Holly the Cafe Boat gives up on the Huddersfield Narrow canal

[LadyG]

19 minutes ago, Mad Harold said:

If you enjoy a bit of physical work and have a 'can do' attitude, then the HNC will be enjoyable.

The HNC is unfortunately no good for "Moaning Minnies"

It's not a question of being a Moaning Minnie, I'm here to have a leisurely stroll around the nicest parts of the system. I'd have a different plan I'd I had a fit and enthusiastic young crew wanting to rack up the miles. 

I would have thought that the majority of families with their own boat and family hirers would want to enjoy  cruising, and not spend any time down the weed hatch removing old clothing or tarpaulins from the propshaft or trying to make sure they don't get stranded overnight in a rough area with druggies and alcoholics. In fact I don't think they would want to go anywhere near those people. I certainly don't.

Edited May 1, 2023 by LadyG

[Alan de Enfield]

8 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I would have thought that the majority of families with their own boat and family hirers would want to enjoy  cruising, and not spend any time down the weed hatch removing old clothing or tarpaulins from the propshaft or trying to make sure they don't get stranded overnight in a rough area with druggies and alcoholics. In fact I don't think they would want to go anywhere near those people. I certainly don't.

 

 

Then why don't you move ?

You seem to be spendning an inordinate amount of time in those very same areas that you moan about.

[rusty69]

5 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

Then why don't you move ?

You seem to be spendning an inordinate amount of time in those very same areas that you moan about.

And certain people on here spend an inordinate amount of time moaning about what Lady G is moaning about.

 

OMG. I've just moaned about you moaning about lady G moaning. I must be a remoaner.

Edited May 1, 2023 by rusty69

[Lady M]

Items can fall or blow into the water of any navigation.

[Mad Harold]

21 minutes ago, LadyG said:

It's not a question of being a Moaning Minnie, I'm here to have a leisurely stroll around the nicest parts of the system. I'd have a different plan I'd I had a fit and enthusiastic young crew wanting to rack up the miles. 

I would have thought that the majority of families with their own boat and family hirers would want to enjoy  cruising, and not spend any time down the weed hatch removing old clothing or tarpaulins from the propshaft or trying to make sure they don't get stranded overnight in a rough area with druggies and alcoholics. In fact I don't think they would want to go anywhere near those people. I certainly don't.

I didn't mean to imply you were a "Moaning Minnie" it was not aimed at you specifically.

Unfortunately, it is usually necessary to transit some of less salubrius areas to reach the nice bits of the system.

It's all part and parcel of the job.

[LadyG]

40 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

And certain people on here spend an inordinate amount of time moaning about what Lady G is moaning about.

 

OMG. I've just moaned about you moaning about lady G moaning. I must be a remoaner.

And look who is complaining! AdE (alter ego Cut&Paste!) !!!!!!   !!!!!!

Edited May 1, 2023 by LadyG

[Mad Harold]

13 minutes ago, Lady C said:

Items can fall or blow into the water of any navigation.

Lost one of a pair of expensive gloves by putting one on the cabin roof to drink my tea while underway.When I next looked it had gone.

It was on the Bridgewater canal.If you go along there, keep an eye out for it. 🐸

[1st ade]

35 minutes ago, LadyG said:

It's not a question of being a Moaning Minnie, I'm here to have a leisurely stroll around the nicest parts of the system. I'd have a different plan I'd I had a fit and enthusiastic young crew wanting to rack up the miles. 

I would have thought that the majority of families with their own boat and family hirers would want to enjoy  cruising, and not spend any time down the weed hatch removing old clothing or tarpaulins from the propshaft

In fairness to Lady G - the first (and also penultimate) canal cruise by the current Mrs 1st Ade had a similar dispute. I'd been for at least a one-week cruise (often longer) every year since I was a few weeks old. The Future Mrs 1st Ade and I moved in together in January and my parents (many of you will know of, if not know, Magpie the Elder) had started booking trips assuming that myself or @magpie patrick would be there to assist. They extended the invite to the future Mrs 1st Ade - Leeds and Liverpool in 1995.

 

The Future Mrs 1st Ade only moaned once - on Monday Morning when she asked "where is the nearest Train Station?" then added "unless you stop this '38 miles and 27 locks today' malarkey, I'm off. I thought this was a holiday"

 

@magpie patrick and myself (and, to a lesser extent, Mum and Dad) took it as a challenge - "how far can we get". The future Mrs 1st Ade taught us the "what's the rush" philosophy...

