Southern softies heading North - Leeds & Liverpool advice, please.

[tree monkey]

 

The moorings above the top lock looked pretty full, so we are now in the pound below it.

 

"The Top Lock" pub looks lovely, and we would have loved to eat there, but it has absolutely nothing vegetarian on the menu. This seems to be a recurring theme, and I suspect we will be eating on board far more than we would if further South, and many of the pubs up here will continue to lose out on our custom.

 

The Johnson's Hillock locks were indeed a lot easier than the Wigan ones!

your up north now Alan, vegetarian is when they take the ham bone out of the leek soup

[cotswoldsman]

Welcome to Wigan locks

Easy hehe well easy compared to Rochdale

[Guest]

The moorings above the top lock looked pretty full, so we are now in the pound below it.

 

"The Top Lock" pub looks lovely, and we would have loved to eat there, but it has absolutely nothing vegetarian on the menu. This seems to be a recurring theme, and I suspect we will be eating on board far more than we would if further South, and many of the pubs up here will continue to lose out on our custom.

 

The Johnson's Hillock locks were indeed a lot easier than the Wigan ones!

Veggie oop North alert, clear the decks......

 

What do we cook?...

 

Quiche? Egg free of course.....

[cotswoldsman]

Veggie oop North alert, clear the decks......

 

What do we cook?...

 

Quiche? Egg free of course.....

I heard a rumour that there is a restaurant somewhere in Leeds where they have a vegetarian course not sure if it is still open

[cotswoldsman]

your up north now Alan, vegetarian is when they take the ham bone out of the leek soup

I think it is a tactic for keeping Southerners out of the pubs

[steven wilkinson]

My understanding too.

 

Some twerp who bought a flat next to local canal suddenly finds boats will moor close by....shocker.

 

As long as you stick within the 8 to 8 rule on engine and gennie running and don't run them when not needed, or smoke his flat out with none smokeless fuel tell him where to go......politely of course.......

 

I have had personal experience of Mr Shoutyman at Saltaire. He was politely indignant, and pointed to the 'no overnight mooring' sign. We were about to leave anyway so just left!

 

We also encountered the local youth between Rodley and Leeds. We talked to them and just asked if they would stop swimming in the lock while we went through. No problem - will you fill it up again when you are done? Lock refilled, pleasant chat with some kids who just wanted to play in the lock (I wouldn't, but each to their own!) and off we went!

 

As for Granary Wharf - its an absolutely cracking city centre mooring. Paying a fee on the Hilton side gets you electric, water and showers - but you need to ask! As I understand it, the arms are definitely 'theirs', and the frontage is debatable, but they have claimed it as theirs in the past - and charged. I have heard that negotiations are afoot that would see a clarification - with the intended outcome being free mooring on the hotel frontage.

[alan_fincher]

I think your Johnsons Hillock to Hapton the day after is going a bit too slow.

We did Johnsons top lock to the further side of Burnley in a day, albeit a long 12 hour day.

 

 

 

Rochdale, we hope, (yes, we have just found out we need to book it - trouble is we don't yet know when!), then Ashton, Peak Forest, Macc, T&M

CanalPlanAC says 8hrs 38mins from Johnson's Hillock top to Hapton (22 miles, 7 locks).

 

(That's using our own slightly adjusted planning assumptions.)

 

 

Well that can't be right because there are only 6 locks in Blackburn.

 

I'm sure you'll have a nice time and fingers crossed for continued good weather.

 

Correct - I think I made the assumption we would stop 1 lock short of the top at Johnson's Hillock, (as we have!)

 

I think our speed assumptions as set in CanalPlan are possibly a bit pessimistic, whereas (based on Wigan!) our time per lock too optimistic.

 

However, I still think about 8.5 hours to Hapton doesn't sound hugely wrong.

 

The advice we were given was that once at Burnley you need to run on a long while through the who;e area, which sounds a very long day.

 

Where did you stop, and what was it like, please?

