Rochdale Canal

[Bones]

Hurrah! I am going on my very first narrowboat holiday! I thought it would be most fantastic to take a trip upon that 'beautiful canal I saw on a post card once' and with the help of you good folk here I discovered it is the Rochdale Canal. I am hiring with shire cruisers. It was only when I had arranged it all that I was told the Rochdale is the canal with more locks on than any other canal. Actually, I started counting them, and still feel unwell! All is not lost however, because Janet and RJ are coming - AND they agreed to come before I even knew there were so many locks - Hurrah!

 

I feel a Rochdale Canal Banter coming along!

[Liam]

Let me know if/when you'll be at Castlefield ...

 

I'll try and turn up this time!

[Stonker]

Hurrah! I am going on my very first narrowboat holiday! I thought it would be most fantastic to take a trip upon that 'beautiful canal I saw on a post card once' and with the help of you good folk here I discovered it is the Rochdale Canal. I am hiring with shire cruisers. It was only when I had arranged it all that I was told the Rochdale is the canal with more locks on than any other canal. Actually, I started counting them, and still feel unwell! All is not lost however, because Janet and RJ are coming - AND they agreed to come before I even knew there were so many locks - Hurrah!

 

I feel a Rochdale Canal Banter coming along!

 

Congratulations, it is very pretty in parts. Shire Cruisers are a good hire firm and one of the few that give training in lock use. That said some of their boats have air-cooled Lister engines, unbreakable, but very noisy. Lot's of tough locks on the Rochdale, my wife and I went to Todmorden on a Shire Cruisers boat in 1997 and my wife said she would not do it again unless there four of us. Shire Cruisers provide a windlass of their own design with a long handle that gives extra leverage but it can also be used on the hydraulic paddle gear. My wife swears by them.

 

Make sure you spend some time in Hebden Bridge where you can get your chakra's re-aligned. It's the Glastonbury of West Yorkshire, with hot pork pies and mushy peas.

 

If you don't fancy doing too much of the Rochdale then the Calder & Hebble is very pretty around there.

 

Stewart

[Janet S]

We're chuffed to bits that Bones invited us along. I think there'll be plenty of fun and cakes!

 

I was even more pleased when I found we were going with Shire Cruisers! We've been with them twice before, and they're a great company to deal with.

 

We love the Rochdale. Just hope that Bones loves the locks as much as we do! Luckily we're heading up the Rochdale, rather than down towards the realm of the dreaded Calder and Hebble handspike....

 

Now all I have to do is try and get R.J. to slow down a bit so that Bones isn't exhausted at the end of it.....

 

Janet

[Bones]

Bones hates locks!!! you can probably see the irony of the whole trip!

[saltysplash]

Bones hates locks!!! you can probably see the irony of the whole trip!

 

 

This is a good site wiv lots of pics

 

http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/

[Jim]

Hurrah! I am going on my very first narrowboat holiday! I thought it would be most fantastic to take a trip upon that 'beautiful canal I saw on a post card once' and with the help of you good folk here I discovered it is the Rochdale Canal. I am hiring with shire cruisers. It was only when I had arranged it all that I was told the Rochdale is the canal with more locks on than any other canal. Actually, I started counting them, and still feel unwell! All is not lost however, because Janet and RJ are coming - AND they agreed to come before I even knew there were so many locks - Hurrah!

 

I feel a Rochdale Canal Banter coming along!

 

I did the Rochdale (and the Hudd Narrow) shortly after they re-opened and hiring from Shire Cruisers. I can't fault the boats and the scenery and the "experience" was superb. Just one thing though - I reckon our average speed (including locks) was about 1 mph. The locks are so close together that everyone bar the steerer tended to walk between them so it would have been cheaper - and considerably quicker - not to have bothered with a boat!

 

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did though.

[Janet S]

Bones hates locks!!!

 

Now you tell me!

 

Not the best choice of holiday destination then, was it? Tee hee.......

 

Janet

Edited July 14, 2008 by Janet S

[kerching]

We are indeed honoured to have such esteemed company visit our humble canal. We have got the street urchins of Littleborough whitewashing rocks and t,millworkers are practicing cap wringing to line the towpath as you pass.

