Reimposta ricerca
Rainboat
  • Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
  • Vicky 'n' Will's Travels

Rainboat

Life continuously cruising the canals and rivers of England and Wales. Leggi altro
SeguiPanoramicaPanoramicaCalendarioCalendarioFotografieFotografieCondividiCondividiLista dei desideri
PanoramicaCalendarioFotografie
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    We were grateful for the cool of the glade to moor in
    We were grateful for the cool of the glade to moor inTurning out of the Macclesfield onto the Peak Forest towards the first lockThere were always plenty of gongoozlers. One lock down, 15 to go.The first few locks ran alongside a roadAfter that the dogs could go off leadBeautifully restored Oldknow's Warehouse previously used to store cotton bales, now officesAqueduct House at the bottom of the flightPassing under the rail bridge onto the aqueduct2Reminiscent of the Chirk Aqueduct and Viaduct in WalesBeautiful stone arches1The view warranted getting the drone outHyde Bank Tunnel was walking distance from the mooringRose Hill Cutting 100yards (used to be a tunnel but it's roof was left open after collapse)Beautiful Wood Sorrel on the bank next to the boatWhat a lovely view from the portholeWill cooked up curry with our homegrown spinach and coriander leaves 😋Alpine Strawberries in flowerKala Walsh of Kala Walsh Ceramics outside her studio at Lock 1Kala's beautiful lockside cottageWe bought a pot from Kala. She was happy for us to take it and drop the money in later.Sitting out on the grass with TigerLeo didn't sit at all but was very happy sniffing and saying hello to passersby1Whiskers even joined us in the sunshine1And brought Vicky a 'present' 🤦Will paddled Little Rainboat over Marple Aqueduct

    Marple Locks and Aqueduct

    25 aprile, Inghilterra ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Our mooring was just round the corner from the start of Marple Locks. A flight of 16 descending a total of 209 feet over the course of a mile and a half. With Vicky's poor health and Will's hand still fragile from its burn we knew we could really do with some help. We'd therefore planned to travel on a weekend and Will had contacted the CRT a few days previous to ask if they could arrange for any volunteer lockies to assist us. They were very obliging, contacting the regional coordinator and getting back to us to confirm that there would be someone to help us. What a relief that was!

    10 minutes before the arranged time Gina found us at our mooring to say she'd be helping us down the flight. At a sunny 21°C it was the warmest day of the year so far so Vicky packed suncream and water for her and the dogs before setting off with them in the chair, meeting Will with Rainboat at Lock 16. Gina was amazing. Friendly, capable and very efficient. We met another boat coming in the opposite direction at lock 13 and when CRT volunteer Chris had finished helping up them, he joined Gina in assisting us.

    There were tons of Gongoozlers watching Rainboat and who could blame them on this beautiful stretch of canal? The first locks ran alongside a quiet road but after this the dogs were able to trot along the towpath enjoying the attention they attracted. Vicky lost count of the number of times she was asked what breed Leo was 😂 Tiger Lilly stuck to Vicky like glue and Leo was as good as Leo gets at staying close by. Will felt guilty for 'just' driving the boat and winding a few paddles up and down but he did all he could on a descending flight and with the help of Gina and Chris and Vicky doing what little she could we got through all 16 locks in 2.5 hours. At the last lock Will gave Chris a bottle of Proper Job and Gina a bottle of fizz that he'd placed in the freeze. She said she'd look forward to drinking it later but in the meantime
    rolled the cool glass on her hot forehead. It had been a hot one!

    Round a bend in the canal lay a railway bridge and beyond it the stunning Marple Aqueduct, flanked by an arched stone viaduct. At 30m it is the highest canal aqueduct in England and the tallest masonry arched aqueduct in the UK; the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct being made of stone with cast iron. It was due to be demolished in the 1960s by British Waterways after neglect and leaks caused it to be unnavigable but Cheshire County stumped up the extra cash to repair it as part of the restoration of the Peak Forest Canal and it is now a Grade 1 listed Scheduled Monument.

    We crossed over it and found moorings in the shade of a woodland glade immediately afterwards. It really was a beautiful end to our journey down the Marple lock flight.

    The sun continued to shine and we enjoyed the birdsong all around us (apart from the owls at night which freaked Leo out 🦉😱). The glade was filled with the white flowers of Wild Garlic and Wood Sorrel with a smattering of Woodland Strawberry blossom and Bluebells. Whiskers loved the woods and Leo was excited to spend time outside, sniffing all the scents left by walkers and their dogs as well as greeting his adoring public.

    We took the dogs on, through what used to be Rose Hill tunnel. Since its collapse sometime between 1849 - 1888 it has been left open and is known as Rose Hill Cutting. Beyond it, Hyde Bank tunnel also collapsed but was repaired.

