lymm to todmorden travel time?

[narrowboatmick]

Hi, I am picking up a new sailaway from lymm on the bridgewater canal and intend to travel to up the Rochdale canal to todmorden.The trip will take place in late October and there will be two of us.We both have experience of boating on the canals but this was 15 years ago, however we feel confident about the 57ft narrowboat and the locks.Could anyone give me a rough estimation of how long it may take given that we will be travelling in daylight hours,many thanks, Mick.

[kerching]

Total distance is 35 miles, 3¾ flg and 74 locks. There are at least 7 small aqueducts or underbridges and 1 tunnel.

 

Made up of 35 miles, 3¾ furlongs of broad canals; 74 broad locks.

 

This will take 27 hours, 36 minutes which is 3 days, 36 minutes at 9 hours per day.

 

For calculation purposes, this is taken as 3 days

 

From canal planner.

[LoneWolf]

Total distance is 35 miles, 3¾ flg and 74 locks. There are at least 7 small aqueducts or underbridges and 1 tunnel.

 

Made up of 35 miles, 3¾ furlongs of broad canals; 74 broad locks.

 

This will take 27 hours, 36 minutes which is 3 days, 36 minutes at 9 hours per day.

 

For calculation purposes, this is taken as 3 days

 

From canal planner.

 

 

9 hours a day in late October - lol!

[kerching]

Thursday the 29th of October, 2009 [First day of trip]

 

Sunrise today is at 7:02 AM

 

Sunset today is at 4:41 PM

[narrowboatmick]

Total distance is 35 miles, 3¾ flg and 74 locks. There are at least 7 small aqueducts or underbridges and 1 tunnel.

 

Made up of 35 miles, 3¾ furlongs of broad canals; 74 broad locks.

 

This will take 27 hours, 36 minutes which is 3 days, 36 minutes at 9 hours per day.

 

For calculation purposes, this is taken as 3 days

 

From canal planner.

 

Thanks Kerching,I will calculate that into the locks that I can only go through at certain times of the day,mick.

[LoneWolf]

to be more helpful i would say give it a week if you can - dont rush

[LoneWolf]

Thursday the 29th of October, 2009 [First day of trip]

 

Sunrise today is at 7:02 AM

 

Sunset today is at 4:41 PM

 

 

humm.. not sure i could stand in the pissing rain and howling wind trying to figure out unfamiliar lock workings and wanting to stop for more than 39 minutes in the whole day for 3 days in a row.

But then i probably could if i had to

 

my advice is still: Give it a week

[Mac of Cygnet]

I presume you know that virtually the whole of the western part of the Rochdale is closed from Nov 9th until Christmas?

[narrowboatmick]

humm.. not sure i could stand in the pissing rain and howling wind trying to figure out unfamiliar lock workings and wanting to stop for more than 39 minutes in the whole day for 3 days in a row.

But then i probably could if i had to

 

my advice is still: Give it a week

Thanks Lone wolf, I dont have a time limit as such ,apart from my daughters first child is due on the 2nd of november.Its either pay the cost of having it delivered or save the money and have an adventure.

 

I presume you know that virtually the whole of the western part of the Rochdale is closed from Nov 9th until Christmas?

Thanks Mac, I was aware of it as of this morning,so I rang the boat yard and they said it should be ready by late october.I will have to make the final decision based on when the boat is ready to pick up.I wouldn't want to end up stuck on the wrong side on the 8th of november LOL.

[MartinClark]

This will take 27 hours, 36 minutes which is 3 days, 36 minutes at 9 hours per day.

 

For calculation purposes, this is taken as 3 days

 

For practical purposes, make that at least 4 days. You have to think about where you are can stop overnight and the fact that you have to book 2 bits of the Rochdale Canal in advance (Locks 83 to 65 and the Summit section, Locks 44 - to 33).

