a few minutes late as we wanted to empty the yellow water tank before setting off. There was no point in upping the revs to try to catch up on time, this would only encourage items to attach themselves to our prop, necessitating a visit down the weed hatch.
A photo from yesterday courtesy of Paul
As we headed towards our rendez vous location with Paul we could track his progress via Google, as he could us via Nebo.
Our first lock of the day Kay Lane Lock 64. The bywash was running healthily, hopefully this would mean we’d not be short of water further in towards Manchester. I walked on around what used to be an arm, lock gate recesses visible and what looked like a slipway at the other end.
Going up!
Grimshaw Lane Lift Bridge isn’t your usual affair where the carriageway lifts up at an angle. This is more Thunderbirds, it rises staying horizontal, quite good fun and on a busy road during the morning rush hour! 30 vehicles were stopped, the highest number so far this year!
Pauls progress was good, he’d reached Failsworth Tram Stop, he’d headed to Lock 65, but then wandered back to the tram stop. Maybe he’d done his bit in opening the first lock and was now heading back home? We followed the new cut under the M60 surrounded by concrete and soon arrived at the awaiting open top gate. Paul soon appeared up the track, he’d forgotten to tap out at the tram so had returned to do so.
Lock 66 Heading down
A ride onwards to Lock 66, a chance to stow Pauls bag inside. In his hand his phone checking map data as we cruised along. At Tannersfield Highest Lock 66 we both jumped off again, from here we’d be walking in to Manchester below Lock 81.
Looking back
We soon got into a rythmn at the locks the person who arrived to set them would usually stay to close up once Oleanna had left, the other person after lifting a paddle would walk on ahead to set the next lock. Leap frogging unless two pairs of hands were needed anywhere.
Coming through the narrow section
During the restoration of the canal some pounds had to be dug out, having been filled in with concrete. A channel was cleared not the hole width of the cut, so it’s best to stick closer to the towpath. Mick prempted this a bit too soon and ended up getting grounded, but it didnt take too much to get moving again.
Five years ago we shared the locks into Manchester with Graeme and Clare on NB Mr Blue Sky, we’d also enlisted the assistance of a volunteer Lock Keeper Ian. He was full of interesting facts, such as you can tell the change of council along this stretch as the design of the lamp posts change.
Round and round and round!
At Newton Heath Lock I was the first to arrive, quickly realising my mistake. This lock only has one bottom paddle, this is on the offside, the side I’d be working. This in itself wasn’t a problem. The paddle itself is very high add to this the gearing which requires you to wind your windlass 132 times to raise it and another 132 times to lower it. At least I knew this before I started, so paced myself, giving my arms several breaks from going round and round. Paul waited at the lock to help open the bottom gates, the near side requiring a windlass to open it.
Lock 70 and the distance markers
I had a quick look at the state of the gates, very much showing their age. We’d seen new pieces of oak sat outside the workshop at Stanley Ferry, Rochdale 69 marked on them. They still needed to be put together. Wonder if they’ll change the paddle gear when they put them in?
Along the towpath were distance markers. Far to far apart to be Covid markers. Were they for a park run? 10m, 100m, 1000m, they came and went along the next stretch.
Woooosh!
Most bywashs were flowing fast, add to this the water we were bringing down with us, we shouldn’t have any problems with lack of water. Ten years ago it had been a very different case. we were heading uphill not down, robbing water ahead of us to fill the current pound we were in. Constantly running water down so that there was just enough to keep two boats afloat. By the end of the day we’d taken enough soft furnishings off the prop to decorate a house!
TV, Fridge, PVR?
At one lock I remembered our friend Frank being asked by a kid if we had any guns onboard. Today there were few people on the towpath, the lock surrounded by areas burnt away, the nearest one to a gate must have been something electrical as I spotted what had once been a plug along with it’s fuse.
Lock 73 with my helper
Time for a break. We were nearing halfway. Mick and I decided it would be at the next lock, this brought a smile to Pauls face. But at the next lock there was a chap sat drinking his can of beer. A chatty chap who in his 20 years of living by the canal had never seen a boat go through a lock. Well to save having to offer him any flapjack we treated him to watching Oleanna descend the lock, he also got to help with the gates.
A touch too much water!
Paul had headed to set the next lock. This would have required waders as the canal was overtopping the towpath in the short pound. Thankfully a walker wearing waterproof boots offered to lift a paddle, letting water down.
Refuelling
With no moving boats, we didn’t have a problem just stopping in a lock. The kettle was popped on and the tin of flapjack brought out. For our hard work so far and the remaining locks to come we allowed ourselves two pieces each. It was good, very good. If you missed the recipe yesterday here’s a link to it again.
Lock 77
Onwards, downhill. At Anthony’s Lock 77 Paul had seen a lady with a windlass in hand approach from below, the lock already two thirds full. We tried to peer down below the lock to see where her boat was so we wouldn’t wash it away, but the wide road bridge inhibited the view. We wound the paddles.
Apparently we were about three locks behind another boat going downhill, that would be the boat from Littleborough water point, would we ever catch them up?
New lock gates with the new version of the lock name
All day long Paul had been meticulously checking his map data. New blue C&RT signs were checked. The three Coalpit locks on Pauls map had had a slight change of name, they were now Coal Pit.
