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Huddersfield Narrow Thoughts


Adam

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I have read a fair bit about the Huddersfield recently searching old threads and so on, both good and bad and how underused it is and why. The last time i did the Huddersfield (or went boating infact) was circa 12-15 years ago, and from memory it was underused then (not as quite as the Rochdale though). i will drop my thoughts / experience on using the Huddersfield Narrow on a day by day basis below. Hopefully giving a up to date experience and hopefully? promoting its use. Since February we have been bringing a boat from Braunston to Leeds.

 

There is 2 crew and we think we are the first boat up the west side this year.

 

Day 1 - 

 

Opted to stay at the bottom of the Marple flight and set off 7.30 aiming for Stalybridge / Roaches lock (15W) depending how we got on. We stayed at the bottom of Marple half because we left from Bugsworth the previous day and half because we didn't fancy staying at Portland Basin. Turning onto the Ashton towards the HNC it is immediately very narrow and rubbish filled, Lock 1W is a rapists paradise and covered in dog sh**t. Similar can be said for 2&3W, graffiti covered rubbish tip finely complemented by overgrown foliage across the navigation, on lock approaches / landings (i appreciate the HNC was not designed for lock landings), in all fairness the landings at the first few locks were ok depth wise. Smash through some more foliage and across the Tame Aquaduct, veer round a shopping trolley on the landing at 4W, acknowledge man carrying tin of fosters at 11.30am  (it is easy to drop crew at the approach bridge anyway). I note the moorings above 4w, felt these were reasonable looking on the offside. Through lock 5W, note moorings on offside looking unpleasant. Through 6W(Tesco), spectate 2 drug deals, a man wearing a balaclava and a influx of single late 20s males walking viscous looking dog breeds. Most of the other towpath walkists seemed friendly. Up through 7w, towpath becomes muddy. Afterthoughts of Stalybridge are what a mess, a real shame with the money spent on the Canal there, and could be a really good stop over if it was properly populated with boats. Note i appreciate we are the only boat around so this maybe adds to the feeling.

 

8W (under the piling) stopped at the sanitary station just above for water / elsan. Noted all electricity off in the building and a handwritten sign (assumably pre electric problem) stating shower out of use. Noted stoppage on CRT website from January stating electric problem and a update the end of April, top marks CRT. Also noted fortification of the CRT yard resembling Fort Knox, seriously. Reinforced steel doors on facilities gave the appearance of mooring in Beirut.  

 

9,10,11W, very nice wooded section next to the river and for the first time since Romiley a heavy reduction on Graffiti. Plenty of nice folks walking dogs and so on. Top of these few locks is the Scout Tunnel. Noted tunnel mooring on offside looked a nice stop overlooking the river but carried on. 12W the other side of the tunnel was fine. 13W - the first time in 12 locks we were grounded trying to use the lock mooring. A combination of 2 crew not requiring every one and the HNC not being as shallow as is mentioned (so far). Easily sorted by aiming for the landing a little closer to the lock. Between 13/14w a pleasant exchange with some bored children sat on the edge of a bridge. Through 14W and onto the unsigned? visitor moorings below 15w, Roaches lock. Moorings a plenty for 4 or so boats, deep to the edge except where the towpath has collapsed in several places. Up to the pub to find them not serving food, indian takeaway is is then.

 

To summarise, the start of the canal is as one would expect of a urban canal, Stalybridge a disappointment and after that it starts to really get nice. That's only 7 locks till you really start to see the beauty of the HNC. Traveling through Stoke takes longer. Also noted the Macc / PF has many many many more shallow spots than we have encountered on the HNC thus far. I do wonder why 80% of boat traffic never drop down through Marple and why the other 19% turn left at Portland, especially when from our experience it is marginally better than the 2 mentioned very popular canals. Lock paddles not as much hard work as expected, anti vandal locks being operable is a lottery - the hydraulic paddle gear is more bother than the mechanical paddles.