    On a separate outing we took Leo and Tiger Lilly back up towards the locks and saw Kala Walsh, the owner of the cottage adjacent to Lock 1, with her spaniel Billy. We'd both talked to her while Rainboat was descending but now we had a bit more time and Kala was really interesting. She is a ceramics artist who organises the Treacle Market in Marple that we'd visited last month. On Vicky's request she showed us into her studio (what used to be the cottage's double garage). She sells her creations at markets but holds ceramic classes here every so often. She'd grown up in Marple but always admired the beautiful canal cottage and when it came up for sale 2.5 years ago nobody seemed to want it because it was off grid, with a septic tank and oil that needed to be refilled by tanker. It dropped in price a little and Kala and her partner were able to buy it. Since then the weight limit on the towpath has changed to below that of the oil tanker, making it even more difficult to get fuel, but Kala seemed happy with the compromises needed to live in this beautiful location.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    Looking back at Romily Visitor Moorings
    Looking back at Romily Visitor Moorings2Vicky knocked up a wild garlic pesto while Will made vegan pasta with a hint of turmeric and paprikaWe're seeing dozens of well disguised lone geese brooding their eggsInside Hyde Bank Tunnel 308 yardsWelsh Poppies with forget-me-nots against a stone wallSchool Brow Footbridge in RomilyWide and tall railway bridge 13ACanadian Geese and their three goslings at the bottom of someone's gardenThe poshest takeaway bag ever! It was even insulated!Whisky glazed butternut squash and pearl onion tart at the Duke of York

    Romily Visitor Moorings, 3 Years Aboard!

    28 aprile, Inghilterra ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Up until this point the fuel boat has been keeping Rainboat topped up with diesel. However, its run ends at Marple Locks. Not to worry though because the company delivers to boats by road, using a van, large containers and a wheelbarrow. With a delivery due we made the short journey to Romily Moorings where there were other boats moored and easy access to the road.

    Rather than give Tiger her Trazadone (which is brilliant for reducing travel anxiety but does tend to knock her out for most of the day) Will walked her and Leo along the towpath and over the top of Hyde Bank Tunnel while Vicky piloted Rainboat through. The route over the tunnel wasn't suitable for wheelchairs but we were able to swap on the other side, with Vicky walking the dogs the rest of the way and Will taking Rainboat.

    Romily is more practical and less picturesque than the towns we've recently passed through but it was good to have access to so many shops and services. We were kept awake a little with the sound of Aldi lorries offloading stock but got to treat ourselves to a Chinese takeaway and pub lunch so the disadvantages were balanced out by advantages.

    The warm weather has allowed us to hang washing outside. We've been keeping on top of the laundry pile but depleting our water. Just to be on the safe side Will checked where the next water point on our route was. We were immediately put on edge when we discovered it was on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal another 7.5 miles and 8 locks away! The previous one was in Marple, 16 locks away. We could do a five mile detour to reach one on the Ashton Canal but didn't want to spend the time and energy going out of our way so we immediately went into water conservation mode. We've been toying with the idea of getting a Water Freedom System fitted. This technology takes water directly from the canal and forces it through multiple filters and an optional UV light to remove all sediment, parasites and chemicals. There is also an optional tap filter that would make it safe to drink. With it, we wouldn't be forced to conserve water or worry about where the next water point.

    The 29th of April saw the 3 year anniversary of moving on to Rainboat. We didn't do anything in particular to mark the occasion but used it to acknowledge how very happy we are living this alternative lifestyle.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    Our mooring. The Horse Chestnut candles are beginning to flower
    Our mooring. The Horse Chestnut candles are beginning to flowerTravelling under the railway bridge. The water is covered in Willow seed.The dogs are quite happy following the boat along the towpath with VickyWill relaxed with a spot of fishing1Such a poser, but cute.Leo loved sitting in his little trug and going on an adventure with his Dad2But he was glad to see Vicky again when they returnedWe got fish and chips from the Click and Collect window at Taylors (on the right).2Woodley & Bredbury Community Garden bottle top Garden Tiger Moth mural3Put the sound up to listen to the birdsong

    Woodley

    1 maggio, Inghilterra ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Romily Visitor Moorings had been a little busy and the Aldi lorries loading stock at night kept Leo on edge. We'd decided to trundle on a little way to find somewhere quieter, but first we needed to locate and retrieve Mr Whiskers! The sun was out, the day warm and he'd wandered off a short distance to chill. We both went out armed with lickilicks, dreamies and the tracker apps on our mobiles! We called and called with no response. Down the bank in the housing estate, Will ended up knocking on someone's door to ask if he might be able to check their back garden. The homeowner was really helpful, coming out to search with him. It was her that eventually spotted the lazy rascal curled in a nest of tall grass just behind the garden. He tolerated Will scooping him up and trudging back to Rainboat with him. Will was pretty tired by this point but we only planned to go a short way so he set off on board while Vicky took the dogs along the towpath in the chair.

    We found a quiet place on a wooded embankment near Woodley that all of us were happy with. Will fished and even took Leo for a trip in Little Rainboat. Leo was a bit nervous to begin with but we'd put a bed in a shallow tub trug and sitting in there his confidence quickly grew. He ended up loving the experience and all the attention he got from people on the towpath who spotted him!

