Marsden Portal with Al 🥰

Emerging from Standedge Tunnel we were instructed to moor as close as we could get to the trip boat, just 50m from the portal. Private boats wouldn't normally be allowed to moor here (the main moorings were almost half a mile away) but because of lock closures there was a lot of boats waiting around and there wasn't any room. We're so glad the CRT made provision for us like this, we'd have hated to travel on and not been able to moor.

Al got Tiger back on board with her mum then helped Will tie up, before walking back to his car. The nearest available parking was at Marsden railway station 15 minutes away. His accommodation was a lovely self catering suite called Sleeper's attached to the Old Wood Yard family home. After a little unpacking he hiked just over a mile back to Rainboat carrying 5kg of cat food, coffee, mail and some coloured pencils Vicky had ordered. He was very kind to have these things delivered to his address and bring them all this way for us.

We caught up a little before Will did some maths tutoring with his Great Niece via video call and Al took Vicky and the dogs for a short walk. Access was tricky for the chair, up a cobbled ramp and over concrete drainage channels. Al used to work as a carer and so has plenty of experience pushing wheelchairs. Vicky has less experience sitting in one and was squealing in terror as he tipped her back to get the small wheels over the bumps!

While Vicky rested, Will and Al went out to find somewhere to eat. The Railway was the first pub they came to. They didn't do food, but directed them to the River Head Brewery Tap which had a partnership with BaoBros23. Organic bao buns were unexpected fare for a rural Yorkshire town but they were fun and the fillers were decent quality. After washing them down with ales brewed on the premises the boys left happy and returned to The Railway as the people there had been so helpful and friendly. Al discovered that the owners were fellow cat lovers, who had a grand total of 7 feline companions. A long conversation ensued with lots of videos and photos to share. They currently had five kittens, one of which needed a home. Al had to be very strong not to walk away with a new furry!

The next day the weather was mercurial, swinging between hailstorms, torrential downpours and bright sunshine. Will and Al dodged the worst of it while looking around Marsden's small shops and Standedge Visitor Centre. The latter is a former transhipment warehouse at the basin just a little way down the canal. It was originally built to aid the transfer of goods between boats and packhorses in the 13 years when the canal was open but the tunnel was not. It now houses a café and the North of England Centre for Music and Arts, including the Hanson Musical Instruments factory. The café provided the boys with some tasty carrot cake and a rich sticky toffee cake to take home for Vicky. The Hanson factory makes a wide range of instruments, including their own flutes. Will had lost his and was delighted to be able get a replacement from the very building it was made in. He tried several, including a £4000 solid silver piece and came away with a second hand one that had been made on site, sold, then exchanged and refurbished so it was as good as new.

All too soon Al's two night stay was up. He spent the morning with Mr Whiskers luxuriating on his lap before driving over to Thorne on the Stainforth and Keadby Canal to visit Dad and Sarah travelling on their narrowboat Drifter No.3. It's always such a pleasure to spend time with Al. Vicky found it difficult not being able to go out and explore with him but would far rather he go out and enjoy his holiday and come back to tell her all about it. We were sad to see him go but invigorated by the time we'd spent with him.Read more