Leeds & Liverpool

[minimoman]

Linty replying on Minimomans login - he's in bed after we just completed the Wigan flight today.

 

If you read Minimomans blog - we've just come up from Thorne on the Stainforth and Keadby, Aire and Calder and onto the Leeds/Liverpool - you will find numerouse pics of the journey. The only iffy sections seem to be the urban areas of Leeds centre itself through to Rodley, (but there are lockies to assist on all bar the single locks) then Burnley and Blackburn. Aiming to get through each section during the morning seems to work, the early starts seem to be the solution to avoiding any possible issues. We encountered no trouble at all.

 

Much debris in the canal on Burnley approaches including a sofa, but we have escaped relatively unscathed apart from a couple of stops to clear the weedhatch and propeller.

 

As for the number of boats, we were surprised at the few who were travelling this beautiful part of the country's canal network during our cruise so far, but it is early in the season. Barry on Bingley 5rise, said that there are 1800 boats a year passing through. I am not sure if some are double counts due to returning hirers from Snaygill or Pennine Cruisers etc. but even so that seems a healthy number for the lockflight. He said that the number varied little year on year during his time as lock keeper.

 

I would encourage anyone to complete the North Pennine ring - it's been brilliant so far. We're now headed south - ish, on the Bridgewater. Please do say hello if you spot us, or give us a shout... the kettle doesn't take long to boil for a cuppa!

 

Lynne

[MarkAdrian]

Forgive my ignorance but which waterways make up the north pennine ring?

[Jim Riley]

Forgive my ignorance but which waterways make up the north pennine ring?

L&L, Bridgewater, Rochdale or Huddersfield Canals, Calder & Hebble, Aire and Calder Navigation.

[moonshadow]

blackburn seems very isolated from the town

 

not sure about that, it's less than 5 mins walk from eanham wharf to the centre of Blackburn, and all the shops / pubs etc

 

and the moorings further east could be considered even closer to the town centre

 

but . .If it was me heading east, I'd moor at Eanham and walk, the tow path for the next mile or so is populated by moped riders etc etc

[CanalWalker]

the canal at Blackburn is geographically close to the city centre but if you are walking or sailing along the canal you wouldn't know there was anything beyond the brick walls and mills. compared to Skipton which makes the most of its canal side area, or Leeds with its new developments. Burnley is similar, you can see the town from the embankment but there isnt much to encourage people to go from one to the other. Blackburn has got new signs promoting the towpath walks and there is nice new tarmac being put down on some stretches so things are improving. But given that both Eanam wharf and the weavers triangle wharf have been redeveloped, and both have had new benches etc put in about 10 years ago, there doesnt seem to have been much done to get people using the canal I hardly saw a soul when i have been walking there. not even any of those evil cyclists we must be scared of.

[MartinClark]

Blackburn has got new signs promoting the towpath walks and there is nice new tarmac being put down on some stretches so things are improving.

How is "nice new tarmac" an improvement?

It only encourages the cyclists to go faster!

[CanalWalker]

How is "nice new tarmac" an improvement?

It only encourages the cyclists to go faster!

 

Yep! Its great when you can speed up a bit! I prefer gravel for walking on but tarmac or concrete for riding.

[gaggle]

How is "nice new tarmac" an improvement?

It only encourages the cyclists to go faster!

and it also encourages more dog walkers aaaarrrrrggggh dont stand in that.

[MartinClark]

and it also encourages more dog walkers aaaarrrrrggggh dont stand in that.

At least you can see the turds better on tarmac than you can on grass.

[Elysium]

Hi There,

 

My apartment overlooks Rishton Moorings (halfway between Blackburn and Burnley), so I get to see all manner of craft coming through under the blue-railing bridge. Eventually I will swap my apartment for a narrowboat and join the 'canal-gypsy' brotherhood.

Usually, the boats don't start appearing until late-April onwards, but at a guess, I would say that I see around 15 to 20 boats a week in season. Some moor-up for the night, and it is quite safe to do so. I have lived in my apartment for 7 years and have seen only one piece of trouble with youths whom tried to gain access onto a moored boat; the owner was inside and repelled the little boarders. Last year, during the summer months, I was awakend to the sound of splashing at 2-15am. Looking out of the window I saw three youths, somewhat inebriated, jumping off the bridge into the canal...a drop of about 15ft.

 

Rishton is really an over-sized village, so if you moor up, you can easily stock up on essentials, as we have two small mini-markets, a laundrette, a library (with public internet access), numerous chippies (er...not the carpenter type) and pie and sandwich shops, we also have an ironmongers (which might prove useful), and a fair number of pubs, two butchers shops, a newsagents. If anything, the site of the moorings is one that is prime for development for pump out services and such, as on the otherside of the towpath is land fit for such a development. I'm surprised the council have not realised this and put it to good use by optimising the moorings even further.

 

I agree that once one gets past Nelson going east, the landscape adopts a really wonderful and beautiful countenance, all the way to Skipton. It's a pity that the Lancaster canal does not go all the way to Kendal, and then from there, another canal that goes right into the heart of the Lake District, circuiting and orbiting the many waters and meres that the Lake District is famed for, and of course, its gorgeous landscape...now that would be a canal to sail on!