[Grace and Favour]

 

<Snippity>>>>

 

Paying a fee on the Hilton side gets you electric, water and showers - but you need to ask! As I understand it, the arms are definitely 'theirs', and the frontage is debatable, but they have claimed it as theirs in the past - and charged. I have heard that negotiations are afoot that would see a clarification - with the intended outcome being free mooring on the hotel frontage.

Update: - There are only two electric points working, and at least two taps, though there are no showers (definitely not), other than down at the Leeds facility block 3/4 mile downstream (300 yds past The Armouries Museum.

 

However, The Hop pub at Granary Wharf serves excellent ales, and, (BEFORE 19:00 hrs) a proper warm pie, peas, mash and gravy, and a pint, for £5.00 , (Darned good pies too!).....whilst The Fazenda Brazilian Restaurant has a most impressive menu, both carnivore and vegetarian - though is a touch pricy (Their Premier Cru Chablis was exemplary though!)

 

If you wish for an outstandingly good South Indian restaurant, the Tharavadu (Mill Hill, 400 yds away) is simply stunning. - Also serves great vegetarian dishes.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Grace & Favour

[Victor Vectis]

 

I have had personal experience of Mr Shoutyman at Saltaire. He was politely indignant, and pointed to the 'no overnight mooring' sign. We were about to leave anyway so just left!

Being 'Southern Softies' we saw the notice and reversed back to the cafe boat. Nice and handy for the 'Boathouse' though, (Saltaire Blond the only beer on the handpumps)

 

Perhaps we should have adopted the ignore the tw*t, if he shows up, until he goes away approach. If more people did that perhaps idiots such as he might get the hint.

 

We also encountered the local youth between Rodley and Leeds. We talked to them and just asked if they would stop swimming in the lock while we went through. No problem - will you fill it up again when you are done? Lock refilled, pleasant chat with some kids who just wanted to play in the lock (I wouldn't, but each to their own!) and off we went!

 

There are advantages (sometimes!) in being a teacher.

 

Edited August 5, 2014 by Victor Vectis

[Timleech]

Update: - There are only two electric points working, and at least two taps, though there are no showers (definitely not), other than down at the Leeds facility block 3/4 mile downstream (300 yds past The Armouries Museum.

 

Apparently the circular office block had boaters' facilities included on the ground floor when built, inserted in the plans as a sop to smooth the path to planning permission. However, these facilities have now been removed and converted into more office space. Allegedly.

 

Tim

[TheBiscuits]

 

The moorings above the top lock looked pretty full, so we are now in the pound below it.

 

 

That's because you are looking at the Wheelton Boat Club moorings just after the services mooring.

 

Welcome to our patch Alan & Cath. The trip between Johnson's Top Lock and Blackburn Bottom Lock is a treat - it's after that you grit your teeth - but as you have cunningly planned doing it on a wet Wednesday morning you will be fine :-D

 

We would have said hello earlier, but we were working on our boat at Botany Bay boatyard all day, and then it rained. And you were late coming past.

 

Wave to the mother-in-law as you pass bridge 94 ...

 

Pete & Stacey

[Catrin]

Hello the Biscuits. I thought Botany Bay was in Oz until yesterday,. What is the massive building? It looks like an old mill, but appears to be a shopping centre. If you were on your boat you should have waved. Was that the place with all the flags?

[Pluto]

There are certainly two vegetarian cafes in East Lancs, besides the numerous curry houses. The Red Triangle in the centre of Burnley is open for lunch during the week, and in the evenings on Friday and Saturday, though the opening hours do seem to change. In Colne is Jim's Caff, which opens Thurs-Sun in the evenings. I don't think they have two pieces of cutlery or furniture the same, but the food is excellent. If you return via the Rochdale, there is the Bear Cafe in Todmorden on Littleborough Road virtually next door to the canal, and there are bound to be places in Hebden Bridge.

Hello the Biscuits. I thought Botany Bay was in Oz until yesterday,. What is the massive building? It looks like an old mill, but appears to be a shopping centre. If you were on your boat you should have waved. Was that the place with all the flags?

There are two Botany Bays on the L&LC. The one at Chorley is so called because at one time conditions for living were considered similar to those in Australia. The other is Armley Wharf in Leeds, which is supposedly where the first wool from Botany Bay, Australia, was delivered.