 

 

Feel free to comment/ question below, I will update this initial post

Edited by Adam
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9 hours ago, Adam said:

I have read a fair bit about the Huddersfield recently searching old threads and so on, both good and bad and how underused it is and why. The last time i did the Huddersfield (or went boating infact) was circa 12-15 years ago, and from memory it was underused then (not as quite as the Rochdale though). i will drop my thoughts / experience on using the Huddersfield Narrow on a day by day basis below. Hopefully giving a up to date experience and hopefully? promoting its use. Since February we have been bringing a boat from Braunston to Leeds.

 

There is 2 crew and we think we are the first boat up the west side this year.

 

Day 1 - 

 

Opted to stay at the bottom of the Marple flight and set off 7.30 aiming for Stalybridge / Roaches lock (15W) depending how we got on. We stayed at the bottom of Marple half because we left from Bugsworth the previous day and half because we didn't fancy staying at Portland Basin. Turning onto the Ashton towards the HNC it is immediately very narrow and rubbish filled, Lock 1W is a rapists paradise and covered in dog sh**t. Similar can be said for 2&3W, graffiti covered rubbish tip finely complemented by overgrown foliage across the navigation, on lock approaches / landings (i appreciate the HNC was not designed for lock landings), in all fairness the landings at the first few locks were ok depth wise. Smash through some more foliage and across the Tame Aquaduct, veer round a shopping trolley on the landing at 4W, acknowledge man carrying tin of fosters at 11.30am  (it is easy to drop crew at the approach bridge anyway). I note the moorings above 4w, felt these were reasonable looking on the offside. Through lock 5W, note moorings on offside looking unpleasant. Through 6W(Tesco), spectate 2 drug deals, a man wearing a balaclava and a influx of single late 20s males walking viscous looking dog breeds. Most of the other towpath walkists seemed friendly. Up through 7w, towpath becomes muddy. Afterthoughts of Stalybridge are what a mess, a real shame with the money spent on the Canal there, and could be a really good stop over if it was properly populated with boats. Note i appreciate we are the only boat around so this maybe adds to the feeling.

 

8W (under the piling) stopped at the sanitary station just above for water / elsan. Noted all electricity off in the building and a handwritten sign (assumably pre electric problem) stating shower out of use. Noted stoppage on CRT website from January stating electric problem and a update the end of April, top marks CRT. Also noted fortification of the CRT yard resembling Fort Knox, seriously. Reinforced steel doors on facilities gave the appearance of mooring in Beirut.  

 

9,10,11W, very nice wooded section next to the river and for the first time since Romiley a heavy reduction on Graffiti. Plenty of nice folks walking dogs and so on. Top of these few locks is the Scout Tunnel. Noted tunnel mooring on offside looked a nice stop overlooking the river but carried on. 12W the other side of the tunnel was fine. 13W - the first time in 12 locks we were grounded trying to use the lock mooring. A combination of 2 crew not requiring every one and the HNC not being as shallow as is mentioned (so far). Easily sorted by aiming for the landing a little closer to the lock. Between 13/14w a pleasant exchange with some bored children sat on the edge of a bridge. Through 14W and onto the unsigned? visitor moorings below 15w, Roaches lock. Moorings a plenty for 4 or so boats, deep to the edge except where the towpath has collapsed in several places. Up to the pub to find them not serving food, indian takeaway is is then.

 

To summarise, the start of the canal is as one would expect of a urban canal, Stalybridge a disappointment and after that it starts to really get nice. That's only 7 locks till you really start to see the beauty of the HNC. Traveling through Stoke takes longer. Also noted the Macc / PF has many many many more shallow spots than we have encountered on the HNC thus far. I do wonder why 80% of boat traffic never drop down through Marple and why the other 19% turn left at Portland, especially when from our experience it is marginally better than the 2 mentioned very popular canals. Lock paddles not as much hard work as expected, anti vandal locks being operable is a lottery - the hydraulic paddle gear is more bother than the mechanical paddles.