 

You have to start up the 19 locks from Lock 83 on the Rochdale at 8.30 am so it means an overnight stop below Lock 83. So, your schedule might be something like:

- Day 1 Lymm - Castlefield - Rochdale Nine - stop overnight below Lock 83

- Day 2 Below Lock 83 - Failsworth - Irk Aqueduct (below Lock 71)

- Day 3 Irk Aqueduct - Slattocks locks - Rochdale - Littleborough (below Lock 49)

- Day 4 Littleborough to Lock 44 by 11.00 am for booked passage over Summit section, maybe as far as Walsden.

- Day 5 Walsden to Todmorden.

 

You could do it in 4 days if you just kept going on Day 4. You couldn't do it in less than 4 days.

 

You could take longer by splitting Day 1 and Day 3. That would mean Lymm to Castlefield one day and only the Rochdale Nine the second day. BW advises people to finish the Rochdale Nine by around 4 pm as Canal Street gets lively in the evening.

 

You can't split Day 2 as you have to get past Lock 65 in one go and Irk Aqueduct is the first sensible place to stop overnight.

 

You could split Day 3 by stopping overnight at Slattocks, above Lock 54, but that would make 2 rather short days. It all depends on how easy you want to take it.

Edited October 3, 2009 by MartinClark

[LoneWolf]

Thanks Lone wolf, I dont have a time limit as such ,apart from my daughters first child is due on the 2nd of november.Its either pay the cost of having it delivered or save the money and have an adventure.

 

 

Thanks Mac, I was aware of it as of this morning,so I rang the boat yard and they said it should be ready by late october.I will have to make the final decision based on when the boat is ready to pick up.I wouldn't want to end up stuck on the wrong side on the 8th of november LOL.

 

 

Have an adventure.

 

But have fun too - dont get yourself into a position where you have only 3 days. If you're unused to what look like some pretty heavy lock days then it could turn into a chore rather than the first happy days on your boat.

[narrowboatmick]

For practical purposes, make that at least 4 days. You have to think about where you are can stop overnight and the fact that you have to book 2 bits of the Rochdale Canal in advance (Locks 83 to 65 and the Summit section, Locks 44 - to 33).

 

You have to start up the 19 locks from Lock 83 on the Rochdale at 8.30 am so it means an overnight stop below Lock 83. So, your schedule might be something like:

- Day 1 Lymm - Castlefield - Rochdale Nine - stop overnight below Lock 83

- Day 2 Below Lock 83 - Failsworth - Irk Aqueduct (below Lock 71)

- Day 3 Irk Aqueduct - Slattocks locks - Rochdale - Littleborough (below Lock 49)

- Day 4 Littleborough to Lock 44 by 11.00 am for booked passage over Summit section, maybe as far as Walsden.

- Day 5 Walsden to Todmorden.

 

You could do it in 4 days if you just kept going on Day 4. You couldn't do it in less than 4 days.

 

You could take longer by splitting Day 1 and Day 3. That would mean Lymm to Castlefield one day and only the Rochdale Nine the second day. BW advises people to finish the Rochdale Nine by around 4 pm as Canal Street gets lively in the evening.

 

You can't split Day 2 as you have to get past Lock 65 in one go and Irk Aqueduct is the first sensible place to stop overnight.

Thanks Martin,that sounds brilliant, I just hope the boat is ready in time,Mick.

You could split Day 3 by stopping overnight at Slattocks, above Lock 54.

[MartinClark]

But have fun too - dont get yourself into a position where you have only 3 days.

 

As I pointed out, it can't be done in 3 days, unless you go from Manchester to Littleborough in one go, which there won't be enough daylight for at that time of year. Because of the sections that have to be booked, you can't avoid having at 2 days that have a lot of locks to do.

 

To modify what I wrote in my previous post, you can stop overnight on the Summit pound, but only if you book to do that in advance. That would make 2 more balanced days of Littleborough to Summit and Summit to Todmorden.

[Keeping Up]

You couldn't do it in 3 days. Progress on the Rochdale will be slower than that.

 

Lymm to Castlefield is about 6 hours. In October I wouldn't fancy setting off up the Rochdale 9, after 6 hours travelling. The Rochdale 9 will take about 3 hours. Of course if you set off from Lymm one lunchtime, you could moor nearer Manchester (Sale for example) the first night and easily make it from there to Picadilly the next day.