 

Seriously though it is a beautiful trip form Sowerby to Littleborough and it aint to bad through to Manchester, its reputation is worse than its bite. As for the locks, well, there are 2 pubs for every lock within 100 yard of the canal so it does compensate and if you do get as far as Littleborough the Red Lion (mine & 2 other members of this forums local) sells fine ale at £1.30 a pint.

 

Enjoy. Steve.

 

P.S.

Much to my shame i am familiar with most of the pubs which are 100yards from the canal and a lot more besides. If you want any info PM me and i will try and point you in the right direction for food and beer.

[Bones]

Now you tell me!

 

Not the best choice of holiday destination then, was it? Tee hee.......

 

Janet

 

 

YOU could have TOLD me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BEFORE i booked it!!!!!!!! (keeping up and Pingu will no doubt testify my adoration of locks... and despite that they still managed to get me to spend the day locking without my protesting... must have been the promises of trifle.....)

Edited July 14, 2008 by Bones

[Janet S]

Oh my God! Do we have to do trifle to get you to perform? I suppose you're expecting a lovely creamy, beautifully concocted and decorated delectation? Dream on Bones....! You'll get what you're given, and if that's just an early morning ginger nut with a cuppa and a request to kindly get your arse down the weed hatch, then so be it.....

 

I was hoping that a few maggots would persuade you into action. I guess I'll have to get R.J. to brush up his culinary skills and produce a bit of cake to get you shifting ...

 

Have I told you yet about his Blue Peter chocolate cake recipe?

 

Just for the record, I don't DO cake! R.J. will no doubt tell you about my chocolate muffin moment....the ducks want it? They can have it.....

 

Give me a bag of pork scratchings any day!

 

Janet

Edited July 14, 2008 by Janet S

[cheshire~rose]

I am still sulking...............

 

I was hugely honoured to have also received an invite but getting the time off w**k is an impossibility for me.

 

I don't care about cake or trifle.......... I am inconsolable............. (although a pint or three might help )

 

My poor YSL windlass will sit at home redundant while Janet & RJ work in fine unison to ensure Bones does not have to worry about the locks.

 

Can we have an end of cruise banter on the Fridaaay night???? and ........... can I stay over?

 

I will bring pork scratchings and trifle and cake and .......... no sorry I draw the line at maggots!

[adam1uk]

My poor YSL windlass will sit at home redundant while Janet & RJ work in fine unison to ensure Bones does not have to worry about the locks.

 

We're planning a lock-heavy trip much closer to home in September, so if you fancy swinging your windlass for a few hours... Wouldn't want you (or it) to get out of practise!

[Boaty Jo]

Seriously though it is a beautiful trip form Sowerby to Littleborough and it aint to bad through to Manchester, its reputation is worse than its bite. As for the locks, well, there are 2 pubs for every lock within 100 yard of the canal so it does compensate and if you do get as far as Littleborough the Red Lion (mine & 2 other members of this forums local) sells fine ale at £1.30 a pint.

 

Enjoy. Steve.

 

It used to serve Red Lion bitter if I remember correctly. It was a pound a pint last time I was there (10 years?) but a really good pint. We lived in Littleborough for over 30 years - ah memories.

Drove past the guillotine lock in the centre of Tod many times and never did fancy it somehow.

[cheshire~rose]

We're planning a lock-heavy trip much closer to home in September, so if you fancy swinging your windlass for a few hours... Wouldn't want you (or it) to get out of practise!

 

That sounds like an offer I cannot refuse!

 

Let me know the plan!...........I bet someone is after a hand with Atherstone flight!

[Bones]

Oh my God! Do we have to do trifle to get you to perform? Have I told you yet about his Blue Peter chocolate cake recipe?

 

Just for the record, I don't DO cake! R.J. will no doubt tell you about my chocolate muffin moment....the ducks want it? They can have it.....

 

 

Janet

tee hee! I think we will have great fun...... won't we?

 

I am still sulking...............

 

I was hugely honoured to have also received an invite but getting the time off w**k is an impossibility for me.

 

I don't care about cake or trifle.......... I am in

 

consolable............. (although a pint or three might help )

 

Can we have an end of cruise banter on the Fridaaay night???? and ........... can I stay over?

 

I will bring pork scratchings and trifle and cake and .......... no sorry I draw the line at maggots!

 

Funnily enough, I draw a line at maggots too - although I don't mind them in my raspberries... the fishing maggots are a bit chunky and dont taste of the right things for me.