I like this one
From Coalpit Middle Lock 79 to Butler Street Lock 81 we had too much water again. Ian the volunteer last time had told us that the local council had built the bywashes here and they were far too small to cope with the amount of water coming from the locks above. Thankfully having had a flapjack break much of the water we were bringing down with us had had chance to flow on ahead.
Looking back at Victoria Mill
As I lifted the paddles to fill Lock 81 a lady came over to chat. She was waiting to clean the library and had heard the clicking. ‘I watch a woman on Youtube’ she said. ‘Now what’s it called?’The Narrowboat Pirate by any chance? ‘Yes, with Heidi’ We know Heidi our paths have crossed a few times. This lady knew her from when she was a DJ. I wondered if a ‘Friend of Heidi’ might have a similar meaning to a ‘Friend of Dorothy’ ?
The crew hopped back on board, the next stretch of canal we could have a little rest. Past New Islington where more building work of jaunty angled buildings is taking place. Above the next lock a long stretch of moored boats the last one familiar, the boat from Littleborough, we’d caught it up at last!
Paul and I worked the next two locks, one half underneath a bridge and the last lock of the day over looked by a stack of portacabins. Here a couple chatted to Paul and ended up helping with the gate. Hello to you if you are reading this and thank you for your help.
We pulled in a short distance on, just before Ducie Street Junction where the Rochdale Canal meets the Ashton Canal. A cuppa and more flapjack was required by the crew, both Paul and I most certainly having worked off the calories today.
Team Rochdale
Thank you so much Paul for coming along to help us, it made for a much easier day with good company.
Oleanna, happy to be back in Manchester
Once we’d said farewell to Paul we decided to move on a touch, mostly to move away from smokers on the benchs. We turned left onto the Ashton, considered pulling in on the Picadilly Village moorings on line. We’d need to wind before carrying on down the 9 locks tomorrow, so turned into Thomas Telford Basin, turned and then tied up. A visit to a gluten free chinese restaurant had been on my radar in the Northern Quarter, but we were both too pooped to be bothered to walk there. The moorings in Thomas Telford Basin don’t have access to the outside world, this didn’t matter to us today. Instead of crispy aromatic duck we had cauliflower cheese with extras, yum.
Tucking into Thomas Telford Basin for the night
20 locks, 7.3 miles, 1 lifting bridge, 30 held up, 5.63 miles walked, 13,721 steps, 3 flooded pounds, 0 guns, 0 round the prop, 1 very handy lock wheeler, 2/3rds of flapjack consumed, 3 pooped boaters, 1 sulking Tilly, 1 friend of Heidi, 9 hours including breaks.
Last night we’d decided to give ourselves a bit of a lie in today as the next few days will require early starts. However we were both awake early so no point in just lying there thinking about sleep. We didn’t rush to get moving and pushed off around 9:30.
1st Laneside Lock Cottage
Lock 54 needed topping up. Whilst that filled I walked down to the next lock which was just about full, topped that up, opened up the top gate then walked back to the top lock to open it for Mick and Oleanna. The bywash was running like a good un so I decided to save my legs the walking back and forth to set ahead, hopefully the locks would mostly be full by the time we got to them.
The towpath wasn’t too busy, walkers, runners, dog walkers. It was a touch chilly. A chap walked past me with hood up, a scarf or black mask over his face. The next lock was full and I noticed this chap pause to open the gate for us. Not an unusual thing to happen. I waved to thank him, he carried on walking away. I wondered how any more locks would be sat with their top gates open for us.
Thank you!
At the next lock down I lifted the paddles to empty the lock. I looked down to the next lock. The same chap was there. He was looking back towards us with either a camera or binoculars. Now hang on! Your average towpath do-gooder opening lock gates for us was one thing, but checking back on our progress?! Nowadays you don’t often see white men out in the open wearing masks. Who was this masked super hero?
I walked back to mention my suspisions to Mick, I was fairly sure we knew this chap. Mick poopood my idea, no it couldn’t be. I zoomed my camera in to the next lock, if he could spy on us, I could do the same back. No hood or mask now. Glasses, the profile looked right. It had to be.
It has to be
When I spotted the windlass I was certain of it. But would we catch him up? Or would he continue on down the towpath ahead of us setting locks and then don his disguise again and vanish?
I knew it!
The next lock was taking some filling so he was still there when we arrived. Yes my suspisions were correct, it was Paul Balmer, come to lend a hand a day early. A while ago Paul had offered to lend us a hand into Manchester if he was available and he’d pencilled in today and tomorrow as possibles. With the weather being bad yesterday he’d though that we might have added two days together avoiding getting a soaking, but we’d battled onwards leaving only 10 locks for today.
Paul, mild mannered map compiler and lock wheeler
After we’d both lifted paddles, Paul walked on down to set the next lock, leaving me to close up behind Oleanna. Quickly into a routine ready for even more locks tomorrow.
All that stonework revealed
Below Lock 60 a chap was being very busy clearing away earth, grass and allsorts. One patch remained a very neat rectangle of turf. Around the lock there had been various bits of dayglow tape and large numbers on the bottom gate. The chap was very proud of his efforts and didn’t understand why C&RT had been round some of the locks and repainted the tops of the bollards back to white from the yellow he thought was better for the cyclists to see. I thanked him for his works on clearing the mud and reexposing the stonework, not sure I agree with him about the bollards!
