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South Pennine Ring - clockwise


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Hi there, a few questions and a little guidance required please.

 

40ft boat, single handed, don’t mind long days and would not turn down a helping hand (or two).

 

I would like to do the South Pennine ring this month, from the Peak Forrest canal and down to Manchester with my first overnight in New Islington on the Rochdale.

 

I am unsure where to overnight next as reading the forums it is a little hit and miss when it comes to the flight out of Manchester, but ideally, I am looking for somewhere safe with a pub close by would be a bonus. I think the choices are: The Crown, Boat & Horses, Rose, Ship and Hopwood.

 

Looking a little further ahead on the Rochdale, is anyone close to Lock 9 and are they still planning on opening it on the afternoon of the 18th.

 

From there on the C&H, the flood locks at Lock 13 are currently closed. Are these closely monitored with a view to opening them for navigation or is the situation reviewed every week or so. Could they be used if the water level was safe to do so or are they locked.

 

On the Huddersfield Broad & Narrow, and any top tips on where to overnight stop (for refreshments).

 

Lastly, with the stoppages lifting soon, is anyone else headed this way.

 

Cheers, Nick

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You really do need to do the 18 in a single day, overnight stops in the Newton Heath area are just asking for trouble.  Try to get the volunteer lock keeper.otherwise find a friend.  Leave New Islington as early as you can (note there is now a pub/bar right on the canalside in the Marina).

Most people aim for the Rose but if you are running late the Boat and Horse is a fairly safe overnight stop and the cheese pie is usually good. If you are really struggling then the wide bit in Failsworth is usually ok.

For the next stop I like the Ship (top of Slattocks). There are VMs one lock up but the Rochdale is not busy so you can likely stop right outside the pub on the lock landing.

The next day should get you to Littleborough and thats the Red Lion.

And then up to the summit for a beer in the Summit at Summit on the summit.

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Many thanks for your advice, I will drop CRT a line to let them know when I will be heading out of Islington and will ask about a little help from the volunteer look keepers and the timings for the flight. 

 

I was going to leave calling about Lock 1E until I cleared the stoppage at Hebden Bridge and also ask about the Flood lock at the same time, as if either one is blocked, it would delay me.

 

Is the HNC short of water at this time of year?

 

 

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12 minutes ago, NickMc said:

Many thanks for your advice, I will drop CRT a line to let them know when I will be heading out of Islington and will ask about a little help from the volunteer look keepers and the timings for the flight. 

 

I was going to leave calling about Lock 1E until I cleared the stoppage at Hebden Bridge and also ask about the Flood lock at the same time, as if either one is blocked, it would delay me.

 

Is the HNC short of water at this time of year?

 

 

I think it’s just that 1E lock that’s always in need but others will correct me if I’m wrong. 
My experience is its not so much a lack of water that’s the problem, there are too many leaks either through lock gates or the bank. 
The west side is no problem. 
The East just needs a bit of patience and some water letting down now and again. 
And you’ll have to do that by walking up to do it. 
 

Where as the Rochdale does struggle with its water supply, especially on the Manchester side. 
 

But in short no, I don’t think the Huddersfield does suffer from lack of water this time of year. 
 

 

 

a bit of a ramble, hope it makes sense

Edited by Goliath
I’ve had a few beer
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7 hours ago, NickMc said:

 

I am unsure where to overnight next as reading the forums it is a little hit and miss when it comes to the flight out of Manchester, but ideally, I am looking for somewhere safe with a pub close by would be a bonus. I think the choices are: The Crown, Boat & Horses, Rose, Ship and Hopwood.

I have overnighted at both the Boat & Horses and the Rose of Lancaster. If you are single handed I think you may struggle to get beyond the Boat and Horses.

You can moor right outside the B&H.

