Hebden Bridge

Here I am Rune

Distance 5.5 miles

Total 2859 Locks  132 Tunnels

Running total mileage 4054.6 miles 

Today’s trip took us from Sowerby Bridge to Hebden Bridge along a fairly scenic section of canal and included the deepest lock on the system. It also included two tunnels, neither of which was particularly straight!  

 Sadly the weather forecast wasn’t that accurate and for the latter stages of the trip I was in full waterproofs in heavy rain (forecast was for it to have been overcast). We will probably remain in the area of Hebden Bridge until the early part of next week since the forecast isn’t that good until about Tuesday. The next anticipated stop on the canal will be at Todmorten where I’m told there is the ‘Great wall of Tod’ a section alongside the canal where a retaining wall from the nearby railway has been built, incorporating about 4 million brick, should be an impressive sight.

Hebden Bridge is suggested as being the northern answer to Totnes for the alternative culture, with first-hand experience of Totnes I will see how they compare.

RUNE in the deepest........

.......lock on the inland waterway system.

Sowerby Bridge

Here I am Rune

Distance 2.3 miles

Total 2852 Locks  130 Tunnels

Running total mileage 4049.1 miles 

We have now completed the entire of the Calder and Hebble canal, up to Sowerby Bridge, and I have to say that I’m glad we’re through. For our length of boat it has been a bit of a tough canal not helped by the quirky locks involving the use of a ‘handspike’ to operate them. Interestingly in conversation with a local boater at one of the locks today, the paddle gear, although unique the this canal, is not universally popular locally either.

The weather forecast for tomorrow is pretty dire so I think we will remain moored here until at least Saturday. Sowerby Bridge itself looks OK so I’ll check the place out and also see if they have a leisure centre to go for a swim.

RUNE at the end of the Calder and Hebble canal (Wainhouse Tower in the distance)

Salterhebble

Here I am Rune

Distance 2.9 miles

Total 2852 Locks  130 Tunnels

Running total mileage 4046.8 miles 

It may have only been a short trip today, but it incorporated the three most important locks on the Calder and Hebble canal for us. The Salterhebble locks are the shortest on the canal and if we had been unable to get through them it would involve going back down to Wakefield and then, via Leeds, over the Leeds Liverpool canal to get back to where we want to be. This would have been quite an undertaking with only a month left before the winter closures start.

As it turned out we managed to get through the locks, although the top lock was the closest to failure yet, the stern of the boat had to be scuffed against the bottom gate to get it into the lock, another inch or two and it wouldn’t have happened. 

 

Now all we have to do is head to Sowerby Bridge tomorrow to pass through the deepest lock on the inland system on either Friday or Saturday, dependent upon weather. I’d like to get some photos of passing through the lock and in driving rain (the forecast for Friday) that may not work out too well.

RUNE in the top (smallest) lock at Salterhebble

The end of the Salterhebble/Halifax arm

Cromwell Bottom

Here I am Rune

Distance 3.2 miles

Total 2845 Locks  130 Tunnels

Running total mileage 4043.9 miles

Today was again a fairly short trip but that is all that was necessary to enable us to get to Tuel Lane by Friday. Tomorrow will probably be to the top of the Salterhebble flight (provided that we aren’t too long) and then Thursday should see us to Sowerby Bridge ready to go up Tuel Lane flight on Friday morning.

Brearley Bridge

Here I am Rune

Distance 3.6 miles

Total 2840 Locks  130 Tunnels

Running total mileage 4040.7 miles 

Whilst today’s trip wasn’t far, that was principally down to a late start due to rain when we first got up this morning. After the problems of yesterday’s lock, today’s by contrast were all very well behaved and we got through them with no drama. I would have liked to be further on today since we have now missed the days when Tuel Lane locks, at the start of the Rochdale Canal, have lock-keepers in attendance, we now have either to wait until Friday, the next day one is on duty all day, or have to phone up CRT and book a passage through, I think we will probably ease up and pass through on Friday.