 

You will need to have booked the rest of the Western Rochdale out of Manchester several days in advance, and be at Picadilly at 0830 to meet BW when they unlock it. A full day's hard work will take you to the Rose of Lancaster.

 

The following day's travel would be an 8 hour day to Littleborough, so the following day you'll be ready to go across the summit (which you will have booked at the same time as you booked the locks out of Manchester). In the summer you could reach Todmorden the same night, but in October it would be too dark so you'd need to stop at somewhere like Walsden, leaving you just 3 or 4 hours travelling to reach Todmorden at the middle of the 6th day.

 

These timings may sound slow, but I've taken them directly from our logbook of this year's travels. We generally travel at a pretty good pace, and we had extra crew helping us across the summit, so I doubt that you could do the journey much quicker.

[MartinClark]

You couldn't do it in 3 days.

I just wrote all the same stuff!

 

A full day's hard work will take you to the Rose of Lancaster.

The mooring outside the Rose of Lancaster has collapsed into the canal. However, there are plenty of moorings just a couple of hundred yards on, at Irk Aqueduct.

[Keeping Up]

I just wrote all the same stuff!

 

The mooring outside the Rose of Lancaster has collapsed into the canal. However, there are plenty of moorings just a couple of hundred yards on, at Irk Aqueduct.

 

Yes we were clearly writing at the same time. The difference being you know it all from memory, I had to take the time to refer back to the logbooks. At least we more-or-less agreed on everything.

 

I didn't know about the Rose moorings; we preferred the Irk aqueduct anyway and walked to the Rose from there it's not far.

 

When we went, they weren't allowing mooring on the summit (we asked nicely but they still wouldn't allow it). Are they allowing it again now?

[MartinClark]

When we went, they weren't allowing mooring on the summit (we asked nicely but they still wouldn't allow it). Are they allowing it again now?

Yes, if it's booked beforehand.

From Waterscape notices:

"N.B Unless a mooring on the summit has been booked, boats must make a continuous passage between Locks 33 and 44. Visitor mooring on Summit is available for up to 48 hours, but must be booked in advance. Please note that mooring on the summit is at boaters own risk of becoming stranded due to water issues. If intending to moor on the summit, passage off the summit passage must be booked at same time as on to the summit passage.

 

For those who have booked a summit visitor mooring, passages off the summit at Locks 36 and 37, will start between 9:30am and 10am Monday to Sunday."

 

http://www.waterscape.com/canals-and-river...ating/stoppages

 

Incidentally, narrowboatmick, the number to phone to book these sections is BW at Wigan 01942 405700 at least 48 hours in advance.

[Doorman]

Hi, I am picking up a new sailaway from lymm on the bridgewater canal and intend to travel to up the Rochdale canal to todmorden.The trip will take place in late October and there will be two of us.We both have experience of boating on the canals but this was 15 years ago, however we feel confident about the 57ft narrowboat and the locks.Could anyone give me a rough estimation of how long it may take given that we will be travelling in daylight hours,many thanks, Mick.

 

 

Sorry this is off topic, but, I'm in the market for a sailaway next year and Lymm Marina was one of my considerations. If you get some spare time on your return journey, could you let me know what your thoughts are about the make of hull you bought and the buying experience from the marina?

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

[Lady Muck]

Yes we were clearly writing at the same time. The difference being you know it all from memory, I had to take the time to refer back to the logbooks. At least we more-or-less agreed on everything.

 

I didn't know about the Rose moorings; we preferred the Irk aqueduct anyway and walked to the Rose from there it's not far.

 

When we went, they weren't allowing mooring on the summit (we asked nicely but they still wouldn't allow it). Are they allowing it again now?

 

That bankside collapse - when did that happen? When we were there, there was so much water, everytime we drained a lock, it flooded the pound and towpath below and my partner was really worried that there would be a breach.

 

To the OP- make sure you book your passages as far in advance as you possibly can.