Railway Bridges 69 A and B
Below Scowcroft Lock 61 two railway bridges cross the canal. The original bridge had to be replaced as it couldn’t take the weight of modern trains. According to the chap in Littleborough Museum you can feel the train adjust to the side for the new bridge when you are on a train. The old bridge appears to be held up with colourful strops.
Oleanna following Paul to the next lock
We were soon pulling in below Walk Mill Lock 63. There was enough depth for us just before the River Irk Aqueduct, no other boats, we’d still not caught the boat ahead of us that had been in Littleborough. A busy towpath, but once a dash had been made to the otherside Tilly was in the friendly cover and left us humans to enjoy a cuppa on board.
Arrangements were made for tomorrow as Paul would be returning to join us in the morning at Failsworth Top Lock. He headed off to walk the next section of the canal that he’d miss tomorrow, all the time checking on his map data for Waterway Routes. Every three years Paul aims to walk, cycle or boat the whole network himself checking all the information is correct on the maps. People like us assist by informing him of changes we notice as we travel the network, accuracy is very important, 5 digit grid references are required before new bins, water points, moorings etc can be added to the maps.
Fuel to get us into Manchester. Click photo for recipe
Some baking was required to help with energy levels tomorrow, so I made a batch of flapjack with a layer of bramley apple in the middle. Hopefully there’d be enough sugar to help keep us walking on to work the next lock on our descent into Manchester.
Ten years ago when we brought Lillyanne out of Manchester we’d missed food at the pub and ended up having an Indian takeaway, no-one had the energy to cook! Tonight we decided to see if Modhubon was as good as we’d remembered it, or do we only remember it being good because of all our hard work that day. We chose a couple of dishes, one we’d not heard of before, Chicken Akbori Chum Chum, it was very tasty.
10 locks, 1.6 miles, 1 mystery helper, 1 busy playground, 6 hours shore leave, 0.75 stamp of approval, 2 many woofers, 1 motorbike, 3 peacocks, 3 papadoms, 1 chumchum, 1 dansack, 1 mushroom bhaji, 2 very full boaters, 1 early night.
Canal Wharf, Littleborough to above 1st Laneside Lock 54, Slattocks
Hello!
Alarm set for before 7am! All because of the weather which we were hoping to beat today. No time to lie in bed with a cuppa, we were up and having breakfast, listening out for our Sainsburys delivery between 7:30 and 8:30. The beep beep of the van reverseing towards the canal caught our attention at 7:45, time to stow our purchases.
Goodbye Littleborough
By 8:20 we were ready to push off leaving the squabbling, nest sitting geese to it, time to head to the next mooring in towards Manchester.
New houses look like they will be going up soon along the south east bank heading to Smithy Bridge, two geese stood guard ontop of the earth works. Apparently there are plans to build 1000 new homes around Littleborough. Past Clegg Hall with a terrace of workers cottages, a long line of windows on the top floor for good light in the work rooms.
Stopped these two chaps who didn’t understand why the bridge went nowhere
This must be the longest pound on the Rochdale, around an hours cruise with no locks. But to keep you on your toes there are a couple of swing bridges. I went with my handcuff key and key of power just incase, just as well as they both got used.
Propmate kept out should we need it later
The canal at times was shallow, aided by supermarket trolleys, eroded banks, picking places to pull in took a bit of time. Then picking up some plastic on the prop required a stop. We tried pulling into the side but didn’t succeed, electing to just pause in the middle to get the prop mate out and clear the prop. No passing traffic so we weren’t in anyones way.
For the last few miles I’d been spotting what look like metal flowers attached to the off side. Outlines of three white petals with a yellow centre, at one lock this was accompanied by some leaves. On one of the bridges there is a mural of the same flower. Maybe a canoist has put these up where the plant growns?
Hello Rochdale
Just as we pulled in towards Rochdale, our slightly slower progress then planned, meant we got the first rain drops falling, we’d not beaten the weather! The empty lock looked to have wet sides, were we following that boat that had been on the water point? How much further had they got yesterday before they gave up? Would we catch them up and maybe have a partner for the rest of the locks into Manchester? We’d see.
I filled the lock, spotting that a bottom gate paddle had been left slightly up. Gongoozlers came and watched, three young chaps asked Mick for a lift. I think this is just a standard thing to say for youngsters, a little like when I’ve got my painting clothes on and people say ‘You’ve missed a bit’. Very original! They helped with the gates though.
Another chap arrived at the next lock promising to help with the gates, which he did. Well he helped with the top gates, not the bottom cranked beams! He was wise in this decision. Wet underfoot there was nowhere to push your feet against. Despite my slip resistant shoes it took forever to push the bottom gate open and then close it again behind us. There obviously used to be some other means of opening and closing these gates as there is a curved track in amongst the stonework.