 

Best wishes

[rogerb]

Went to Skipton and back a couple of Easters ago, passed 4 boats all weekend, cracking canal, one of my favourites. No queues here!! The quietest and one of the most pictoresque (spelling??) is the bit between Appley Bridge (Wigan) and Burscough. This stretch is VERY quiet most of the time, but is absolutely beautiful.

 

Cholmoldeston lock on a Saturday afternoon has to be the busiest, that's when you need 16 foot boat to squeeze in with the shortest narrowboat near the front and jump the queue!!

 

I agree with you - the Douglas Valley - Parbold - Appley Bridge - Gathurst - Crooke is beautiful - which I why we chose a mooring at Appley Bridge.

You have to go up to the Skipton stretch to get comparable scenery.

 

Roger

[Noah]

I agree with you - the Douglas Valley - Parbold - Appley Bridge - Gathurst - Crooke is beautiful - which I why we chose a mooring at Appley Bridge.

Roger

Hi Roger

 

I live in Appley Bridge and walk/bike (and sometimes canoe) along this stretch a couple of times a week. I havn't spotted your boat but I'll say hello when I do.

 

Noah

[rogerb]

Hi Roger

 

I live in Appley Bridge and walk/bike (and sometimes canoe) along this stretch a couple of times a week. I havn't spotted your boat but I'll say hello when I do.

 

Noah

 

Hi Noah

 

Our boat "Romance" was due for delivery to the Waters Edge mooring at Appley Bridge on 31st March - due to technical problems with the build it will not be delivered now until the end of June - you can imagine our frustration with this but I console myself with the thought that this boat will be around for 30 years so we may as well get things right while it is in the workshop.

 

It is a beauty - 58ft long and 12ft wide - state of the art - I hassle the boatfitters twice a week about the delay but they carry on at their normal pace - I have seen snails move faster than this!

 

I am thinking of setting up my own boatfitting outfit as anyone who can build a good boat on time and within budget will dominate the market - late deliveries are the norm with boatfitters.

 

The industry is full of good craftsmen but there are no managers and no forward planning - things like windows are ordered when they notice that there are holes in the superstructure that need to be filled.

 

Sorry if I sound bitter and twisted but it helps to put this into writing and hopefully my boatfitter will read this!

 

We will be very careful about canoeists at Appley Bridge.

 

Regards Roger

[Adam]

Hi Noah

 

Our boat "Romance" was due for delivery to the Waters Edge mooring at Appley Bridge on 31st March - due to technical problems with the build it will not be delivered now until the end of June - you can imagine our frustration with this but I console myself with the thought that this boat will be around for 30 years so we may as well get things right while it is in the workshop.

 

It is a beauty - 58ft long and 12ft wide[/color] - state of the art - I hassle the boatfitters twice a week about the delay but they carry on at their normal pace - I have seen snails move faster than this!

 

I am thinking of setting up my own boatfitting outfit as anyone who can build a good boat on time and within budget will dominate the market - late deliveries are the norm with boatfitters.

 

The industry is full of good craftsmen but there are no managers and no forward planning - things like windows are ordered when they notice that there are holes in the superstructure that need to be filled.

 

Sorry if I sound bitter and twisted but it helps to put this into writing and hopefully my boatfitter will read this!

 

We will be very careful about canoeists at Appley Bridge.

 

Regards Roger

 

I thought the max was 57ft?

[rogerb]

I thought the max was 57ft?

 

Hello Adam

 

Liverpool to Wigan maximum size 70ft x 14ft Wigan to Leeds 60ft x 14ft (although 62ft boats have managed it by diagonal alignment in the lock)

We went for 58ft for safety reasons (extra margin to avoid the cills) and 12ft to allow displaced water to pass easily on each side of the boat in locks

As we will be operating at night we have gone for maximum safety features with this boat.

 

Roger

[MartinClark]

I thought the max was 57ft?

 

The maximum length on the Leeds and Liverpool between Liverpool and Wigan is 72ft.

 

58ft means that Roger will comfortably be able to travel along the rest of the canal from Wigan to Leeds, and on the Rufford Branch, with room to spare..

[Adam]

Hello Adam

 

Liverpool to Wigan maximum size 70ft x 14ft Wigan to Leeds 60ft x 14ft (although 62ft boats have managed it by diagonal alignment in the lock)

We went for 58ft for safety reasons (extra margin to avoid the cills) and 12ft to allow displaced water to pass easily on each side of the boat in locks

As we will be operating at night we have gone for maximum safety features with this boat.

 

Roger

 

When BW quote a max length how much space is there each side front and back?

[CanalWalker]

I saw 4 boats on the move this afternoon at Halsall. There were a few from braunston moored up that must be waiting for the Liverpool rally.

[Pie Eater]

A few more have set off from Lymm Cruising Club today on the Commodore's summer cruise - to Liverpool. Some others set off early a few days ago.

 

Steve

[gaggle]

A few more have set off from Lymm Cruising Club today on the Commodore's summer cruise - to Liverpool. Some others set off early a few days ago.

 

Steve

boats from lymm now back to burscough moorings , the last week has seen lots of boats in the area going through to mersey motor boat club, the coal and cotton rally and i think some from the rochdale canal.

the more the merrier

[CanalWalker]

I'm working at Old Trafford this weekend so I will miss the boats in Liverpool

[Noah]

Steady stream of boats over the weekend on the L&L through Appley Bridge on their way to Liverpool. Good to see so many on this, usually quiet, stretch of canal.

 

Noah