The bank at the back of the R of L has completely collapsed.  Better to go a little beyond and moor on the decent moorings before/after the aqueduct. The RoL doesn't always have food available when their website says it has. And last time I was there their gate onto the towpath was locked, even during opening hours. Alternative is the very reasonably priced Indian takeaway across the bridge - access from the towpath to road level is available on the Manchester side of the bridge.

7 hours ago, NickMc said:

Looking a little further ahead on the Rochdale, is anyone close to Lock 9 and are they still planning on opening it on the afternoon of the 18th.

I will go and have a look tomorrow and see what is happening.

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6 hours ago, dmr said:

The next day should get you to Littleborough and thats the Red Lion.

Red Lion for beer. Rake Tapas up the hill on the A58 or Bay of Bengal Indian restaurant / takeaway on Todmorden Road for food, both fairly close to the canal.

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15 hours ago, David Mack said:

Red Lion for beer. Rake Tapas up the hill on the A58 or Bay of Bengal Indian restaurant / takeaway on Todmorden Road for food, both fairly close to the canal.

Bay of Bengal followed by Red Lion, seconded... 😉

 

There's a trip report from me somewhere on the forum if you search for it, with a lot more info.

 

Edited by IanD
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On 04/03/2022 at 12:33, NickMc said:

Looking a little further ahead on the Rochdale, is anyone close to Lock 9 and are they still planning on opening it on the afternoon of the 18th.

The lock is fenced off, there are pumps and a dredger standing by. According to a CRT chap there they are planning to do the grouting and some dredging in the coming week and to have the canal open for next weekend.

20220305_124753.jpg.3558bc1370c8669b3e7c4f90324fd868.jpg20220305_125007.jpg.b88b9d6b1f1d59d91ab725aa4ad624bf.jpg

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Thank you very much on the good pub/mooring guide, very much appreciated indeed...

 

Ian, I could not find your trip report when I searched your posts most are hidden, but I did get some good info from the "Huddersfield Narrow Mooring" post that you and other contributed to.

 

Thanks for the photos and update David, it looks like CRT have plenty of equipment there for the job, if its open for next weekend thats even better than they anticipated.

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There's plenty of water at the moment, my mooring is at summit east, between l35/36. The nicest mooring on the way up is about 1/2 mile past the rose of Lancaster, a row of little bollards just before the next lock, by the Irk aqueduct. Slattocks at the top of the flight, is fine too, there's a Spar shop in the adjacent Garage. Get through Rochdale, Littleborough moorings are peaceful, as is anywhere after you pass Clegg Hall, a 16th century mansion on the off side. After that it's ok to moor anywhere. I mostly single hand myself, swmbos condition means that she can't always help, it's all do-able. 

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11 hours ago, NickMc said:

Thank you very much on the good pub/mooring guide, very much appreciated indeed...

 

Ian, I could not find your trip report when I searched your posts most are hidden, but I did get some good info from the "Huddersfield Narrow Mooring" post that you and other contributed to.

 

Thanks for the photos and update David, it looks like CRT have plenty of equipment there for the job, if its open for next weekend thats even better than they anticipated.

 

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20 hours ago, NickMc said:

Thanks for the photos and update David, it looks like CRT have plenty of equipment there for the job, if its open for next weekend thats even better than they anticipated.

 

They want the messy work completed for the open day:

Open Day at Hebden Bridge

Join us for a walk along a drained waterway.

Event details

 12 March 2022 

 10:00am - 2:00pm

Address

Holme Street

Hebden Bridge
HX7 8EE

We are carrying out important water saving repairs to this historic lock. The public footbridge provides a perfect viewing platform down into the drained lock, and the our specialists will be on-hand to describe the work taking place and to host some fun family canal-themed activities.

Coincide the event with a visit to the town’s quirky, independent shops, galleries and cafes for a great family day out.

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/events/2022-03-12-open-day-at-hebden-bridge

 

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Thank you very much for the info.

 

Ian, that report needs to be starred and highlighted..... 

 

Hopefully if they are having a visitors day then they would have done a good job.... 

