Rochdale & Huddersfield narrow

[mahunt]

I have booked 4 weeks on a canal boat in September of this year with the intention of including the Rochdale/Huddersfield Narrow Canals in my travels. Various sites, and various hire firms I have contacted are a bit reticent about me travelling on these canals for reasons of safety due to 'Bandits". Also reading other forums I have seen that people have found the cruises on these canals pretty trying due to poor mooring and very hard lock mechanisms. I don't know how old some of these opinions are.

Has anyone on this board been to these canals during your last summer? What did you think?

 

Matthew Hunt

 

Tasmania

[Alastair]

I went over the Rochdale a little over a year ago. no problems at all.

[John Orentas]

Hi Mathew.

 

As always in these matters there is a lot of exageration, the Rochdale, Huddersfield Narrow and the Ashton Canals have had their problems in the past but no more than many other canals. I live in the area and have spent a good deal of time on these canals in past few years, obviously we need to be a bit 'streetwise' when travelling on canals such as these which have some inner city sections.

 

Take advice from waterways staff but be sceptical about boaters tales, there are many profits of doom, I for one can only say that I have no real problems.

 

I would advise you and anyone else to cruise these northern canals, they pass through some of the most idyllic and dramatic scenery in the country, with the added bonus of travelling through the small towns and villages where the industrial revolution began, most have now reverted to their rural past.

 

I would be very interested to know which hire companies where sniffy about you travelling these canals, send a personal message if you prefer. If you decide on the holiday, let me know closer to the time. My particular interest is in the Rochdale, you may even like to become a member of the society.

Edited January 23, 2005 by John Orentas

[mahunt]

Thanks Alistair and John

 

You have given me confidence.

 

In answer, John, one large company wouldn't hire for such a long time (strange),

one small company was definitely averse to me going ......."my biggest concern is the Rochdale canal and the Cheshire Ring, there has been alot of trouble with boats being robbed and also people attacked on that canal it is a very bad stretch "......

Another large company were OK with me going to the area but their boats coudn't be gauranteed to be less than 6'10". I remember reading somewhere that some of the locks had caved in slightly so maybe he was worried about this. Or his boats have sprung.

And two small companies (Empress Holidays and Claymore Navigation) were happy and helpful. I finallty settled on Countrywide Cruisers due to price, recommendation from Bill Kennedy who wrote in this forum (way back) and because if there is water supply problems in the Rochdale or Huddersfield at that time of year then I can change plans quickly and still see some pretty areas.

Countrywide are at brewood on the Four Counties Ring so I will see this area and also the Cheshire Ring. I'm greatly looking forward tom the trip.

John re your previous comments on being streetwise in cities: I assume that generally speaking larger places have problems with loutish behaviour and the best idea is to do what you have to do in bigger towns and get out to where you want to tie up for the night. In1990 we spent a week on a canal boat on the Oxford Canal and had a ball but we were always mooring in country areas anyway.

 

Matthew Hunt

[Paul Evans]

Matthew,

 

The problem with loutish behaviour around the cut is that one incident quickly turns into a perceived major event and a series of incidents. Whilst the incident is undoubtedly unpleasant for the victims, the canal telegraph is such that many people hear about it and pass it on. In what is a relatively small community, the gossip goes round and round and gets exaggerated in the process.

 

There are more incidents in urban areas than rural because there are more people around. My advice to those travelling through areas they are unsure of, particularly if a lot of lock working is involved, is:

 

Keep the front doors and side hatches locked;

Keep valuables out of sight inside the boat;

Travel early - louts generally lie in bed;

Have a camera handy - louts don't like pictures being taken;

Have a mobile 'phone and call the police if something serious happens;

Don't get involved in a slanging match

 

Enjoy your trip and let us know how you get on.

[ChrisK]

Matthew,

 

We brought our boat across the Rochdale last Easter. We had no problems with vandals / yobs, though we were partially escourted up the "Rochdale 18", out of Manchester, by a couple of BW lockies. What you shoud be aware of is that certain stages of the passages must be booked through BW in advance, and some of these are not available on Sundays.

 

The scenery is great and really worth the lock work

[Webchem]

Matthew,

 

The problem with loutish behaviour around the cut is that one incident quickly turns into a perceived major event and a series of incidents. Whilst the incident is undoubtedly unpleasant for the victims, the canal telegraph is such that many people hear about it and pass it on. In what is a relatively small community, the gossip goes round and round and gets exaggerated in the process.

 

There are more incidents in urban areas than rural because there are more people around. My advice to those travelling through areas they are unsure of, particularly if a lot of lock working is involved, is:

 

Keep the front doors and side hatches locked;

Keep valuables out of sight inside the boat;

Travel early - louts generally lie in bed;

Have a camera handy - louts don't like pictures being taken;

Have a mobile 'phone and call the police if something serious happens;

Don't get involved in a slanging match

 

Enjoy your trip and let us know how you get on.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Good advice above methinks.

 

Alternatively take 20 16 - 17 year olds with you, as they unfold from the bow, most would be boarders disappear into the ether.

 

Joking aside, often a friendly wave and positive approach, maybe even saying good morning /good afternoon first. This tends to catch them off guard as we found around Aston last summer, it definately helped to have a boatful of quite large teenagers myself though. Being from deepest Dorset, they weren't absolutley certain if the kids we met were speaking english!

 

The South Pennine ring is definately on my list of things to do before I'm 40.