 

 

Feel free to comment/ question below, I will update this initial post

Oh it’s improved then! No joking aside it’s a hard work in places but the best is yet to come. Did it for the first time in 2019 on a boat drawing nearly 3ft drought we had our moments but it’s worth the effort. It must have been as we did it again in 2020 both times west to east. We might go for the hat trick and the “T” shirt this year east to west before they run out of water or some other pending doom is cast upon us. Really is a lovely canal need more use that for sure. Enjoy the rest of your trip and keep us all updated.👍 

Just now, Jon57 said:

Oh it’s improved then! No joking aside it’s a hard work in places but the best is yet to come. Did it for the first time in 2019 on a boat drawing nearly 3ft draft we had our moments but it’s worth the effort. It must have been as we did it again in 2020 both times west to east. We might go for the hat trick and the “T” shirt this year east to west before they run out of water or some other pending doom is cast upon us. Really is a lovely canal need more use that for sure. Enjoy the rest of your trip and keep us all updated.👍 

 

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11 hours ago, Adam said:

I have read a fair bit about the Huddersfield recently searching old threads and so on, both good and bad and how underused it is and why. The last time i did the Huddersfield (or went boating infact) was circa 12-15 years ago, and from memory it was underused then (not as quite as the Rochdale though). i will drop my thoughts / experience on using the Huddersfield Narrow on a day by day basis below. Hopefully giving a up to date experience and hopefully? promoting its use. Since February we have been bringing a boat from Braunston to Leeds.

 

There is 2 crew and we think we are the first boat up the west side this year.

 

Day 1 - 

 

Opted to stay at the bottom of the Marple flight and set off 7.30 aiming for Stalybridge / Roaches lock (15W) depending how we got on. We stayed at the bottom of Marple half because we left from Bugsworth the previous day and half because we didn't fancy staying at Portland Basin. Turning onto the Ashton towards the HNC it is immediately very narrow and rubbish filled, Lock 1W is a rapists paradise and covered in dog sh**t. Similar can be said for 2&3W, graffiti covered rubbish tip finely complemented by overgrown foliage across the navigation, on lock approaches / landings (i appreciate the HNC was not designed for lock landings), in all fairness the landings at the first few locks were ok depth wise. Smash through some more foliage and across the Tame Aquaduct, veer round a shopping trolley on the landing at 4W, acknowledge man carrying tin of fosters at 11.30am  (it is easy to drop crew at the approach bridge anyway). I note the moorings above 4w, felt these were reasonable looking on the offside. Through lock 5W, note moorings on offside looking unpleasant. Through 6W(Tesco), spectate 2 drug deals, a man wearing a balaclava and a influx of single late 20s males walking viscous looking dog breeds. Most of the other towpath walkists seemed friendly. Up through 7w, towpath becomes muddy. Afterthoughts of Stalybridge are what a mess, a real shame with the money spent on the Canal there, and could be a really good stop over if it was properly populated with boats. Note i appreciate we are the only boat around so this maybe adds to the feeling.

 

8W (under the piling) stopped at the sanitary station just above for water / elsan. Noted all electricity off in the building and a handwritten sign (assumably pre electric problem) stating shower out of use. Noted stoppage on CRT website from January stating electric problem and a update the end of April, top marks CRT. Also noted fortification of the CRT yard resembling Fort Knox, seriously. Reinforced steel doors on facilities gave the appearance of mooring in Beirut.  

 

9,10,11W, very nice wooded section next to the river and for the first time since Romiley a heavy reduction on Graffiti. Plenty of nice folks walking dogs and so on. Top of these few locks is the Scout Tunnel. Noted tunnel mooring on offside looked a nice stop overlooking the river but carried on. 12W the other side of the tunnel was fine. 13W - the first time in 12 locks we were grounded trying to use the lock mooring. A combination of 2 crew not requiring every one and the HNC not being as shallow as is mentioned (so far). Easily sorted by aiming for the landing a little closer to the lock. Between 13/14w a pleasant exchange with some bored children sat on the edge of a bridge. Through 14W and onto the unsigned? visitor moorings below 15w, Roaches lock. Moorings a plenty for 4 or so boats, deep to the edge except where the towpath has collapsed in several places. Up to the pub to find them not serving food, indian takeaway is is then.