[jonathanA]

 

 

 

 

 

 

The advice we were given was that once at Burnley you need to run on a long while through the who;e area, which sounds a very long day.

 

Where did you stop, and what was it like, please?

 

I don't know why these myths still persist.... blackburn is probably the worst bit and even that's not without its post industrial charm - look out for the old imperial mill.

 

anyway its 5-6 hours cruising from Blackburn to the other side of burnley with just 3 swing bridges which are in good fettle at the moment. so if you make it to hapton, you'll easily be through burnley 2-3 hours later and then its only 45 minutes or so to barrowford, i

if you need to stop in burnley or its environs then Rosegrove is ok (service block) and the pub on the other side of the canal - sycamore farm is a large modern family friendly pub. Pretty sure they have a range of veg options although its does have a 'carvery' as well.

 

Burnely itself - inn on the wharf at the weavers triangle is fine for mooring. (pub isn't special) and you can probably moor under the canopy unless its really busy. along the 'burnley mile is ok too , although the large tesco does attract those who like to drink extra strong lager from carrier bags.

 

after that near reedley marina or the morrisons (offside) mooring in nelson (good for stocking up for the run through to skipton)

 

and bottom of barrowford locks of course. after that its all good until skipton !

 

ETA and of course the L&L is the poor relation when it comes to maintenance so if you find a lock where all the paddle gear is operable and the gates only leak a small waterfall - take a picture as no one will believe you...

Edited August 6, 2014 by jonathanA

[Guest]

Hello the Biscuits. I thought Botany Bay was in Oz until yesterday,. What is the massive building? It looks like an old mill, but appears to be a shopping centre. If you were on your boat you should have waved. Was that the place with all the flags?

It was an old mill, but one that has been subsequently converted into shopping/retail units.

 

There is an even nicer one (in my opinion) at Saltaire which is also used as offices and flats. The whole of Saltaire is worth a stroll around, the town was built to house the Mill workers and remains much as it was when it was first constructed.

[Timleech]

Despite enormous help from two other forum members, we found the Wigan flight slow going, and it has somewhat revised our hopes about how fast we can get through locks. Some were very slow, many paddles were out of use, and some bottom gates had gaps big enough that a small boat might have fitted through them. Compared to our usual experiences, these locks take longer! (We were also told this is the most boats they have ever seen at those locks, and they are not normally anything like as busy as today).

 

 

I believe some of the worst gates on Wigan are scheduled for replacement this winter.

We came to an unexpected halt on one of the bottom cills, the level was not particularly low. Apparently the cill had been extended upwards to reduce a bad leak.

 

Tim

[Derek Porteous]

"Today, 12:24 AM

alan_fincher, on 05 Aug 2014 - 8:57 PM, said:

 

 

The moorings above the top lock looked pretty full, so we are now in the pound below it."

 

Just to confirm that the 48hr visitor moorings were indeed full when we passed by at 3pm this afternoon.

[alan_fincher]

 

I believe some of the worst gates on Wigan are scheduled for replacement this winter.

We came to an unexpected halt on one of the bottom cills, the level was not particularly low. Apparently the cill had been extended upwards to reduce a bad leak.

 

Tim

 

What is also disappointing, is the number of paddles that simply don't work at all, with the top ground paddles being the vast majority of these.

 

It seems several that we looked at have simply had the rodding rust through a short distance above the paddle, so the rodding goes up, but the paddle doesn't.

 

Obviously on locks where neither top ground paddle works, then you have no option but to fill using gate paddles alone, even if the lock is 10 or more feet deep. Now admittedly the gate paddles are heavily shuttered to direct the water largely downwards, (and to fill with masses of old plastic and weeds, so far less water comes through anyway!), but if your boat is anything like maximum length for this canal, it must be quite hard to avoid putting lots of water in the front. (Fortunately we are only 50 feet).

 

I do admit I'm not great at getting used to what 10 feet less lock length means in practice - I'm very used to sweeping into 70 foot plus locks, knowing I have over 20 feet to stop in. With only half that "spare" length, I'm having to slow down sooner and more than I normally would!