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Well... a quick update

 

From the Swan at Fradley through to the bottom of Marple, no major dramas. I found the 18 locks down to Manchester on the Aston very slow and decided to have the following day in Manchester. I moored in New Islington, very good facilities, safe and near several pubs.

 

I walked up a couple of locks to get the lay of the land and found the pounds empty, so informed CRT who informed me they would send down water and it would be sorted for the following morning.... Oh how wrong they were.

 

My first empty pound was 80 and from there to lock 69 (On the bottom outside The Crown) I have been robbing peter to pay paul and each time it is taking more and more water. I informed CRT who sent out a very good person to let water down and to help where possible and without him I would not be this far, thats for sure. So today was 12 lock and according to my phone I have walked just over 27 Kilometres.

 

I have been informed that the feeder to the canal further up will be opened in the morning and at the next bridge a CRT working boat is across and blocking the canal, very similar to the Evergreen on the Suez canal last year....

 

As everyday is a school day, my top tip of the day is not to try and leave the lock without enough water in the next pound and despite my eagerness to make progress, I did push the limits and found myself grounded on the Cill leaving the lock. Problem solved by letting more water down from the next lock, but you could have been reading about another sinking if the rear gates had been leaking badly. 

 

Not too sure where to head for tomorrow and it will depend on if any water comes down overnight or if I am having another day of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

 

On a positive note, after the summit I will be taking water with me :)

 

 

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22 minutes ago, NickMc said:

My first empty pound was 80 and from there to lock 69 (On the bottom outside The Crown) I have been robbing peter to pay paul and each time it is taking more and more water.

From a water perspective it is much better to do the Rochdale East to West. I would be much happier being stranded by a dry pound on the east side than on the Manchester 18!

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Morning all. Fairly experienced non live aboard ccers.

 

Similar topic, hope you don’t mind me jibbing in. We’re going the other way, from the peak forest turn right and then if we have time, turn up to (wards?) Hebden Bridge, then turn back to Leeds and if possible the long way back via Burnley.

 

We got the year to do it in stages, if we fancy it. But immediate decision, when we get down Marple locks we won’t be able to get up the first few Huddersfield narrow locks while they’re working on them this week. We’ll have to leave, come back from home, and continue. So….

 

where should we leave? Near the bottom of Marple , near the junction, or somewhere else? Mainly concerned about security.

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I’ve left my boat at Portland basin for a week at a time unattended and had no bother.

I choose to moor under the flats.

Turn right at the junction, pass under the footbridge and moor up on the left beneath the flats.

You’ll need to tie to the wooden railing.

I prefer there than the towpath side where people can tend to meet in the evenings and booze it up.

 

If you travel to your boat by car then you can park in front of the museum for free.

I’ve left cars there for a couple of weeks and it’s been ok.

 

 

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I would advise anyone single handing up or down the East side of HNC from Slaithwaite to Marsden or Marsden to Slaithwaite to book one of the Rangers with CRT. The help I had last year from top down was brilliant.

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5 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

If you navigate a cruising ring anticlockwise, do you arrive back before you start? How do other boaters cope with this temporal paradox?

If you go very *very* fast round a big ring (or a smaller one lots of times) then you don't arrive back before you start, but you will be slightly younger than somebody whose boat didn't move... 😉

 

Also if you go fast enough your boat will get shorter, so maybe this means you could get a boat longer than 60' through the shortest locks? 😉

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25 minutes ago, IanD said:

If you go very *very* fast round a big ring (or a smaller one lots of times) then you don't arrive back before you start, but you will be slightly younger than somebody whose boat didn't move... 😉

 

Also if you go fast enough your boat will get shorter, so maybe this means you could get a boat longer than 60' through the shortest locks? 😉

Then you'll have to use the large opening on your windlass for the small spindles on the lock paddles. You won't be able to open hydraulic paddle gear at all. You will need a telegraph pole as a hand spike on the C&H stretch of the ring.

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