 

To summarise, the start of the canal is as one would expect of a urban canal, Stalybridge a disappointment and after that it starts to really get nice. That's only 7 locks till you really start to see the beauty of the HNC. Traveling through Stoke takes longer. Also noted the Macc / PF has many many many more shallow spots than we have encountered on the HNC thus far. I do wonder why 80% of boat traffic never drop down through Marple and why the other 19% turn left at Portland, especially when from our experience it is marginally better than the 2 mentioned very popular canals. Lock paddles not as much hard work as expected, anti vandal locks being operable is a lottery - the hydraulic paddle gear is more bother than the mechanical paddles.

 

 

Feel free to comment/ question below, I will update this initial post

Following with interest. Were there any parts that would have been a particular issue for a single-hander?

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40 minutes ago, rgreg said:

Following with interest. Were there any parts that would have been a particular issue for a single-hander?

The only part so far I would say is leaving your boat unlocked and going through the tunnel at lock 1 to work the lock, and using the steps at the bottom of the locks (to avoid lock landings) can be difficult with the bywash - there is plenty water coming down just now

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2 hours ago, rgreg said:

Were there any parts that would have been a particular issue for a single-hander?

I've single handed the HNC twice, both times from W to E, the last time was in 2021. On that trip, I had help on the East side of Standedge Tunnel from a local volunteer who will help from Diggle to Slaithwaite. I can't see where I booked it from, but it's certainly worth knowing if you're by yourself.

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6 minutes ago, Kendorr said:

I've single handed the HNC twice, both times from W to E, the last time was in 2021. On that trip, I had help on the East side of Standedge Tunnel from a local volunteer who will help from Diggle to Slaithwaite. I can't see where I booked it from, but it's certainly worth knowing if you're by yourself.

Yes, I saw that assistance from the volunteer ranger team for the upper east side locks can be booked through the online system as with the tunnel and lock 1E.

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The moorings in Stalybridge on the offside just above 5W (down from the Chinese restaurant) are a lot better than near Tesco, that's where we've stopped more than once -- quieter, less goose sh*t, and fewer drug dealers and shaven-headed pit bull walkers...

 

Still love the HNC though, always assuming you can get onto it and through it... 😉

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2 hours ago, Jon57 said:

The real ale trail starts on the 22nd of March if your into that sort of thing. Easy train links to get to places on route.👍

Ha , that reminds me we used to abandon the Commercial (Slaithwaite) and go Silent Woman when the mob came running down the hill from train station. 😂

 

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4 hours ago, Goliath said:

Ha , that reminds me we used to abandon the Commercial (Slaithwaite) and go Silent Woman when the mob came running down the hill from train station. 😂

 

Isn't it lovely to see them all in their silly outfits, stood in the road outside the Commercial, urinating against the wall and puking on the pavement.

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4 hours ago, IanD said:

The moorings in Stalybridge on the offside just above 5W (down from the Chinese restaurant) are a lot better than near Tesco, that's where we've stopped more than once -- quieter, less goose sh*t, and fewer drug dealers and shaven-headed pit bull walkers...

 

Still love the HNC though, always assuming you can get onto it and through it... 😉

 

Those moorings are the only ones in 30 years boating where I have been set adrift while on board (in the middle of the night).  Which goes to show that a one-off experience should not damn a place.  I too loved the HNC when I was fit and gung-ho enough to enjoy a challenge.  The comments from the OP were from the time of my earlier trips on the canal, and I don't recognise some of his complaints, although parts were tough.  It appeared to, on average, get rather easier over the years and transits (5 with crew, 7 singlehanded), both because of genuine improvements and  increasing knowledge and better techniques.  It is a great pity that some of the genuine improvements seem to be being reversed.

