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Realistic Cruising Times on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal


Captain Pegg

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So. I'm all booked up for the tunnel, lock 1E and a space at Aspley marina while I go on my summer hols with the family. I've noted the restrictions on the Macclesfield and Peak Forest which is the way I'm intending to get there but I'm going to persevere. I've planned five days for the Huddersfield narrow itself. 

 

My preferred route back is the Leeds & Liverpool but if time and water dictate otherwise it'll be the Rochdale with a fall-back option of the Trent (very much not preferred).

 

 

Edited by Captain Pegg
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18 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

So. I'm all booked up for the tunnel, lock 1E and a space at Aspley marina while I go on my summer hols with the family. I've noted the restrictions on the Macclesfield and Peak Forest which is the way I'm intending to get there but I'm going to persevere. I've planned five days for the Huddersfield narrow itself. 

 

My preferred route back is the Leeds & Liverpool but if time and water dictate otherwise it'll be the Rochdale with a fall-back option of the Trent (very much not preferred).

 

 

 

Rochdale vs. L&L preference rather depends on which you love/hate more, locks or swing bridges... 😉

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18 hours ago, M_JG said:

 

Its a bit of a uphill walk up to the actual village from the moorings...

I've walked further uphill than that to check out pubs.  The Sair Inn is a prime example, often mentioned here - it even brings us back on topic!

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4 hours ago, IanD said:

 

Rochdale vs. L&L preference rather depends on which you love/hate more, locks or swing bridges... 😉

 

Same number of locks, innit.  They're just closer together on the Rochdale, and you have to do the C&H to go that way as well as the big electric A&C ones.

 

Swing bridges are always more fun at rush hour when singlehanding ...

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12 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Same number of locks, innit.  They're just closer together on the Rochdale, and you have to do the C&H to go that way as well as the big electric A&C ones.

 

Swing bridges are always more fun at rush hour when singlehanding ...

 

According to Canalplan, for me to get from Sheffield to Park Farm is 153 locks (and 147 miles) via the Rochdale and 123 locks (and 203 miles) via the L&L taking about 7h longer --  so no, not the same number of locks... 😉

 

(HNC is 5m shorter but 5 locks more than the Rochdale)

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12 minutes ago, IanD said:

 

According to Canalplan, for me to get from Sheffield to Park Farm is 153 locks (and 147 miles) via the Rochdale and 123 locks (and 203 miles) via the L&L taking about 7h longer --  so no, not the same number of locks... 😉

 

(HNC is 5m shorter but 5 locks more than the Rochdale)

 

Well yes, but that's not what you said ...

 

4 hours ago, IanD said:

Rochdale vs. L&L preference rather depends on which you love/hate more, locks or swing bridges... 😉

 

8 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

Shall we ignore the fact that I'm going from Huddersfield back across the Pennines to the top of the Trent & Mersey because Ian's doing something different at the same time?

 

 

We could if you want, but it would seem churlish!

 

I'd probably go via the Rochdale from Hudd if it is open, but the L&L route is nice if it's open.

 

There's some very good pubs up through Calderdale which may have some bearing on this!

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6 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

We could if you want, but it would seem churlish!

 

I'd probably go via the Rochdale from Hudd if it is open, but the L&L route is nice if it's open.

 

There's some very good pubs up through Calderdale which may have some bearing on this!

 

 

The choice is largely because it's longer and I've got a few months to complete the trip, other commitments permitting. Also it's about enjoying some cruising rather than the almost total lock-fest of the south Pennine ring.

 

Ironically if I'm single handing I might favour the Rochdale because the L&L swing bridges don't look easy for single handing.  

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1 hour ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

 

The choice is largely because it's longer and I've got a few months to complete the trip, other commitments permitting. Also it's about enjoying some cruising rather than the almost total lock-fest of the south Pennine ring.

 

Ironically if I'm single handing I might favour the Rochdale because the L&L swing bridges don't look easy for single handing.  

They're all really nice canals... 😉

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13 hours ago, IanD said:

 

According to Canalplan, for me to get from Sheffield to Park Farm is 153 locks (and 147 miles) via the Rochdale and 123 locks (and 203 miles) via the L&L taking about 7h longer --  so no, not the same number of locks... 😉

 

(HNC is 5m shorter but 5 locks more than the Rochdale)

 

If you add in the swing bridges there's about the same apparatus to open on the L&L. However if you have crew (and you do) and one jumps on a bike they don't hold you up at all. When we go that way I usually persevere until Bingley top then bike to Skipton.

 

It's a bit of a faff opening them when single handed so I would wait for another boat. Some of the electric bridges have the panel on the towpath side now.

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13 minutes ago, Midnight said:

 

If you add in the swing bridges there's about the same apparatus to open on the L&L. However if you have crew (and you do) and one jumps on a bike they don't hold you up at all. When we go that way I usually persevere until Bingley top then bike to Skipton.

 

It's a bit of a faff opening them when single handed so I would wait for another boat. Some of the electric bridges have the panel on the towpath side now.

We can confirm every electric swing bridge between Leeds and Skipton has the panel on the Towpath side.  Some of the manual bridges were easy to swing but a few were stiff and one, just to the east of Silsden, took two of us to swing just enough to get a narrowboat through.

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15 minutes ago, Ken X said:

We can confirm every electric swing bridge between Leeds and Skipton has the panel on the Towpath side.  Some of the manual bridges were easy to swing but a few were stiff and one, just to the east of Silsden, took two of us to swing just enough to get a narrowboat through.

 

Sounds like they've improved then, when we went through a couple of years ago several were very difficult for one person (me!), one (maybe the one near Silsden?) needed two people, and one (now fixed) was impossible even with two. I think the other reason I don't like them is they're just an inconvenience and offer none of the pleasure of efficiently turning and going through a lock... 😉

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I think you're right.  Just to clarify, the present Mrs X is a shade under five foot and she was able to swing all but the problem bridge with me shoving from the towpath to get things moving. 

 

As you say, it can be a bit wearing to see another bridge hove into view just as you leave the last bridge exit landing but it was the hottest weeks of the year at the end of July.  In contrast the powered bridges were struggling with the heat due to binding and needed cooling to allow them to operate in some places which slows things a bit🙂

 

OC Domestic did catch a car on one powered bridge which livened up things a bit.  We were pondering swinging with him on board but resisted the urge.  It appears you can reverse the operation without locking out the controller which was pleasing.

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Bit of bouncing usually gets the stubborn ones going, only problem we had was one with a latch mechanism that wouldn't re-engage when closed, but a good half hour of poking it with a windlass handle made it comply in the end. Must add this was near 7 years ago, and no doubt things are worse now :( 

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On 23/03/2023 at 09:28, Ken X said:

We can confirm every electric swing bridge between Leeds and Skipton has the panel on the Towpath side.  Some of the manual bridges were easy to swing but a few were stiff and one, just to the east of Silsden, took two of us to swing just enough to get a narrowboat through.

I know that one!

The most annoying ones are those with electric barriers and lights, but swung manually, both from the offside. With no offside landings... 

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13 hours ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

My solution when singlehanding the L&L was to get towpath walkers to operate the electric bridges.  Everyone was delighted to get to play with them, except for one Asian lad who took one terrified look and ran away!

Was he looking at you or the bridge?

Just asking.

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