Below Moss Lower Lock
Just below the lock there is an arm heading off to the north. This led to Drake Street where three arms were kept busy. In it’s hay day the Rochdale Canal saw around 50 boats a day transporting goods to and from the mills. I wonder how many boats cross the summit in a year now? On the Rochdale Canal facebook group there seems to be a campaign to pursuade the council to redevelope the warehouses and arms and get them reconnected to the canal. This would be wonderful, but would need to get an instant good reputation as somewhere to moor. It would be nice to feel you could explore Rochdale.
Culvert to the left, new tunnel to the right
Another longish pound. Some of this is a new channel. The canal had been built over and culveted for road building, so a new course was required along with the roundabout having to be rebuilt when the canal was restored. You can see where it used to go before you head into Edinburgh Way Tunnel. Mick remembers the road works lasting forever, the route to Anne (his sisters house) from the M62 affected for months.
Artwork alongside the lock
As we came into Castleton the lock ahead was just about full. Either the top gates leaked masses or a paddle had been left up. This is lock 51, the Lock Keepers had been called to it the day we crossed the summit. The offside gates are worked with your windlass and chains as a carpark for a mill now gets in the way. This does mean that access along the off side of the lock is for very skinny people or those who don’t mind limboing! I am neither of those. I closed the near side paddle and then noticed the rack went a lot further down than the one on the off side. If the offside paddle was still up by what might be inches then we’d be waiting an age to empty the lock.
I hopped onto the bow of Oleanna and Mick moved her up to the offside gate, here I could step off. Sure enough the paddle was up by a good few inches. I hopped back onto the bow and we headed for the lock. The lock beam has notches cut in it so that it goes over the top of the ladder handrail. We’d nudged the gate coming in, it needed to be opened again and then things aligned properly once more. With one bottom paddle lifted it was taking an age to empty, time to try to access the offside paddle. I managed to position myself in amongst the beam chains and lent over. I could have engaged the pawl if I’d flicked it with my windlass, but then there would have been no way of taking it off. So I just wound it up and held it until the lock levelled.
Hello somewhere over there
At Blue Pits Middle Lock I waved to Anne’s old house. Ten years ago you could just about see it, five years ago new houses blocked the view, now trees hide everything. I waved none the less.
Under the M62, the pontoon towpath was in situ today. This is also a new channel, the original used to pass a little further west with the Heywood Branch heading off to the west. If you look behind you you can see the way boats used to travel. Blue Pits New Lock 53 is a concrete affair, nothing old about it. It takes ages to fill and it’s surroundings were very bog like, I was quite glad the gates didn’t leak at either end which meant I didn’t have to wade through to operate the paddle on the off side. Puzzling why the bottom gates have these signs on them, they are usually on top gates.
?
A boat was moored on the next bend, a perfect mooring for spotting trains as the line sits at a height a field away. If we’d been half an hour earlier we’d have been treated to a steam train!
Not much further we reached Slattocks, bollards marking our destination for the day. We quickly unrolled the covers, headed inside to give Tilly the disappointing news that there’d be no shore leave today, but more importantly it was time to dry off.
Tension ans stitch swatch
The last pair of socks I’d frogged were finished off this afternoon. A swatch was knitted with the new blue yarns for the next pair. I was considering giving Broken Seed Stitch a go, but I think that would be better suited to two solid coloured yarns rather than varigated. Instead they will end up being very stripy socks.
5 locks, 6.6 miles, 2 swing bridges, 1 man and 2 dogs held up, 1 almost tunnel, 4 boxes wine, 1 pork joint for the weekend, 2 hours early, 1 orangutan, 0 shore leave, 1 annoying towpath cat, 14th pair started, 12 meatballs, 2 soggy boaters yet again, 1 boat ahead still not caught.
There was time for MIck to whip up a cooked breakfast before the Geraghty zoom this morning, it did mean that we’d be eating it whilst we chatted to everyone. Subjects covered, canvasing, folk, endive and sparkling ash leaves.
Zooming breakfast
Late morning we pushed Oleanna back over to the other side of the little notch as we were expecting little legs again this afternoon. It was hard to move across as the wind was pinning us to the side. I managed to get a rope around a bollard at the bow, then we used the Andy method (springing off) to force the stern across against Kathleens best efforts. We soon discovered that on the east side of the notch we’d managed to get ourselves tied up so as not to be buffeted about so much, the west side we’d not been so sucessful!
I think it’s stopped raining
We pottered away the morning and by mid afternoon squally showers were whisking around. Mick confired with our prospective visitors who’d planned on a visit before we all headed out for Sunday lunch. Instead we’d meet a car at the next road bridge and get a lift.
Soggy sponsored walk
Full water proofs didn’t manage to keep us dry for the five minute walk to meet Anne, sorry for leaving you with soggy seats! The Moorcock would have only been a 20 minute walk according to Google, although it would all have been uphill, glad we’d not done that in the rain!
A large table had been reserved for us at the end of the pub and we were soon joined by Ruth, James, Penelope and Daphne. There was Vocation beer on tap, so for the second Sunday in a row I had a pint of Heart and Soul a nice GF brew. Roast pork, beef, sausage and chips plus a chicken nuggets and chips were ordered.
Nice pint
The pork almost certainly didn’t come off a joint, most probably steaks roasted in the oven. Crackling had been mentioned on the menu and this was brough on a seperate plate. I suspect this had been cooked in an air fryer. It looked like it should be good, but I have to say it was a chewy disappointment. However we were there to enjoy being with family which made for a lovely late lunch.
