Winding at Selby ?

[Pete of Ebor]

We have a boat booked from Shire at Sowerby Bridge. Plan A was to go over to Ashton via the Huddersfield Narrow and Standege Tunnel. Knowing the state of the HNC, we also prepared a Plan B which was to go via the Rochdale. Plan B was already scuppered, but now, it seems plan A is also in doubt.

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices?waterway[]=HN&start-date=18%2F05%2F2022&start-date_submit=18%2F05%2F2022&end-date=31%2F05%2F2022&end-date_submit=31%2F05%2F2022&order-field=startDateTime&order-direction=descending#form

 

This leaves us with some limited options for a weeks cruise - basically Leeds or Selby.  [I don't think we can get to York and back in the time - but as we live in York, it is on our bucket-list] We've done Leeds before, but not Selby. Looking at Nicholson's, there does not seem to be a winding hole marked at the end of the Selby canal before the Ouse lock. Does anyone know whether a 57' boat can be winded before the lock rather than having to wait for the tide, and then lock down into the Ouse and try to wind on the fast flowing river..   😱

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Pete of Ebor said:

We have a boat booked from Shire at Sowerby Bridge. Plan A was to go over to Ashton via the Huddersfield Narrow and Standege Tunnel. Knowing the state of the HNC, we also prepared a Plan B which was to go via the Rochdale. Plan B was already scuppered, but now, it seems plan A is also in doubt.

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices?waterway[]=HN&start-date=18%2F05%2F2022&start-date_submit=18%2F05%2F2022&end-date=31%2F05%2F2022&end-date_submit=31%2F05%2F2022&order-field=startDateTime&order-direction=descending#form

 

This leaves us with some limited options for a weeks cruise - basically Leeds or Selby.  [I don't think we can get to York and back in the time - but as we live in York, it is on our bucket-list] We've done Leeds before, but not Selby. Looking at Nicholson's, there does not seem to be a winding hole marked at the end of the Selby canal before the Ouse lock. Does anyone know whether a 57' boat can be winded before the lock rather than having to wait for the tide, and then lock down into the Ouse and try to wind on the fast flowing river..   😱

 

You can wind in the basin just before the lock. 

[Pete of Ebor]

Thanks for the quick reply !

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Yes you can. I've done this in a 57' boat.

Jen

[Pete of Ebor]

Thanks Jen.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Pete of Ebor said:

Thanks for the quick reply !

 

We turned our 60ft boat there when we once had to abandon a trip onto the Ouse due to water levels on the river.

[Momac]

[Fender151]

Hi, I live in a village next to the Hudds narrow, and I walk along the canal most days. The water levels have been very low for the last month., making navigation very difficult.

Yesterday evening I stopped and talked with boaters coming up the canal, it had taken them two days to get from the lower locks to lock 28, and they only managed that by calling out C&RT to let down water, they also told me there is also an issue with travel Standedge tunnel at  present due to lose brickwork, which is causing them further delays.

If you are on a tight time for your trip, I think you have made the right assumption in avoiding the  Hudds narrow.

 

 

 

[Naughty Cal]

Loads of room to turn in the basin at Selby.

 

Depending on the timing of your trip the Selby canal can be prone to weed growth in the summer.

 

It can make for slow progress.

[Guest]

It is also worth saying the Selby is a very pretty canal between The Aire and the outskirts of Selby.

 

Moorings are not exactly plentiful but you should find somewhere.

 

The moorings at the flood lock at West Haddlesey are nice.

 

I took these in 2011 - The canal and the basin.

 

 

[Stroudwater1]

Shire would probably advise you a few days in advance what the Huddersfield is like as they usually are getting rapid feedback from other hirers. Their boats are not very deep drafts so horror from others may not apply. 

[Pete of Ebor]

Thanks for all the replies. I did post rather late and we've just got back from the trip. We decided against Selby and chose to go up the Huddersfield Shallow at least as far as Slaithwaite. We had hoped that if C&RT had fixed the problem at Dobcross Lock 30W by Tuesday 24th that we might still be able to get through the tunnel. No such luck. Due to the problem at 30W, C&RT actually cancelled our tunnel booking - and in doing so, also cancelled the booking we had made for Stanley Dawson Lock 1E leaving us potentially stuck at 1E with no booking - and another boat had since booked our now vacant spot. We were eventually allowed through 1E and got up to Slaithwaite. We did go through Standedge, though not in the way we had expected - we took the train from Slaithwaite to Stalybridge to visit the Station buffet. On the way up, many of the pounds were low [..though none were impassable..] as we were following another boat. On the way down, there did seem to be plenty of water coming over the bywashes.

Overall, the HNC [.. or should that be HSC..] is not for the faint hearted, but it does seem to be worse now than it was back in 2002 when we last cruised it.

 

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