 

Enjoy

 

Jools

[Noah]

Hi all

 

Next Thursday I set off on the South Pennine Ring and would be grateful for any advice and experiences from anyone who has done this trip. I’m travelling anti-clockwise from the Macc, i.e. up the Huddersfield, along the Calder and Hebble, and then back down the Rochdale, finally spending a few days at Castlefield in Manchester before returning to the Macc. I’ve sent off my application form for Standedge Tunnel and await booking confirmation from BW. For the lock flights on the Rochdale, I will phone BW to book passage when I am in the area.

 

I’ve already had scary stories of bandits (exaggerated?) and of damage in Standedge Tunnel (my boat needs repainting anyway!). Also I am told of paddles and gates that are “virtually impossible” to open and I am advised to take a selection of windlasses and a length of 3x2 for the C & H. Anything else I need? Semtex perhaps? There will be a crew of two for most of the trip but I expect to do some single-handed.

 

As well as any cruising tips, I’d be glad of advice of a far more serious nature such as pub recommendations and good places to moor or visit.

 

Noah

 

Just 'cos you ain't paranoid, it don't mean they ain't out to get ya! (S.Earle c.1975)

[John Orentas]

Noah

 

One or two items to have with you, most of the locks on your pennine route will have handcuff locks fitted to them, not necessarily because of vandalism, more to avoid water losses. Take a couple of handcuff keys and a spare, also you will need a 'Handspike' for some of the C & H locks you can buy these from Chandlers and boatyards in the area, but let me know if you have problems.

 

Ring the lock keeper at Tuel Deep Lock (No. 1 on the Rochdale) and let him know you are coming 0860 336750. You will find the broad locks of the C & H and Rochdale surprisingly easy to use with only one or two exceptions.

 

I won't recommend any pubs and restaurants there are dozens of them, except perhaps the Bird I'th hand because of it's spectacular location on the summit level of the Rochdale, you will have no problems mooring anywhere, just use common sense when in built up areas.

[Noah]

Thanks John, I'll take note of the advice. I'll take a piece of 3x2 timber and a plane for tapering the end, which I will use as a handspike. I always thought "handspikes" were used to reload cannons on old warships. Hopefully I won't need artilliery for the Manchester sections!

 

A neighbouring boater suggested taking a couple of small car wheels with tyres to use, floating horizontally, as fenders on some sections of the Huddersfield Canal that are very shallow near the bank. Does anybody else use this type of fender and are they worth carrying as part of normal cruising equipment?

 

Noah

 

Just 'cos you ain't paranoid, it don't mean they ain't out to get ya! (S.Earle c.1975)

[Tim]

We went along the Huddersfield last summer from Dukinfield, intending to reach Huddersfield itself. No problems of any note on the western side, a bit shallow in places, Stalybridge was quite impressive. The Standedge experience was superb, I even got to drive the tug for a bit! No damage to the boat (70ft), just a bit of mud, all of the BW staff involved were really helpful. However our plans to reach Huddersfield were scuppered at 31E as several of the pounds beyond were as good as empty, preventing any further progress. BW to their credit opened up the resevoir and started to fill everything back up, but not in time for us to get to Huddersfield and back fro our return tunnel passage, A very pleasant weekend was spent at the top of 31E, the scenery either side of the tunnel is breathtaking, there is a footpath across a couple of fields to the pub on the main road (name forgotten) which has the most fantastic menu!! Whatever you do, do the tunnel, it's a great experience. Oh yes, we also got stuck in 42E on an old cut off signpost which BW promised to remove completely!! Enjoyed the trip immensely, the hold up means I'll have to go back again, looking forward to it already.

[Noah]

Just got back from the South Pennine Ring trip. Brilliant! Had an excellent time and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a two-week plus cruise with an amazing diversity of scenery, history, people, water levels!, lock mechanisms, beers…….

 

Any major complaints – yes, from local people along the Huddersfield and Rochdale canals who say that these waterways remain underused since their restoration! We saw only one other moving boat on the outbound journey on the Huddersfield Narrow prior to Easter. BW personnel were helpful, including the “much-feared” lockkeeper at Tuel Deep Lock and the dozen or so guys (to my one boat!) needed for the Standedge Tunnel passage. Unfortunately pets are not allowed through the tunnel, so I was forced to spend the three hours in a pub with my parrot! My boat and girlfriend later emerged unscathed at the Marsden end of the tunnel. Me and my bird were in a somewhat worse state when we emerged from the pub!

 

The trip certainly wasn’t the easiest we’ve done, what with 293 locks and a few moving bridges, but none of the forewarned problems with yobs materialised. There were couple of dry pounds that took a while to refill and some paddle mechanisms were a bit odd to say the least, but all this just added to the experience. As for boater facilities – there are more sanitary stations than in the guidebooks with more under construction.

 

Would I do it again? We’re already planning to repeat part of the trip at Christmas if time and stoppages allow.

 

Noah

[anne]

We took our brand new narrowboat through Standedge Tunnel last year on the journey from the boatbuilders in Manchester to our home mooring on the Ouse. We would never do it again. Our lovely new paintwork was scratched to hell! They threw rubber mats over the boat (after they had been left lying on the gravelly towpath) then dragged them off at the other end, grit and all! I could have cried when I saw the mess they made...the boat was less than a week old! I wish now that we had taken the route over the Leeds Liverpool or even the Rochdale.