Disappointed Ruth
James offered to do bathtime and leave us to chat for longer. This meant that some of us, Mick and myself could have pudding away from younger eyes who’d already had some chilled medictaion at lunchtime. A huge slab of chocolate fudge cake each. Ruth ordered an expresso martini for her treat, but they were out of these! She was very disappointed.
Mick, Ruth, Anne, Pip
There was a little lull in the rain, just long enough for a Sunday selfie before we climbed back in the car and made it back to the canal. Goodbyes and hopefuly it won’t be so long before we see everyone again.
Rain set in on our walk back to Oleanna. We decided to push back over the notch and whilst doing so we got another very good soaking! The stove was lit, coats and jeans hung up to drip dry.
Earlier in the day a message had been put on one of the facebook groups, a boat was looking for someone else to share the journey into Manchester. I made contact, a second boat with crew would make it a lot easier even though we may have extra crew for the final push. They have yet to cross the summit and our current schedule will mean we are still ahead of them. But with the current weather forecast, we may not be moving very far due to another storm. If they’ve any sense they won’t move either.
I wonder who will win this time?
Today marks the seventh anniversary of moving on board Oleanna in Sheffield. Oleanna was very shiny and new then, she’s showing her age now, still in desperate need of a wash and polish, the rain isn’t helping this. Time for a toast to mark the occasion.
0 locks, 2 pushes across the notch, 2 car rides, 2 very soggy walks, 1 last bag of coal, 4 pork, 1 beef, 1 sausage and chips, 1 chicken nuggets and chips, 2 slabs of chocolate fudge cake, 2.5 pints, 1 lovely meal with family, pair 14 finished, 50 years since Abba, 7 years onboard Oleanna.
After breakfast and writing the blog, on what feels like the smallest keyboard ever, we headed into town to do a bit of shopping, find a newspaper and have a look round.
They are rather fine
Two fine front doors stood out, one house for sale. You get quite a bit of house for your money in these parts. We’ve been spotting a lot of places named Royd recently. Old Royd Lock, Royd Street. Looking the name up it turns out that Royd is local dialect for ‘cleared land’ especially in a wood.
The centre of Littleborough has a mix of shops, not many unoccupied. Some smart clothes shops, a couple of butchers, a discount hardware shop and a knickers shop! Just who had the money for the fancy grave?
Who was so important to have such a grand grave
We got a newspaper, some thick cut bacon, a disappoinitng pork pie and a few bits and bobs fom Sainsburys before heading to the Co-op to see if their cat food was cheaper. It was, especially with a members card which we applied for whilst stood in the pet food isle.
As we headed towards the canal we spotted signs in the station window for a museum. Well that needed looking at, so we made our way up onto the platform where a chap asked if we knew there were no trains today. Yes, but we were looking for the museum. ‘Round the corner, there’s three chaps in there’.
No trains today
The main waiting room/old ticket office is now a museum for Littleborough Historical and Archaeologocal Society. We were welcomed in by a chap who immediatley mentioned about their flint collection and Roman coins. Flint is not found in the area, so was imported from other parts of the country. He also appologised that their main computer was broken so he wouldn’t be able to show us much from their archieve. This however didn’t stop him from chatting away to his hearts content.
An interesting man. He covered the railway, when the canals were built and how they had originally been planned for a different route. The feeder reservoirs for the canal, originally seven were created, Hollingworth Lake was by far the biggest. This was lower than the summit pound and required a steam engine to pump the water into a channel high enough to supply the summit of the canal. Hollingworth became a resort in the early C20th, numerous pubs, steamers, one pub boasted that with prior arrangement they could host 1000 people at a time.
As it says on the door
The chap chatted on for ages, he could have carried on for hours. Don’t get me wrong he was interesting, possibly being shown images and maps would have been even more interesting, but when someone wanted to show him a recent find that was almost certainly Roman we were quick in heading for the door. More a place for serious research on the local area than just a browse around.
Back at Oleanna we had lunch and enjoyed the last Hot Paw Bun of the year. These were the best I’ve made by far and Mick doesn’t see why they should just be for Easter!
Tilly came and went, then as the winds increased into the afternoon she was grounded. Kathleen was showing her force. Thankfully our mooring means Oleanna’s bow faces into the wind and with a few extra fenders out we are held into the side, so no bumping about.
Plans for the next few days were discussed. How long it will take us to get down into Manchester, which moorings to stop at, will the wind have died down sufficiently to make this all possible?
Tilly slept the afternoon away. The yellow water tank was emptied, Tilly’s pooh box refreshed and quite a bit of knitting done. I should just about finish pair 14 by the end of Sunday, Hooray!
Our evening meal was accompanied by growing winds and torrential rain. Really! Surely there can’t be anymore rain!!
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 windy walk, 1 puzzled baker, 9 rashers bacon, 1 pie, 1 paper, 0 knickers bought, 1 very knowledgable man, 0 wedding ring, 1 very blustery afternoon, 2 salmon steaks with red pepper sauce, 13.5 pairs of socks knitted so far.
