journey to hebden bridge

[raychem1945]

Hi all,I am new to this boating lark and have finally decided to give it a go in March 2009,The boat has been booked with Shires at Sowerby Bridge.The wife is now getting worried about safe moorings and yobbos on the toe path etc.I plan to go from Sowerby Bridge to Hebden bridge and then either on to Todmorden or back through Sowerby to Brighouse.Could anybody advise me of the safe or safeish moorings along these routes and do you think we will have any problems along these routes.I have searched the forums for some answers to my questions but have been unable to find any info.Any replies will be very much appreciated.Regards .Max

[kerching]

I live and work along the Rochdale canal corridor and I have never been aware of any problem with "yobs" so you should be ok to moor anywhere between Sowerby Bridge and Littleborough and beyond depending on how long you have on board, although personally i wouldn,t choose to moor in Rochdale or after the Rose of Lancaster at Mills Hill.

 

Sowerby to Hebden then on to Tod and back to Brighouse on the C&H should be no problem at all. Good luck and have a good trip.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Hi all,I am new to this boating lark and have finally decided to give it a go in March 2009,The boat has been booked with Shires at Sowerby Bridge.The wife is now getting worried about safe moorings and yobbos on the toe path etc.I plan to go from Sowerby Bridge to Hebden bridge and then either on to Todmorden or back through Sowerby to Brighouse.Could anybody advise me of the safe or safeish moorings along these routes and do you think we will have any problems along these routes.I have searched the forums for some answers to my questions but have been unable to find any info.Any replies will be very much appreciated.Regards .Max

 

First of all you have chosen an excellent hire firm. Nigel and Susan Stevens go out of their way to help new hirers to have a good experience, and will be able to answer any queries you may have, and their and their staff's quality of instruction are the best I've seen.

 

There are no real problems with mooring on the stretch you mention. Todmorden town centre wharf had a bit of trouble for a while, but I think now it's just a matter of a bit of noise from the surrounding pubs at the weekend. My favourite mooring at Hebden Bridge is actually at Stubbings Wharf, three locks beyond the town centre, but that's mainly because it's nearer the Fox & Goose pub, one of the best in the area. The town centre moorings are fine, too. Towards Brighouse, you can moor outside the Barge & Barrel at Elland, another great pub, but if you have dogs, you may like to go on to Park Nook Lock, where there are woods. In Brighouse, try to get in to the Lower Basin, which is much pleasanter than the moorings behind Sainsbury's.

 

The locks on the Calder and Hebble are not easy, and if you conquer them , then the rest of the system will seem a doddle, but many first-timers have enjoyed this stretch. Again, the people at Shire Cruisers will be pleased to help you.

 

Finally, give Cygnet a glance as you pass - if I haven't taken off for the Summer cruise by then, she'll be moored just below Lock 1 on the Rochdale.

 

Cheers

 

Mac

[Janet S]

I concur with that. We've hired from Nigel and Sue at Shire twice now, and they can't be faulted on their attention to detail and the service they provide.

 

Janet

[raychem1945]

I concur with that. We've hired from Nigel and Sue at Shire twice now, and they can't be faulted on their attention to detail and the service they provide.

 

Janet

Thanks for the replies,the wife is now a bit more settled and looking forward to operating all the locks.We visited the yard at Sowerby at the weekend and met a chap in the Shires reception ,he could not have been more helpful.Showing us round the boat and giving us some very good advice as well as answering all our questions regarding boating for the first time.Roll on March.regards Max

[Janet S]

Which boat have you hired for your trip?

 

Janet

[PeterF]

Just to agree with other replies, we moor on the C&H further downstream than Brighouse and have had no issues mooring anywhere between Brighouse and Hebden bridge apart from one occaision of rowdy passers by at pub closing time in Brighouse when we did moor behind Sainsburys. We have moored at all the places noted above and one other spot not mentioned that we like is above Cromwell lock, 3 locks above brighouse as there is a concrete sided section with rings there, some dog walkers but otherwise it is very peacefull being out of the town.

[raychem1945]

Which boat have you hired for your trip?

 

Janet

Hi janet,will be taking a midweek break on Oxford,the honeymoon boat,I hasten to add we are not honeymooners having been wed for nearly 40 yrs.Oxford being a 2berth and not to long in length seemed to be the ideal boat for a first time trip.Also I have found the Google map on the Waterworld site which is very good and am in the process of now planning our route.Regards

[AlanH]

Hi all,I am new to this boating lark and have finally decided to give it a go in March 2009,The boat has been booked with Shires at Sowerby Bridge.The wife is now getting worried about safe moorings and yobbos on the toe path etc.I plan to go from Sowerby Bridge to Hebden bridge and then either on to Todmorden or back through Sowerby to Brighouse.Could anybody advise me of the safe or safeish moorings along these routes and do you think we will have any problems along these routes.I have searched the forums for some answers to my questions but have been unable to find any info.Any replies will be very much appreciated.Regards .Max

We used to moor at Shepley Bridge and had no problems mooring anywhere between there an Hebden Bridge.

[RichardH]

Concur with all of above. Shire are a lovely company and the stretch is very safe. Our crew in the summer found a smashing Thai restaurant in Hebden Bridge which they said was the best they'd ever had.

[Matthew Dowson]

Lovely stretch, and you'll be going through the deepest lock on the network at Tuel Lane which is quite and experience. The Friendly Inn at Luddendenfoot used to be good but not been there for 2 years, nice food and ale. You can pull into the towpath after the bridge to moor up. Hebden Bridge is a great little town, some of the lock gear can be a bit stiff, or it was when I was last through I remember my wife couldn't shift some of the paddles. No trouble, its hardly big city territory. Enjoy your trip and let us know how you got on, we hired from Shires twice before we bought Oak Moon, they are a good company and as there are locks at Sowerby Bridge you get lots of helpful instruction which you don't get when the hire base is a few miles from a lock.

[raychem1945]

Happy New year to everybody,thanks again for all the info,am now reading the forums and learning by the hour as regards boating and locking techniques.We tried a touring caravan once and ended buying one so this new experience could result in more boating weeks or a boat.regards