 

Banter - a banter or several is a must!

[I want my own narrowboat]

We spent a week on the Rochdale just after it re-opened.

 

Went with Shire Cruisers (Warwick I seem to remember) and had a great time.

Lovely scenery, locks very hard work (but worth it!) and some good pubs.

 

One thing to mention though - the towpath has more dog $h!t on it than in Skipton!

If you've been to Skipton and walked the towpath you'll know what I mean!

It was everywhere, and being a broad canal, you have to use your ropes in the locks.

The amount of times I threw the rope to my better half, and it landed in the brown stuff was unbelievable

 

We took some heavy duty hand wash, Lava I think it was called, and used a whole tub

 

He he - fun days I know it was 5 years ago because we were moored up in Hebden Bridge,

had a few Timmy Taylors followed by an excellent Chinese take-away,

retired to bed early as it was pi$$ing down (does that a lot up there!) and made a baby

[Janet S]

tee hee! I think we will have great fun...... won't we?

 

We sure will Bones! We're both very much looking forward to it! R.J. is planning as I speak, working out good mooring places for the evenings and finding winding holes. We could turn our little Devon round anywhere, but this one is a tad bigger....we really want to get you up and over the Pennines. Honestly, it's a fabulous canal, and I hope the weather is kind to us so you see it at it's glorious best.

 

There are also a couple of places on the Rochdale that we've never managed to do, due to stoppages on our annual cruises. This time we may just make them! We've walked the Summit pound, but haven't been able to do it on a narrowboat, so it will be a first for us too!

 

Any more takers for the first, biggest and best ever Rochdale Canal banter?

 

Janet

[Tim Lewis]

We to went over the Rochdale Canal soon after it opened, it is a wonderful canal!

 

A few pictures:

 

http://www.fulbourne.org.uk/rc0802/Index.html

 

http://www.fulbourne.org.uk/rc0902/Index.html

 

Tim

[Bones]

Oh good! I AM pleased to hear that RJ is planning stops for the evening, rather than 'honing into view at bedtime' I am really looking forward to the trip... less than 8 weeks away now!!! HURRAH

[MartinClark]

Any more takers for the first, biggest and best ever Rochdale Canal banter?

 

I'd be glad to come and join in, if I am not away at that time!

[Janet S]

Martin, you will be most welcome, and we'd be delighted to meet up with you again.

 

Actually, I could do with picking your brains....realistically, just how far do you think we can get along the Rochdale in a week, bearing in mind that we like to cruise for long days but we are being accompanied by a couple of soft Southern jessies?

 

Bearing in mind the timings for the Summit and certain lock passages, and time to relax in the evenings, just how far do you think we can we take them (and back) before they start screaming for mercy?

 

Plans so far indicate that we can at least get them over the Summit and down the other side from Yorkshire into Lancashire before having to turn round. From R.J's plans, and other research, it seems to mean that we can't possibly do the whole length and back in a week from our base at Sowerby Bridge.

 

Pah! We like a challenge, but I think this one is beyond us.

 

Janet

[MartinClark]

Pah! We like a challenge, but I think this one is beyond us.

It does realistically sound as if you will get as far as Littleborough and back without any problem.

 

If you found yourselves making good time and wanted to push on further, the problem is finding winding holes. The next one is at the old Rochdale Arm junction just below the two awkward Moss Locks. You wouldn't want to stop there overnight. After that it's an unofficial turning point below Lock 53 (Farmer Jones' Lock). If you turned there but wanted to stop at Slattocks for the pub, you would then have to reverse half a mile!

 

The furthest you could get, if you were trying very hard, would be the winding hole near Oldham Broadway. You could then go back up Lock 64 to stop overnight at the Rose of Lancaster or the nearby Irk Aqueduct. However, you wouldn't want to get that far, though, unless you can see that you are going to get back in time without too much exertion!

 

A few years ago, 3 of us moved a boat from Littleborough to Hebden Bridge in a day, but it was a long day! I wonder whether Bones has any muscle?

[Dr Bradley]

I'll certainly join in any banter if I'm about, however I hope to be somehere else on my new boat.

 

Have you asked Shire about a one way trip, Sowerby to Castlefields, I know this is sometimes possible.

 

 

Colin

[Bones]

we are doing a return trip this time. Littleborough and back sounds delightful!!!