A drier start to the day, but chilly! We had our breakfast then started to make ready to head up Lock 35, swing the bridge and enter Lancashire ready for 11am when our booking was to cross the summit. As we were rolling the covers up a CRT chap walked towards us, windlass in hand. It was only 10am, but they were ready when we were. Brilliant.
Getting close to leaving
We both stayed on board and let Billy and Richard work the locks for us. Up Warland Upper Lock, we then crossed the border, Billy welcoming us to bright side! Oleanna has been in Yorkshire for just over six months and now finally we’ve escaped, a few weeks later than originally planned.
Up ahead at Longlees Lock 36 another chap emptied the lock and pushed open the bottom gate for us whilst the other two chaps closed up behind and walked up to meet us.
Richard to the left, Billy the right, Summit straight on
Up we rose to the 600ft that the summit pound sits on. Grey overcast, slightly damp in the air, gloves a necessity, we could see our breath! Brrr!!!
Lancashire ahead
As we pootled along the summit pound, streams cascaded off the hillsides. A toot of a horn as the CRT chaps passed us in their van waving, they’d reach the other side before us to unlock West Summit Lock 37.
Mick and Yorkshire behind
Currently to help reserve water you have to book to cross the summit of the Rochdale, there are slots for 2 boats each way, today we were the only boat to cross. Billy said they’d been at the summit from 8am, sorted water levels out down on the west side so they really didn’t know why there was the 11am time to cross. An hour to sort levels would be sufficient. So those boats we’d seen yesterday had most probably come over the summit early on.
The western end of the summit pound
I stayed on board to go down Lock 37 then stepped off when we reached 38 time to warm up and lend a hand, Billy and Richard would be with us for a few more locks yet. Ahead of us down the big hill into Manchester there is a section that earlier this week had been emptied by vandals, a group of CRT employees were busy running water down to where it needed to be, hopefully by the end of today it would be back in navigable order.
The three of us leapfrogged each other, one going ahead to set the next lock leaving two to lift paddles and open and close gates. Time to chat. Richard used to work as stage crew at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, his son works on Coronation Street in the props department and Billy had a nice holiday in Scarborough last year.
Top gates
Locks 40 and 41 have narrowed so will only take one boat at a time, no problem for us today as we were on our own. The intermediate pound I remembered from five years ago was low, we’d cautiously let water down to enable our crossing. As 41 filled the chaps confired, Richard ran water through 40 to help the low pound. It still seemed very low to me when he lowered the top paddle, two huge blocks of stone lower than where the water mark suggested normal height was. It was easily passable.
I wonder how this is pronounced?
Our last passage down here we’d encountered another low pound, well more like an empty pound! Today we were told we’d be fine, the levels would have sorted themselves out by the time we got there. The chaps helped us down 41, they got a call, they were needed at Lock 51. We waved goodbye and thanked them and off they went in their van to help someone else.
A few days ago they’d been called out to help a boat heading up from Manchester. They’d found them a pound to moor in and told them to stay put overnight and they’d return in the morning to sort the levels out ahead of them up to the summit. That same day they were called out at dusk as the boat had continued uphill and had run out of water. If only the boat had stayed put, it would have only meant sorting the levels out once not twice.
How much water?!
Considering we’d not had enough water in a pound behind us, we all of a sudden had too much. Water flowed over the top gates straight to the other end and over the gates there too. So much water! This made opening bottom gates a hard job, patience for levels to equalise required. Maybe another bum against a lock beam would have helped, but despite there having been several walkers now there were none! We waited and eventually I could feel a touch of movement, phew!
We carried on down the next few locks. Billy had said that our preffered mooring near Littleborough was occupied by two boats this morning. So we tried pulling in before we reached there on a nice wide stretch the railway set back from the canal. Sadly there was not enough depth even at several feet away from the bank, we carried on resolving ourselves to mooring below the next lock, close to the railway where Tilly would have to stay inside.
Pushed over to the lock side
But hang on! I zoomed in on the little notch by Lock 46. Unless the two boats were very short, they must have left this morning. Brilliant! Our chosen mooring was available, we pulled in on the far side from the lock, a field, geese and leaves from a cauiflower for company. Tilly approved and vanished for quite sometime.
Skin *ed!
A grade three hair cut was long overdue, so we set up the towpath barbers making use of the bench by the lock. There he is again! Smart once more.
Messages were sent to Ruth, Mick’s niece, who gathered her daughters together to come and find us. With little legs expected we decided to push over to the other side of the notch making getting on and off the boat safer. Tilly was called back onboard and we pushed over. A quick tidy up and then a peek over the bridge to see Ruth, Penelope and Daphne walking up to meet us.
Nieces
Penelope isn’t quite 5 and Daphne just under 2. It was quite exciting to be on the boat, Tilly was spotted in the hedgerow and then we did a guided tour. Of course rocking the boat was an exciting thing that had to be explained, especially why Penelope couldn’t make it work but Mick could. We had a lovely hour with them all and look forward to seeing them again in the next few days. You might be looking forward to it! I’ll be behind Tom’s pillow if anyone wants me.