[mrsmelly]

1 hour ago, haggis said:

It is interesting how we can read on here different reports of doing the Huddersfield and despite the fact that they are  done about the same time some are positive some are very negative. 

We found it delightful if hard work last year. 

This is very true of most things in life. A as a for instance re boating, having done the Llangollen a couple of times in the past 30 odd years I find it mind numbingly boring and massively overrated. Most canals and rivers come well before it for me, but some people find it special.

[peterboat]

9 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

This is very true of most things in life. A as a for instance re boating, having done the Llangollen a couple of times in the past 30 odd years I find it mind numbingly boring and massively overrated. Most canals and rivers come well before it for me, but some people find it special.

I enjoyed it when we did it, would now enjoy it again if they would make it wider for proper boats

[Neil TNC]

Uppermill to Diggle a 2hr non event, here in time for mid morning coffee. Diggle one of my fav lock flights, for deep locks, quick and easy to work...lots of room for that long throw windlass. Fenner reduction box slipping on one of the top paddles of Summit Lk32, could not get my Allen key in to tighten its collar, handy bar on paddle gear frame, so can use thin mooring pin as a lever on the rack. Day off tomorrow, will do washing. Tunnel passage Wednesday, volocky booked for Marsden on Thursday, already texted, will be at Lk42E @ 09.15 on. Booked Volocky, as advice given that CaRT will then definitely unlock Lk42E promptly and my knee playing, so won't be that active. Volocky asked how far we were going, said Slaithwaite that night, for that excellent Indian restaurant. Lock 1E booked Friday afternoon, so early start from Slaithwaite to follow the water down. The three boats we met that have been over the top from Huddersfield have reported no problems, apart from one poor chap, who remodeled one corner of his cabin overhang in the tunnel, CaRT did warn him his boat was on the limit.

[Captain Pegg]

7 hours ago, haggis said:

It is interesting how we can read on here different reports of doing the Huddersfield and despite the fact that they are  done about the same time some are positive some are very negative. 

We found it delightful if hard work last year. 

 

I think experience may be a factor here. Not just the boating skills but the expectation.

 

There are a few clues in the way the chap in the vlog approached single handing a shallow canal; such as heading into a low pound that you've just removed a lock full of water from while the next lock that is 200 metres ahead remains full. Then to have to go back to close the gate anyway.

 

In fairness though it wasn't that the canal directly defeated him, more the realisation that it would hinder what they wanted to do as a family and business. It's probably also the case that vlogs exaggerate reality. A narrative of "the Hudds narrow was difficult but I managed OK" isn't a very catchy selling point.

 

However, if I published a vlog I definitely wouldn't be showing lock gates being opened by the boat. Single handing is no excuse for doing that and to do it on gates where you cannot see that the sweep of the gates is clear of people is reckless.

 

[Neil TNC]

15 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

I think experience may be a factor here. Not just the boating skills but the expectation.

 

There are a few clues in the way the chap in the vlog approached single handing a shallow canal; such as heading into a low pound that you've just removed a lock full of water from while the next lock that is 200 metres ahead remains full. Then to have to go back to close the gate anyway.

 

In fairness though it wasn't that the canal directly defeated him, more the realisation that it would hinder what they wanted to do as a family and business. It's probably also the case that vlogs exaggerate reality. A narrative of "the Hudds narrow was difficult but I managed OK" isn't a very catchy selling point.

 

However, if I published a vlog I definitely wouldn't be showing lock gates being opened by the boat. Single handing is no excuse for doing that and to do it on gates where you cannot see that the sweep of the gates is clear of people is reckless.

 

If they had got up to Uppermill or the summit, they would have made a killing, it has been heaving up here all afternoon, the cafe by Lk31W could hardly cope. There is quite a bit ot money around Saddleworth. I don't want to critise, but social media, vlogs, "influencing" etc is all about hits on your site, controversy adds to this.

[Captain Pegg]

2 minutes ago, Neil TNC said:

If they had got up to Uppermill or the summit, they would have made a killing, it has been heaving up here all afternoon, the cafe by Lk31W could hardly cope. There is quite a bit ot money around Saddleworth. I don't want to critise, but social media, vlogs, "influencing" etc is all about hits on your site, controversy adds to this.

 

Well, yes. I've probbaly only ever watched about 10 canal vlogs in my life and that's one of them.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

3 minutes ago, Neil TNC said:

If they had got up to Uppermill or the summit, they would have made a killing, it has been heaving up here all afternoon, the cafe by Lk31W could hardly cope. There is quite a bit ot money around Saddleworth. I don't want to critise, but social media, vlogs, "influencing" etc is all about hits on your site, controversy adds to this.

