Single-Handling the Huddersfield Narrow (East)

[Chris J W]

After "MartinClarks" valiant aid from Stalybridge to Standedge, and the fun of going through The Tunnel (only lost one lamp and a chuck of paint!), a night at Marsden, and then being aided by BW down the first 10 locks, I had the fun of doing the next ten down to Slaithwaite; tail-end charlie in the convoy that left at 8am.

 

Ye Gods! But that was NOT fun!

 

Hardly anywater in the pounds after three had gone ahead of me, no decent lock-landings until Slaithwaite so had to put a pin in each time to tie-up, and sides so shallow or reed-ridden that I was left aground each time I filled the lock, which required much phaffing letting water down from the pound I'd just left, and the aid of gongoolzers to pull ropes. (And, of course, every single lock had been set against me.)

 

Most of the locks had really crappy paddle gear; hydraulic ones that wouldn't fully close, or mechanical ones that required a long-throw and (for preference) a person who does weight lifting as pass-time.

 

Was very, very, glad though that the chaps at BW Standedge had said not to worry about closing the gates behind me.

 

It was a rather knackered, and quite frankly pissed-off, HBF that finally moored at Slaithwaite at 6pm.

 

Would I recommend the HNC East for single-handing?

 

Nope, Nope, and thrice, Nope!!

[cugsey]

chris

 

if you are going any further east from Slawit(locals call it that)

then get some help

i did it couple of years back from slaithwaite to huddersfield singlehanded in one day

it nearly saw me off

 

good luck pal

[Hairy-Neil]

You can be rewarded with a pint at The Sair, Linthwaite. Bit of a walk up a (very) steep hill but it's worth all the effort to get there. Best pint for miles around.

[barroca grande]

Having just read Steve Haywoods Narrowboat Dreams I sympathise. But I am of course faintly jealous.

[Chris J W]

Having just read Steve Haywoods Narrowboat Dreams I sympathise. But I am of course faintly jealous.

 

What did he have to say about it?

[kerching]

You can be rewarded with a pint at The Sair, Linthwaite. Bit of a walk up a (very) steep hill but it's worth all the effort to get there. Best pint for miles around.

 

Would nomally agree with the best pint for miles statement but it would appear that Ron the owner/landlord of the Sair and the brewer have gone their seperate ways and Linfit ales were not being brewed last i heard. Knowing Ron he will have sourced some wonderful guest beers for the time being. I just hope the matter resolves itself. Still worth a visit just for the pub.

[Chris J W]

Would nomally agree with the best pint for miles statement but it would appear that Ron the owner/landlord of the Sair and the brewer have gone their seperate ways and Linfit ales were not being brewed last i heard. Knowing Ron he will have sourced some wonderful guest beers for the time being. I just hope the matter resolves itself. Still worth a visit just for the pub.

 

Is there a decent vistor mooring? One with nice, deep, sides with bollards or rings?

[kerching]

Is there a decent vistor mooring? One with nice, deep, sides with bollards or rings?

Sorry i,m not aware of any official moorings after Slawit, or the state of the banking. If you did intend going to the Sair you could moor just after Slawit close to a large old mill which has just been converted into apartments. Quite rural. The pub is up the hill on the other side of the main Huddersfield rd (A62?) to your right as you look down the canal. No food unless you count pickled eggs.

[Debby]

Hmmmm. I think we stayed on the right side of the Pennines! The first 4 locks of the HNC were enough for me.......

[MartinClark]

Is there a decent vistor mooring? One with nice, deep, sides with bollards or rings?

Hmm. You mustn't have been paying attention when I told you about the Sair Inn!

 

Moor below Lock 17w (need a gang plank here, but closest to the Sair Inn), or better still below Lock 16w where it is less shallow at the edge.

 

No rings or bollards apart from the lock mooring bollards, which are helpfully situated where the canal is shallow anyway.

 

Walk along the road from Lock 17w, past Titanic Mill to the traffic lights. Turn left at main road (A62), then turn right up Hoyle Ing. The Sair Inn is near the top.

 

There is a Co-op on the main road (right at the lights) if you need one.

 

If I were in your position, I would sit tight at Slaithwaite until the rain of the next day or two has passed!

[Grace and Favour]

You can be rewarded with a pint at The Sair, Linthwaite. Bit of a walk up a (very) steep hill but it's worth all the effort to get there. Best pint for miles around.

 

The Sair Inn is a micro-brewery (and has been for decades)

 

A favoured brew - a pint of Enoch's Hammer is guaranteed to make the afternoon slide away gracefully!

 

Not a session drink at 8.6% ABV . . . . it'll put hairs on anyone's chest!

 

Highly recommended - just a pity the unSTABLE BAR doesn't serve it

 

 

 

 

Edited to add 'micro-detail

Edited August 31, 2008 by Grace & Favour

[Chris J W]

Hmm. You mustn't have been paying attention when I told you about the Sair Inn!

 

Blame the 8am starts!

 

If I were in your position, I would sit tight at Slaithwaite until the rain of the next day or two has passed!

 

There's a stoppage tomorrow (at least a day, anyway) between 16E and 15E so it'll be Tuesday at the earliest.

 

Think I'll get the bus to Holmfirth tomorrow and go and have a gander at "Last Of The Summer Wine" country.

[MartinClark]

Think I'll get the bus to Holmfirth tomorrow and go and have a gander at "Last Of The Summer Wine" country.

Quite a lot of it is filmed around Marsden!

[kerching]

Blame the 8am starts!

 

 

 

There's a stoppage tomorrow (at least a day, anyway) between 16E and 15E so it'll be Tuesday at the earliest.