Once they were gone we decided to push back over to the field. Tilly having just claimed the tree by the lock hopped on board, then hopped off again just as we pushed off. Panic! Why were you moving the outside with me in it !!?!! Only one thing for it. Speed maths, correct footing and ‘Don’t you DARE Tilly!’ laaauuuuuunch! Plenty of spare leapability, maybe even a cats length.
The best mooring in Littleborough
A mousakkish was put together from some bolognaise sauce we had left over, the stove lit. The second sock that I’d frogged was finished and the first toe of pair 14 was cast on, it’s a bit wierd knowing how far into the year we are by weeks.
11 locks, 2.54 miles, 2 helpful CRT chaps, 1 helpful volunteer, 600ft, 45ft lower than the Huddersfield Narrow, 2 much water, 3 foot down, 1 notch, 1 happy cat, grade 3, 1 niece, 2 great nieces, 1 hiding cat, 27 weeks 2 days in Yorkshire, 1 long leap, 10 years to the day of owning NB Lillyanne, 10 years of being boat owners, 2 glasses of wine each to celebrate.
Lightbank Lock 31 to between Warland Lower and Upper Locks 34, 35
There have been Facebook tales of empty pounds on the other side of the summit on the Rochdale, one of these pounds did have a lack of water five years ago. The tales have come from those heading towards the summit from the west as we did ten years ago. We’ll see what we face when we get there, at least we’ll be taking water with us.
Two boats came past, were these the boats that had been helped across an empty pound at dusk yesterday? It was too early for them to have crossed the summit this morning, the top locks unlock at 11am. We waited hoping for a lull in the rain. One came and went followed by another, it didn’t seem like we’d get a suitably long gap to cruise in, so we just set off knowing we’d get wet.
I don’t think I’d mess with this goose
The geese are squabbling. Canadian Geese disagreed with a White Chinese Goose. Blimey they are worse than Seagulls! We pushed off leaving them to continue with their argument.
Round and round and round
Lightbank Lock has short beams on the bottom gate requiring the use of a windlass to open and close them. This is most probably due to a house having been built in the 1990’s on the offside here that required road access, so space was lost to have full length beams. The lawn seemed ever so green and well kept, until I walked on it, perfect grazing for Reindeer as it was soft squidgy moss. The views up the valley would be breath taking on a sunny day, no sun for us however.
Quite a soggy landscape
At the next lock a line of CRT vans were parked, a very soggy Sheep dog trotted back and forth from buildings to vans. We carried on with our soggy mission to moor below the summit today ready for our booked passage tomorrow morning.
The railway now vanishes underground, far more trains on the line at the moment due to line works in Huddersfield, so trains have been diverted along this valley instead. The river also has wound it self away from us and the road now a field away, would this be a good mooring for Tilly? We tried pulling in, but the now peaty water hides shallows, beware streams entering the canal, here they deposit silt enough to halt progress if you get too close. Another lock was ascended.
Warland Lower Lock filled, the pound to Upper Lock dropped by a good foot. Here would be a good place for Tilly. I walked up to see if I could empty the next lock to help fill up the pound. Boats moored on the offside were still level, the lock only had a couple of feet of water in it. I headed back to help bring Oleanna into the side.
What’s that little white dot on the bridge?
The top lock beam has instructions to help retain water in this pound. The offside gate requiring to be closed last, the mitred gates sealing better this way. There are even instructions on how to close the gates if you are a single hander. Push the near side gate with force, which pushes the offside gate away, it will then come back and close second keeping the water in the pound.
As we tried to moor up, spikes resistant to the bank a chap walked along. He’d emptied the lock above and was coming down to check the lock gates had been shut as instructed. Mick had succeeded, following the instructions, the chap said we’d be surprised at how many people didn’t do it.
Someone scouting for a suitable nest sight
A white dot on a pipe bridge up ahead on closer inspection turned out to be a Canadian Goose. The chap said they had two pairs trying to find somewhere to build their nest, he spends his mornings doing his best to dissuade them as they leave such a sh**ty mess everywhere!
Our mooring for tonight would just still be within the boundary of Yorkshire, one last night for us, one last afternoon of Yorkshire playtime for Tilly. She spent quite a bit of time out in the field despite the rain. I suspect on a sunny day here would have received a stamp of approval.
The stove was lit, time for us to dry out and have a late lunch. It carried on raining, we pottered away the rest of the day. The next sock was frogged back and by the end of the day I’d knitted back up to the cuff. Sadly I have another pair that require something similar, but maybe I’ll knit pair 14 first.
4 locks, 0.8 miles, 2 to the summit, 1 last night in Yorkshire, 1 very soggy day, 1 soggy moggy, 1 sock frogged, 1 duck hash, 1 stove lit, 1 quite good field.
Just how far to go today. The forecast was for dry weather, the locks would come thick and fast, plus we’ve got a booking to go over the summit. The latter could be moved if needs be, but we’d see where we got to today. Mick popped a load of washing in the machine and we pushed off.
Lots of water
Plenty of water coming over lock gates today, there were also a few bywashes that could compete with those at Tyrley. Last time we were here we’d moored above the next lock just as a stoppage notice came in that closed the canal behind us due to low water levels. Today we’d end up being the cause of a stoppage notice!
I’m so growd up I can preen myself!