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10 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

Isn't it lovely to see them all in their silly outfits, stood in the road outside the Commercial, urinating against the wall and puking on the pavement.

Are there still Hi viz people who usher them on and off the trains, insisting they wait in a nice polite queue?

 

They charge down to the pub in Marsden too and spoil everyone’s afternoon. 
 

where else do they stop?

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unsure, probably at the Head of Steam in town

4 minutes ago, Goliath said:

where else do they stop?

 

Found the website, it has it as;

 

Stalybridge - Station Buffet Bar

Greenfield - The Railway Inn

Marsden - Riverhead Brewery Tap

Slaithwaite - The Commercial

Huddersfield - King's Head (formerly The Station Tavern)

Mirfield - Navigation

Dewsbury - West Riding

Batley - Cellar Bar

 

 

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32 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

unsure, probably at the Head of Steam in town

 

Found the website, it has it as;

 

Stalybridge - Station Buffet Bar

Greenfield - The Railway Inn

Marsden - Riverhead Brewery Tap

Slaithwaite - The Commercial

Huddersfield - King's Head (formerly The Station Tavern)

Mirfield - Navigation

Dewsbury - West Riding

Batley - Cellar Bar

 

 

 

Only 8 pints minimum -- why would anybody be puking, that's just a gentle refresher? 😉

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20 minutes ago, IanD said:

 

Only 8 pints minimum -- why would anybody be puking, that's just a gentle refresher? 😉

Yeah, but stag/hen do’s etc. it’ll be pint and a shot and other such shenanigans, plus pre-drinks and no doubt something for the train.

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2 hours ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

 

Those moorings are the only ones in 30 years boating where I have been set adrift while on board (in the middle of the night).  Which goes to show that a one-off experience should not damn a place.  I too loved the HNC when I was fit and gung-ho enough to enjoy a challenge.  The comments from the OP were from the time of my earlier trips on the canal, and I don't recognise some of his complaints, although parts were tough.  It appeared to, on average, get rather easier over the years and transits (5 with crew, 7 singlehanded), both because of genuine improvements and  increasing knowledge and better techniques.  It is a great pity that some of the genuine improvements seem to be being reversed.

Moored there on both passages. No problems. Second time was a little moor activity. Price of drugs must have fallen.🤣

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4 minutes ago, Jon57 said:

Moored there on both passages. No problems. Second time was a little moor activity. Price of drugs must have fallen.🤣

Above 5W (Phoenix City) or opposite Tesco?

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I have read a fair bit about the Huddersfield recently searching old threads and so on, both good and bad and how underused it is and why. The last time i did the Huddersfield (or went boating infact) was circa 12-15 years ago, and from memory it was underused then (not as quite as the Rochdale though). i will drop my thoughts / experience on using the Huddersfield Narrow on a day by day basis below. Hopefully giving a up to date experience and hopefully? promoting its use. Since February we have been bringing a boat from Braunston to Leeds.

 

There is 2 crew and we think we are the first boat up the west side this year.

 

Day 1 - 

 

Opted to stay at the bottom of the Marple flight and set off 7.30 aiming for Stalybridge / Roaches lock (15W) depending how we got on. We stayed at the bottom of Marple half because we left from Bugsworth the previous day and half because we didn't fancy staying at Portland Basin. Turning onto the Ashton towards the HNC it is immediately very narrow and rubbish filled, Lock 1W is a rapists paradise and covered in dog sh**t. Similar can be said for 2&3W, graffiti covered rubbish tip finely complemented by overgrown foliage across the navigation, on lock approaches / landings (i appreciate the HNC was not designed for lock landings), in all fairness the landings at the first few locks were ok depth wise. Smash through some more foliage and across the Tame Aquaduct, veer round a shopping trolley on the landing at 4W, acknowledge man carrying tin of fosters at 11.30am  (it is easy to drop crew at the approach bridge anyway). I note the moorings above 4w, felt these were reasonable looking on the offside. Through lock 5W, note moorings on offside looking unpleasant. Through 6W(Tesco), spectate 2 drug deals, a man wearing a balaclava and a influx of single late 20s males walking viscous looking dog breeds. Most of the other towpath walkists seemed friendly. Up through 7w, towpath becomes muddy. Afterthoughts of Stalybridge are what a mess, a real shame with the money spent on the Canal there, and could be a really good stop over if it was properly populated with boats. Note i appreciate we are the only boat around so this maybe adds to the feeling.