 

Think I'll get the bus to Holmfirth tomorrow and go and have a gander at "Last Of The Summer Wine" country.

In that case do the Nook. AKA the Rose & Crown.

 

I think i have a drink problem.

[Hairy-Neil]

I last visited The Sair on 2nd August, was fine then. We moored above 17E, beyond the derelict canal side mill, where we got right into the side no problems. Walking up past the converted Titanic Mill, there's a short cut up a flight of steps that cuts off the corner to the main road.

 

There's a good fast food take away just beyond the traffic lights too. Chips, Kebabs etc till late.

[kerching]

I last visited The Sair on 2nd August, was fine then. We moored above 17E, beyond the derelict canal side mill, where we got right into the side no problems. Walking up past the converted Titanic Mill, there's a short cut up a flight of steps that cuts off the corner to the main road.

 

There's a good fast food take away just beyond the traffic lights too. Chips, Kebabs etc till late.

Hairy,

Well done i couldn,t remember the name of the converted mill. When you say you visited the Sair on the 2nd was Linfit ale still available.

[saltysplash]

Blame the 8am starts!

 

 

 

There's a stoppage tomorrow (at least a day, anyway) between 16E and 15E so it'll be Tuesday at the earliest.

 

Think I'll get the bus to Holmfirth tomorrow and go and have a gander at "Last Of The Summer Wine" country.

 

 

Settle yourself down with a good pint and a plate of Hollands Meat and Potato pie chips and gravy.

 

Dont forget to visit COMPO's for a big plate of Fish chips and mushy peas

[Hairy-Neil]

Hairy,

Well done i couldn,t remember the name of the converted mill. When you say you visited the Sair on the 2nd was Linfit ale still available.

 

I arrived there as last orders was called. My friends had already got the beer in for me as I was cutting it fine..... Haven't a clue what I was drinking but it was good....

[Chris J W]

Didn't get to The Sair in the end. Ne're mind.

 

Had a friend to help me get down from Slaithwaite to Aspley Basin yesterday and bloody glad I did! I think that had I tried it alone I'd've either had a bad accident or, more likely, gone utterly gah-gah. (Well, more than usual.)

 

Unlike last weeks utter dearth of water in most places there was far too much! I think it was round about lock 5E, or 4E, the canal was about 4 inches deep over the towpath level in places, and made locking down an, er, interresting experience having to keep a VERY close eye on the water wiering over the top gate and, even more than normal, keeping well forward incase the wier decided to head down onto me and the engine-hole. (In hind-site, perhaps we should have let a lock-full down before locking?)

 

Again, though, no (decent) lock-landings for most of it (bar, IIRC, 17E?) and I'd say that about 1/4 of the paddle gear was bust, or in need of a very good greasing, between 21E and 1E.

 

REALLY, REALLY, not fun at all.

 

At least it only drizzled on and off during the day.

 

 

There's no denying at all that the HNC goes through some of the most glorious, wonderful, beautiful, countryside, with views that would stop the devil in his tracks and make him cry with shear joy. But ... but ... my god, it's a rotten road to go. I'd say; a crew of at least four - two to do locks, and two alternating tiller/kitchen duties. And LOTS of money, time, and expertise to make a better channel, more visitor moorings, easier transit through Standedge, and (oh, what a dream!) loose half the locks and make the road an enjoyable if hard run, rather than an awful slog where you're grateful to get off the damn thing and never see another bloody lock again.

[Chertsey]

Has it got worse in the last two years? We did it in August 2006 and unless my memory is playing tricks on me, it wasn't as terrible as that. OK there were three of us, but still very inexperienced then, and I wasn't as strong as I am now. Yet there was no paddle gear on the HNC that defeated me, while there has been some this year on the GU.

 

Of course it's perfectly conceivable that it HAS got worse - Martin?

[Chris J W]

I was crewed by DaveAndDebby and Martin for most of the West side, and purely from a steerers point of view the West seemed a damn sight better than the East, and from what I remember I'd've not particularly enjoyed trying to single-hand that side but I remember far more decent lock landings, but still sure some of the edges still weren't quite deep-enough for 'comfortable' mooring.

[Hairy-Neil]

..... the West seemed a damn sight better than the East....

 

That is my abiding memory of it too from about 5 years ago....

[MartinClark]

I was crewed by DaveAndDebby and Martin for most of the West side, and purely from a steerers point of view the West seemed a damn sight better than the East, and from what I remember I'd've not particularly enjoyed trying to single-hand that side but I remember far more decent lock landings, but still sure some of the edges still weren't quite deep-enough for 'comfortable' mooring.

I've always said that it is not really a suitable canal for single-handing. The so-called lock moorings are often too shallow and there are some strong by-washes that make life more difficult. (Although some single-handers will determinedly assert that nothing can defeat them! )

 

There were no problems operating the 28 locks that I helped you through on the west side. I did find when I did the east side last year that quite a few of the tail gate paddles were exceptionally stiff (I even broke a windlass on one!) but they are supposed to have been oiled this year. I don't know whether they are easier this year than last year, but they are probably not as easy as they were when the canal first re-opened. Also to problem of low pounds on the east side doesn't seem to have improved at all.

 

P.S. I'm just getting over the embarrassment of hearing myself being interviewed on the local radio!

Edited September 8, 2008 by MartinClark

[Chris J W]

P.S. I'm just getting over the embarrassment of hearing myself being interviewed on the local radio!

 

Ah-hem ... Listen Again linky??

[MartinClark]

Ah-hem ... Listen Again linky??

 

Luckily it is a very local (Tameside) non-BBC station and they do not have a "Listen again" facility!

 

I was being asked questions about canal restoration following the official opening of the first phase of the Droylsden Marina scheme.