As Oleanna started to rise in lock 16, we both could hear a noise, it made me wonder when we’d see our first ducklings. The answer was right then and there. In the lock with us were two little souls, bobbing about in the water. Had they been in the empty lock for some time? More importantly where was Mum!? Normally when ducklings cheep cheep you hear Mum somewhere trying to lure them to her, but no quacking could be heard. Were our first ducklings of the year also orphans?
Be careful!
As the lock levelled out the two little ones started to peck at our water line, then they made their way to the bottom gate. Here they preened themselves frantically, still unsteady on their webbed feet I reckoned it was only a matter of time before one if not both of them wobbled off the gate on the wrong side.
Just so lush today
Lush green hillsides accompany you up towards Todmorden. Houses sit high up making the most of views and day light. Old Royd Lock 17 had a Mum and her babies swimming away from it, had they been in this lock? Was she the Mum of the ducklings below? Just how long would they last for?
Old Royd Lock 17
We worked our way up the lock. As we near the top Mick hops off to open the near side gate and lower the paddle, leaving me to lower the off side and walk round to close the gate behind Oleanna. I wound the paddle down. It kept going for what felt like too long, I soon stopped and looked at the gear. Oh B**er! The toothed bar which you wind up and down by use of cogs had gone too far and now was no longer attached. I tried to push the bar inwards to see if I could catch it in the cogs, but it wouldn’t budge. We wondered would the lock now level with only one paddle available? As I walked back over the bridge I could see the amount of water gushing forth through the bottom gates, no wonder it had been empty when we arrived. It would be touch and go on the levelling front, time to ring C&RT. I got through to someone quite quickly and explained what had happened, if it hadn’t been me it would almost certainly have happened to the next person. The lady said she’d pass it onto the local team. After twenty minutes a stoppage notice arrived in our inbox.
Oh Bum!
We have received a report that the paddle has detached from the mechanism, a navigation closure is in place until the local team have been to investigate. Sorry everyone!
Monkeys
Onwards up into Todmorden. We pulled in on the service mooring, topping up on water, setting another load of washing going. The yellow water was emptied, elsan made use of. Have to admit to also having an early lunch so we could top up after the washing had rinsed. No boats came so we weren’t in the way.
Todmorden Lock paddle gear
The other side of the bridge sits Todmorden Lock this has a guillotine gate raised and lowered by the key of power, however you have to raise the paddle gear on the gate with a windlass. The top gate paddle gear were stiff as a Rochdale Canal paddle can be, I ended up walking round the lock hoping the water pressure had dropped enough so that I could lift them just a touch more. Gradually we made it.
The Great Wall
The Great Wall of Tod greets you at the next bend of the canal. The railway high above running on top of the 4 million bricks.
Now the locks come thick and fast. Once Oleanna was rising and Mick was near the top I’d walk up to the next lock to empty it giving us enough water in the pounds between locks. A Dad at one lock asked if I’d like some help lifting a paddle that was being a ‘Rochdale!’ Why not I’ve still plenty more to deal with. He managed to lift it with quite a bit of umph as his kids watched on gleefully.
This one or
Round the other side I set to lifting that paddle. Another ‘Rochdale!’ Positioning my windlass to make the most of my umph, I turned the handle. It stopped then gave just that little bit catapulting me to the floor! Thankfully just the floor. I checked myself over and stood up, a possible grazed knee. The paddle now wound up, behaving itself!
this one?
Onwards and upwards, under Gauxholme Viaduct. I hope I got a suitable photo to do a painting from. I identified the pound where a certain vlogger had to wade off his boat wearing wellies as there wasn’t enough water for him to get into the next lock. Just a short pound which could have been sorted without the need to fill his wellies with canal water.
Robbie’s wading pound
A chap came to watch us at Gauxholme Highest Lock, supping on his can of beer, he’d not seen any hot water in a while. ‘Good things are always worth taking time over’. How right he was.
Do we stop somewhere or carry on to where we knew we’d be able to moor? I opted to carry on even though I was feeling a touch weary. Using the more modern paddle gear as often as I could helped avoid too many ‘Rochdale!’ paddles and the going was easier.
A boat!
No low pounds today as there had been five years ago. No Grandma Pollard Fish and Chips, the old outdoor seating area now signed as a picnic spot. Then, there coming into view was a moving boat! The first since being in Hebden over Easter. Time to chat. The chap had managed to break a windlass on a lock up ahead and he’d almost done what I did at Lock 17 several times on their way over.
Bubbling!
We made it to the wide part of the canal. Here we joined two narrowboats that had come over the summit a couple of days ago. We pulled in as far away as possible, a good distance away from the railway to give Tilly some shore leave.
Someone must have known I was coming! I considered getting a marker pen out and refreshing the writing but the owner came and reclaimed their sign shortly after we’d moored up. Too many people in the outside. I demand you move it! Not a chance today Tilly. Maybe tomorrow.
16 locks, 4.1 miles by boat, 6 miles by foot, 1 full water tank, 1 broken lock, 8 monkeys, 2 loads washing, 1 moving boat, 1 scuffed knee, 2 jacuzzies, 2 pooped boaters, 1 mardy cat, 1 sock improved, now to the next one, 1/3rd of the way to Manchester.