 

8W (under the piling) stopped at the sanitary station just above for water / elsan. Noted all electricity off in the building and a handwritten sign (assumably pre electric problem) stating shower out of use. Noted stoppage on CRT website from January stating electric problem and a update the end of April, top marks CRT. Also noted fortification of the CRT yard resembling Fort Knox, seriously. Reinforced steel doors on facilities gave the appearance of mooring in Beirut.  

 

9,10,11W, very nice wooded section next to the river and for the first time since Romiley a heavy reduction on Graffiti. Plenty of nice folks walking dogs and so on. Top of these few locks is the Scout Tunnel. Noted tunnel mooring on offside looked a nice stop overlooking the river but carried on. 12W the other side of the tunnel was fine. 13W - the first time in 12 locks we were grounded trying to use the lock mooring. A combination of 2 crew not requiring every one and the HNC not being as shallow as is mentioned (so far). Easily sorted by aiming for the landing a little closer to the lock. Between 13/14w a pleasant exchange with some bored children sat on the edge of a bridge. Through 14W and onto the unsigned? visitor moorings below 15w, Roaches lock. Moorings a plenty for 4 or so boats, deep to the edge except where the towpath has collapsed in several places. Up to the pub to find them not serving food, indian takeaway is is then.

 

To summarise, the start of the canal is as one would expect of a urban canal, Stalybridge a disappointment and after that it starts to really get nice. That's only 7 locks till you really start to see the beauty of the HNC. Traveling through Stoke takes longer. Also noted the Macc / PF has many many many more shallow spots than we have encountered on the HNC thus far. I do wonder why 80% of boat traffic never drop down through Marple and why the other 19% turn left at Portland, especially when from our experience it is marginally better than the 2 mentioned very popular canals. Lock paddles not as much hard work as expected, anti vandal locks being operable is a lottery - the hydraulic paddle gear is more bother than the mechanical paddles.

 

Day 2 - 

 

Peaceful night at Roaches VM, towpath quite busy with dog walkers, even after dark. Up through lock 15/16/17/18, pretty uneventful. Crew dropped at the aqueduct rather than attempting the lock mooring at 18W. Noted lock moorings are likely just bollards fitted during the restoration without any dredging / canal bed reconstruction taking place. We didn't try approaching any but they look pretty shallow, as above using the steps below the lock would be better for a single hander although locks with a stone bridge immediately on the downstream end don't have said steps. (it would be nice to read a single handers cruising guide) 19W is a very narrow chamber (fender fell down and i got stuck on entry, NO FENDERS IN LOCKS!!) Towpath side bottom gate balance beam catches on the lock bridge so doesn't open fully? but enough to get a boat through. All these locks were in a pleasant area with houses backing onto the canal / nice views across the valley. First boat we have seen since the start on a EOG mooring here, nice to see. Frenches wharf looked full of boats, although i can't imagine they do much cruising with the amount of locks and stoppages, mooring rings would be a massive benefit here, the edge is new concrete so i assume deep enough and would be good for the (Marstons) Pub and Tesco. Invasive foliage seems to be a thing of the past (approaching the HCS base?)