[Janet S]

...my daughters first child is due on the 2nd of november. Its either pay the cost of having it delivered or save the money and have an adventure.

 

The mind boggles!

 

Seriously though, if you need a hand with lock wheeling to speed your journey, one or possibly both of us would be delighted to pop over and help if we're free at the time.

 

Janet

[MartinClark]

That bankside collapse - when did that happen?

I saw a photo somewhere, a blog I think, a few days ago, but I can't find it now.

 

The edging stones with the bollards are leaning canal-wards and are fenced off with BW's magic orange fencing.

 

Anyway, the moorings by the aqueduct are so much nicer!

[narrowboatmick]

Sorry this is off topic, but, I'm in the market for a sailaway next year and Lymm Marina was one of my considerations. If you get some spare time on your return journey, could you let me know what your thoughts are about the make of hull you bought and the buying experience from the marina?

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

I have decided to have the boat delivered due to my daughter having her first baby at about the same time.I have looked around before ordering a mike christian josher type boat from lymm boat yard, The ones they had in looked really good value and the welding was fine .The buying experience seems fine all the people that work there are really helpful.

 

I saw a photo somewhere, a blog I think, a few days ago, but I can't find it now.

 

The edging stones with the bollards are leaning canal-wards and are fenced off with BW's magic orange fencing.

 

Anyway, the moorings by the aqueduct are so much nicer!

Thanks for all your advice Martin but Ive decided to get the boat delivered as my daughter is having a baby around the same time ,mick.

 

You couldn't do it in 3 days. Progress on the Rochdale will be slower than that.

 

Lymm to Castlefield is about 6 hours. In October I wouldn't fancy setting off up the Rochdale 9, after 6 hours travelling. The Rochdale 9 will take about 3 hours. Of course if you set off from Lymm one lunchtime, you could moor nearer Manchester (Sale for example) the first night and easily make it from there to Picadilly the next day.

 

You will need to have booked the rest of the Western Rochdale out of Manchester several days in advance, and be at Picadilly at 0830 to meet BW when they unlock it. A full day's hard work will take you to the Rose of Lancaster.

 

The following day's travel would be an 8 hour day to Littleborough, so the following day you'll be ready to go across the summit (which you will have booked at the same time as you booked the locks out of Manchester). In the summer you could reach Todmorden the same night, but in October it would be too dark so you'd need to stop at somewhere like Walsden, leaving you just 3 or 4 hours travelling to reach Todmorden at the middle of the 6th day.

 

These timings may sound slow, but I've taken them directly from our logbook of this year's travels. We generally travel at a pretty good pace, and we had extra crew helping us across the summit, so I doubt that you could do the journey much quicker.

Thanks for the information allen but im having the boat delivered as my daughter is having her baby around the same time and it sounds like it will take me longer than I had antisipated,mick.

[MartinClark]

Thanks for all your advice Martin but Ive decided to get the boat delivered as my daughter is having a baby around the same time ,mick.

 

Oh, well.

 

I suppose now you're about to be a grandpa you'll have to start taking things a bit easier!

[narrowboatmick]

The mind boggles!

 

Seriously though, if you need a hand with lock wheeling to speed your journey, one or possibly both of us would be delighted to pop over and help if we're free at the time.

 

Janet

Hi Janet I meant to say pay to get the boat delivered not the baby,lol. The trip seems a lot longer than I had anticipated so Ive decided to get the boat delivered but thanks for the offer ,mick.

[JohnEW2912]

A full day's hard work will take you to the Rose of Lancaster.

We did it in reverse in early September from the Irk Aqueduct to Ducie Street in 4.5 hours with the good ship Elemiah and that was with a couple of short delays. There were two boats, four of us, all pretty organised though. Mind you it then took us 3.5 hours to do the Rochdale 9. There was a fair bit of water coming down from the Pennines., most of which had fallen on us a few days earlier.

The mooring at the Rose of Lancaster was collapsed when we were there on Saturday 5th September.

Edited October 5, 2009 by John Wareing