So you go the ice cream place?

Grandpa or Grandma something or other. 
Always heaving. 
Does a good breakfast. 
Bloke always offers to let you moor in the pound as though he owns it. 
 

Some good stories there about his expansion of land 

[Rob-M]

40 minutes ago, Goliath said:

So you go the ice cream place?

Grandpa or Grandma something or other. 
Always heaving. 
Does a good breakfast. 
Bloke always offers to let you moor in the pound as though he owns it. 
 

Some good stories there about his expansion of land 

Grandpa Greens café.

 

Daughter was there yesterday having this

[Neil TNC]

11 hours ago, Goliath said:

So you go the ice cream place?

Grandpa or Grandma something or other. 
Always heaving. 
Does a good breakfast. 
Bloke always offers to let you moor in the pound as though he owns it. 
 

Some good stories there about his expansion of land 

The cafe was not there in 2003, just a wooden fence. ISTR that this developed into a shed with a serving hatch? I expect I will creep in there later, as bacon banned. Vegetarian Mrs TNC has just found their incredible website, looks like her and the dogs will be catered for

[cuthound]

On 30/04/2023 at 21:19, mrsmelly said:

Get down to the Coventry and  Oxford, you will love it.

 

I suspect the Ashby would be more to her taste.

[mrsmelly]

26 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

I suspect the Ashby would be more to her taste.

Its very level 

[LadyG]

3 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

Its very level 

Ideal, I'm not so keen on rivers after my latest arrival!

Now at a perfect mooring: natural shrubby surroundings, birdsong, small wildlife, and not too many dog walkers, or cyclists,   ten mins From a five star Tesco Express with some exotic foods.

Also a kitchen fitting shop, so I might yet get a new galley!

Edited May 2, 2023 by LadyG

[Neil TNC]

We have just completed the Huddersfield Narrow. This is our 5th transist. This is the easiest passage ever, there was even enough water to get to Lock 1E (Huddersfield). We missed the CaRT blokes text telling us to wait at Lk3E (as he would let some water down), so we were out early at 14.00. There was a couple of paddles that did not work and all pounds were weiring. We managed to find a floaty mooring each night. Mrs TNC managed all the paddles she did, using our cranked out (to miss the locking gear) Big Bertha windlass. I managed all I did straight up with a medium throw windlass. On the down side, much of the paddle gear on the Yorkshire side would have been easier if it had recently seen grease. There was a fair bit of crap in the water up to Stalybridge and small amount Huddersfield end. Trips down Weedhatch 1, when pulling up in an empty lock.

[Steve Manc]

Agree HNC can be a challenge I don't think it's for  single manning.

 

My wife and I travel from Marple to Huddersfield in May 2021. My Brother helped us from Uppermil to Marston. Got stuck a few times on the flight out of Uppermill due to low water levels. I  had to go up the flight to drop water down

 

We had to hand the narrowboat over to CRT to take it through Standedge Tunnel due to COVID rules. The volunteer, Alister, did a lot of damage to the paint work.

 

Also the low tunnel I think in Slaithwaite. We had to remove our TV Ariel  😞

Edited May 5, 2023 by Steve Manc
Grammar

[rgreg]

27 minutes ago, Steve Manc said:

Agree HNC can be a challenge I don't think it's for  single manning.

I single-handed the HNC last month west to east and would do it again without a second thought (and could well be later this summer). Admittedly, it's not for everyone: you need to be physically up to the challenge, prepared to be creative at times with your locking technique, accept that there may be the odd issue to deal with, and like doing locks!

[IanD]

If you don't like locks and mahoosive tunnels, you're on the wrong canal... 😉

[Unicorn Stampede]

3 hours ago, Steve Manc said:

 

 

We had to hand the narrowboat over to CRT to take it through Standedge Tunnel due to COVID rules. The volunteer, Alister, did a lot of damage to the paint work.

  

When we went through stand edge, admittedly before COVID, the CRT volunteer had to stand at the front of the boat because 1) we have a trad rear and 2) he was on crutches

 

Once we encountered that, I did wonder what was the point of having a CRT person on board. We had to stop every quarter for him to clamber out on his crutches to ring through, then clamber back in again. No idea what would have happened if he had to climb.

 

I'd certainly not let some CRT flunky drive the boat through the tunnel for us - not sure why they would enforce that with COVID, especially when our experience showed they didn't need to be anywhere near the back.