Huddersfield Narrow - desperately quiet

[onthecut]

Just back from a potter around the Huddersfield Narrow and associated waters, and I just can't believe how utterly empty of boats the whole area seems to be, by comparison with, say, the Midlands canals. Given all the work and effort that must have gone into reopening this canal, it really concerns me that such an obvious lack of use may well, in these hard times, be just the excuse someone will need to close it again.

I know they have issues with water supply and levels and that it likely wouldn't support heavy use, but I do think a bit more activity would be good. I guess in part the prospect of negotiating the tunnel may put some off. Well -- now you drive your own boat through with a BW pilot on board, who knows every outcrop and obstruction and I'd say the amount of contact you will make with the walls is scarcely higher than in many of the other tunnels on the network that you happily go through alone. As on my previous outings along this canal, all the BW guys were a credit to the job -- courteous, patient, good humoured and helpful.

 

Mike.

[Janet S]

We went through Standedge a few years ago, in a BW convoy...the guys were simply brilliant and it really was quite an experience.

 

I agree that it's much underused, but that was much of the attraction for us.

 

It really is very much of a hidden gem, but as you say, it may be a case of use it or lose it...

 

Janet

[Mac of Cygnet]

The Huddersfield narrow is my main route south, including this year. I've now been across it 6 times, and it is a sort of 'Wild West Frontier' of the system, not for everyone, as recent criticisms in certain quarters testify. Yes, in the present circumstances, closure is a possibility, as the cost per boater must be sky-high. However, there is an active Canal Society (of which I am a member), who would do their damndest to keep it going. It's probably a bit quiet because I've decided to go back by the Trent this year!

 

Mac

Edited August 29, 2010 by Mac of Cygnet

[Janet S]

We're also members of the Huddersfield Canal Society, and very proud of our 74 club badge!

 

Janet

[DHutch]

When on it last year at the tail end of the convoy passages and loved it. Would do it again in a heartbeat, and infact may well do, next year.

 

I would recommend it to anyone who likes boating, which is a fairly large proportion of my friends! Its a shame also that 72ft boats cant make a loop out of the Huddersfield/Rochdale as we did, but most boats can, and it wouldnt make a bad out-and-back.

 

 

Daniel

[Ange]

Our cruising plans this year involved going up the L&L and then onto the HNC - we were really looking forward to it. Unfortunately the closure of the L&L put an end to those plans and we crossed the Ribble Link to the Lancaster instead.

 

We definitely plan to do it one year - the tunnel being an attraction rather than a deterrent.

[Mac of Cygnet]

But before you (or anyone) goes, make sure your boat will fit!

 

My link

 

Edited to say that although I've posted links many times before, this one refuses to work. Anyway, it's on Martin Clark's Pennine Waterways site

Edited August 29, 2010 by Mac of Cygnet

[gaggle]

The tunnel was a drag after the first time , that was on the tugs though.

Taking the boat through yourself is not something i look forward to so the last two times we went up we had a few days in uppermill and made the return journey , despite low pounds ,breaking paddles and other minor setbacks such as finding loony teenagers trying to smash winding gear on the locks by tesco the narrow is great to cruise.

[MartinClark]

But before you (or anyone) goes, make sure your boat will fit!

 

My link

 

Edited to say that although I've posted links many times before, this one refuses to work. Anyway, it's on Martin Clark's Pennine Waterways site

 

That's because you have somehow got two "http" bits in the link! Take the second one out and it will work - like this.

[MartinClark]

The direct link to the .pdf document is here. It is an extract from the BW tunnel guidelines just showing the boat dimensions. It corrected an error on the original BW document but BW have now corrected it as well.

[Davo_Willow]

It sounds fascinating! How does one find out when there is a BW convoy?

 

Davo

[Offcumden]

It sounds fascinating! How does one find out when there is a BW convoy?

 

Davo

Just googled this

http://www.standedge.co.uk/tunnel_trips.htm

John

[Dr Bradley]

The tunnel was a drag after the first time , that was on the tugs though.

Taking the boat through yourself is not something i look forward to so the last two times we went up we had a few days in uppermill and made the return journey , despite low pounds ,breaking paddles and other minor setbacks such as finding loony teenagers trying to smash winding gear on the locks by tesco the narrow is great to cruise.

 

The tunnel is the best bit.I didn't hit the side once yet managed to smash both nav lights off on some easy tunnels. The rest of the HNC is a great trip, though can be quite hard.

[PeterScott]

...Huddersfield Narrow ... utterly empty of boats the whole area seems to be ... work and effort that must have gone into reopening this canal, ... an obvious lack of use may well, in these hard times, be just the excuse someone will need to close it again.

Lots of issues in there. Discussed recently with new local MP JasonMcCartney. A Few words in Huddersfield Examiner HERE, another few words on MP's blog (scroll a bit) HERE and some annotated pictures HERE

 

The current booking-slots - three boats per day each way for each of Mon/Wed/Fri are not being fully used, so BW have little enthusiasm to provide more of their resources to provide more. OTOH more availablility and less need of forward booking would make arranging trips very much easier. It was open 7-days a week in 2001 and it would be excellent to achieve that again.

[billh]

 

 

The current booking-slots - three boats per day each way for each of Mon/Wed/Fri are not being fully used, so BW have little enthusiasm to provide more of their resources to provide more. OTOH more availablility and less need of forward booking would make arranging trips very much easier. It was open 7-days a week in 2001 and it would be excellent to achieve that again.

In my opinion , it is the booking slots that is cause of few boats using the canal. There is too much control by BW. You have to be at certain points on the canal at defined times( same goes for the Rochdale equally deserted) - get those times wrong and it can take 5days to travel the twenty miles of the canal. An example , certainly a year or two back - travelling east, having arrived at the bottom of Diggle locks, say early evening, next morning, assuming that it is a tunnel passage day, you get up the Diggle locks, through the tunnel by early afternoon, but, you cannot start down the Marsden flight until the next day ( top lock padlocked until 08:30 (or later). All painfully slow but only because of the "authorities" not particularly the state of the canal. If, like me , you have limited holidays for boating or maybe on a hire boat ,doing the HNC is quite awkward , you have to fit in with their arrangements, not vice versa.

Bill

[PeterF]

I went through tunnel both ways last year and that was 6 months after a full repaint and not a scratch in the tunnel. Pilots were great had a different one for each trip - they always told me when to beware of projections so I could avoid them all.

 

Went over the Rochdale both ways this summer and that was quiet.

 

Recommend both canals, but perhaps I should not as a pennine boater I enjoy the quietness, it is a rare day when you have to queue for even 1 boat in a lock.

[MartinClark]

All painfully slow but only because of the "authorities" not particularly the state of the canal. If, like me , you have limited holidays for boating or maybe on a hire boat ,doing the HNC is quite awkward , you have to fit in with their arrangements, not vice versa.

 

I agree with you, Bill, although the last time I did the canal with Neil, we did the entire HNC east to west in 2 days! Not sure whether that could be managed now with the gate paddles having become so much stiffer and certain locks much leakier.