 

Noted was how fantastic unleaky a condition the top gates have been on this canal, with exception of 1-3W. All lock gear operable without any difficulty. 21W had a push bike thrown in the canal near the tail of the lock but not blocking navigation. This lock has quite a leak on the bottom gates it would seem, top gate needed help by ramming to open. This happened at 2W also now i think of it.  Uppermill VM are in a pleasant wooded area near to the High Street, a few boats here on the offside, it is marked as CRT 48 Hour moorings but i wonder if it is actually owned by the museum and used for long term moorings now the trip boat has gone? Moored on the unsigned but full of bollards towpath side, terrible for solar, can get pretty much all the way into the bankside here. Noted waterpoint here also, this canal has more frequent services than the midlands, really. Area seems nice, very busy with walkers.

 

Noted the other side of the next bridge here there is what looks like a old BW sanitary station complete with mooring and water point but now private, anybody know the story with this, and the trip boat actually? 

 

We are stopping here for a few days with work commitments, will update when we move.

 

 

Feel free to comment/ question below, I will update this initial post

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Day 3 -

 

UPpermill was a nice stop over. Spent a couple of nights on the towpath side and a few on the non towpath side. The non towpath moorings are better, you could probably use the old trip boat moorings too. Fair bit of noise from the pubs but only on Saturday night. Plenty of depth. Pubs all a bit posh for us commoners.

 

Moved off up 2 locks to the services at 24W/Wool Road.There is even a pump out here! Unsure if it actually works. Services are In a old restored building and very clean. Water pressure is abysmal on the waterpoint. The HCS office was closed, looking online it isn't really manned anymore - joined online anyway £9. Also note the bins are on the opposite side of the canal and there isn't really a lock mooring, we stopped In the narrow channel under the bridges to empty rubbish. 

 

We got stuck in the channel below 24W. Water levels weren't low but ran a little water down and bow hauled the boat in. I assume it's silt built up where the bywash comes in. After this one only 7 more to the summit, the bottom gate is a single gate so quite heavy but no worse than a broad lock bottom gate. Some of the paddle gear was a little stiff but nothing crazy. Only one paddle not working which is on the top lock. Noted how Deep the sill is on this one, I assume so they can run the summit pound low. Note not many lock moorings for single handed although not really required with the distance between locks. There is step's on the lock Tails. There is some good moorings on the summit pound, now there is no restrictions you could come up for 14 days , wind and return to the safety of the South if you don't want / can't do the tunnel.

 

The climb up was nice, good views lots and lots of walkists, the ice cream place seems to be doing well and very busy. Note the bywash/ resovoir feed? That runs over the canal here. 2 boats up at the summit and one climbing the locks when we walked back for the car. A lot of people commenting they don't see boat's up here much.

 

 

Moored on the waterpoint outside the tunnel entrance, water pressure is excellent. We have moved our appointment to 9.30am, there is a overunning stoppage at 5E so only us going through tomorrow.

 

West side done , this side certainly doesn't deserve it's reputation.

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On 20/03/2023 at 21:04, Adam said:

 

Noted the other side of the next bridge here there is what looks like a old BW sanitary station complete with mooring and water point but now private, anybody know the story with this, and the trip boat actually? 

 

We are stopping here for a few days with work commitments, will update when we move.

 

 

Feel free to comment/ question below, I will update this initial post

The "old BW sanitary station"  was built by the owner of the house just above about 15 years ago! It replicates a lengthsman's hut  and was a workshop/storage room for the boat that was moored there for some years.  I do like the way it has fooled  many into thinking it's old or something to do with BW.

The story of the trip boat that operated from Uppermill for perhaps 30 years is long and varied, the first boat here had a "Hotchkiss" variable water jet propulsion system , the last  was a very conventional 70ft boat.

 

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33 minutes ago, jake_crew said:

Uppermill is pretty and attracts alot of grockles.  OK a bit posh but I love the "Arkwright" style hardware shop open 7 days a week.

 

I think you'll find the pubs in Marsden more to your taste 😄🤣.


Grockles 😃

 

I used to have a pint in the Hare and Hounds, seemed a proper pub. 
Or has that gone poshified?

 

Posh places have good charity shops 👍

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