 

I don't know why these myths still persist.... blackburn is probably the worst bit and even that's not without its post industrial charm - look out for the old imperial mill.

 

 

Well we have obviously only come through it in the middle of the day, but to me it felt no better or no worse than many of the other stretches of urban canal.

 

Certainly nothing but friendly faces for us.

 

I am curious that our Nicholson's says that part of the tow-path is locked off to the public at night, and only accessible by a "BW" key. I didn't see any length of towpath that looked like it had any possibility of being gated off at all. Have I misunderstood, what the guide is trying to say, please, (or am I getting my towns mixed up!) ?

[Robbo]

 

As for Granary Wharf - its an absolutely cracking city centre mooring. Paying a fee on the Hilton side gets you electric, water and showers - but you need to ask! As I understand it, the arms are definitely 'theirs', and the frontage is debatable, but they have claimed it as theirs in the past - and charged. I have heard that negotiations are afoot that would see a clarification - with the intended outcome being free mooring on the hotel frontage.

 

Yep the arms are theirs and this is the only place that is chargeable, and to confirm G&F, the only two moorings (at GW) that have electric are the arms near/in the dry docks. There is now no facilities as they got removed the other year.

[cotswoldsman]

 

I believe some of the worst gates on Wigan are scheduled for replacement this winter.

We came to an unexpected halt on one of the bottom cills, the level was not particularly low. Apparently the cill had been extended upwards to reduce a bad leak.

 

Tim

Tim

You are correct not just Wigan but the North for the first time in years the north has the largest slice of the maintenance budget this winter

 

Yep the arms are theirs and this is the only place that is chargeable, and to confirm G&F, the only two moorings (at GW) that have electric are the arms near/in the dry docks. There is now no facilities as they got removed the other year.

Not quite there are water points and also if you have paid for overnight moorings you can go to the office and pick up a key for rubbish bins in the Round building and an elsan

[Robbo]

Tim

You are correct not just Wigan but the North for the first time in years the north has the largest slice of the maintenance budget this winter

Not quite there are water points and also if you have paid for overnight moorings you can go to the office and pick up a key for rubbish bins in the Round building and an elsan

 

The shower and elsan have been removed.

[Timleech]

 

The shower and elsan have been removed.

 

See post No85

 

Tim

[Robbo]

 

See post No85

 

Tim

 

Well confirmed so it's not alleged now

[muddywaters]

The L&L is, in our opinion, the prettiest canal in England. some of the locks and swing bridges are a real pain.

Bob

Don't be saying that on a public forum, they will all want to come

[Pluto]

 

What is also disappointing, is the number of paddles that simply don't work at all, with the top ground paddles being the vast majority of these.

 

It seems several that we looked at have simply had the rodding rust through a short distance above the paddle, so the rodding goes up, but the paddle doesn't.

 

Obviously on locks where neither top ground paddle works, then you have no option but to fill using gate paddles alone, even if the lock is 10 or more feet deep. Now admittedly the gate paddles are heavily shuttered to direct the water largely downwards, (and to fill with masses of old plastic and weeds, so far less water comes through anyway!), but if your boat is anything like maximum length for this canal, it must be quite hard to avoid putting lots of water in the front. (Fortunately we are only 50 feet).

 

I do admit I'm not great at getting used to what 10 feet less lock length means in practice - I'm very used to sweeping into 70 foot plus locks, knowing I have over 20 feet to stop in. With only half that "spare" length, I'm having to slow down sooner and more than I normally would!

 

Well we have obviously only come through it in the middle of the day, but to me it felt no better or no worse than many of the other stretches of urban canal.

 

Certainly nothing but friendly faces for us.

 

I am curious that our Nicholson's says that part of the tow-path is locked off to the public at night, and only accessible by a "BW" key. I didn't see any length of towpath that looked like it had any possibility of being gated off at all. Have I misunderstood, what the guide is trying to say, please, (or am I getting my towns mixed up!) ?

The frontage to the warehouse at Eanam could be padlocked off to prevent access. It did make it a safer place to moor. I am not sure of how things stand at the moment as I am more interested in the canal's history.