    Another thing Leo loved was the Woodley and Bredbury Community Garden about 100m in front of our mooring spot. It was just a small area, supposedly created by a few locals without much funding, but it was a peaceful place to explore and contained a large mural of a Garden Tiger Moth made from plastic bottle tops. Apparently it is one of a trail of ten pollinator murals accross Stockport. A 'Community Benefit Society' called Plastic Shed designs and puts them up to draw attention to plastic waste and nature's plight. You can see more info here: https://www.plasticshed.org/

    Sunday May 3rd was International Dawn Chorus Day. Vicky didn't make it up in time to listen at dawn but the birds were still singing away happily at 06:30 🐦‍⬛    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    1You wouldn't believe there was an Aldi just 20m up the bank
    1You wouldn't believe there was an Aldi just 20m up the bankThe sign was the least beautiful thing about this canalside reservePretty Carpet Bugle3Poor Tiger got very confused by this roving bridge, following the grass to be close to Vicky onboardImage taken from www.thecheshirering.co.ukManchester Road roving bridge close to our mooring. Quite industrial looking and covered in graffiti1Terrible picture but look closely in the shadows and you can see tiny tadpoles!Pregnant Alder Leaf Beetle. Previously considered extinct in UK. Numbers have grown in NW since 20042A very chill Mr Whiskers

    Hyde

    4–6 mag, Inghilterra ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Another short hop from Woodley through 5 bridges to Hyde. There have been loads of steep woodland trails leading off the towpath and today's journey took us alongside Haughton Dale Nature Reserve, with its towering Beeches rooted on the slope far below while their fresh green canopy coloured the light filtering through above us. The dogs are enjoy trotting alongside the boat with one of us driving and one of us on the path with them. It was all going so well until we go to Captains Clarks Bridge; a roving bridge that took the towpath from our port to our starboard side. Poor Tiger Lilly got very confused trying to follow Vicky on the boat and missing the ramp 🥴

    We tried to moor shortly afterwards but first there was an underwater shelf distancing us from the bank, then there was hardly any grass between the canal and path and the ground was too hard to hammer pins in to. Will walked ahead with a canoe paddle, testing for underwater obstructions and it was third time lucky at a spot very close to an Aldi. While Vicky rested that afternoon, Will got some groceries in and treated himself to a pint in the Cheshire Ring pub. The Cheshire Ring is the name of a popular cruising circuit along sections of six canals. We joined it at Middlewich when we turned onto the Trent and Mersey and have followed it along the Macclesfield and Peak Forest Canals. We'll soon leave it when we turn right onto the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. At this junction it turns left onto the Ashton and Rochdale canals, which we've not yet visited, before rejoining the Trent and Mersey via the Bridgewater.

    The reason we needed to stop in Hyde was because it has an outlet of Ableword nearby. We bought Vicky's chair from an Ableworld almost a year ago but the peg that the right footplate slots onto is broken and we are hoping they can fix it. On Tuesday Will dropped it off and returned with a non-powered transport chair. He was going to hire one from Ableworld but £70 for the first week and £30 every subsequent week made him pause for thought. A few doors down he came across a Cash Converters selling a nearly new similar model for £99. Buying instead of hiring would take away all worries about time pressure we could either sell it back or donate it to a charity shop when we were done with it. Not having the electric chair is frustrating for Vicky as it takes away her independence but fingers crossed it won't take too long to fix 🤞    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    Moored outside a rather grand country residence
    Moored outside a rather grand country residenceIllegal 'No Mooring' signs on the railings of new build houses near HydeThe scenery is turning more industrialBut the canal corridor still feels rural most of the timeA trio of goslingsIntroducing the Escape Lite, Vicky's stop gap chairFaraway shot of pretty Moonlight who Vicky got to meet when she & others were led along the towpathThere were quite a few horses nearby. Vicky even got to say hi to some on the path outside RainboatViaduct over the River Tame with the Junction Cotton Mills 64m octagonal chimneyCanal bridges usually have numbers but this railway bridge was simply called Bridge AWill canoed to Portland Basin Marina to pick up oil for Rainboat's upcoming serviceGoslings out en masseOn River Tame Aqueduct looking at Portland Basin Stone Bridge & the Dukinfield JunctionPortland Basin and museum. Left onto the Ashton Canal and Right onto Huddersfield Narrow Canal

    Dukinfield

    6 maggio, Inghilterra ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    With the need to get to the water point 8 locks away still playing heavy on our minds we took another short hop from Hyde, north to Dukinfield. While we were waiting the 2 hours it takes for Tiger's trazadone to kick in, Mr Whiskers decided to go for a wander. Again. 😖 At first neither of his trackers picked anything up, so Will tramped up and down the towpath for about 20 minutes until the GPS eventually found him buried amongst dense brambles. The sickle cleared a path but scared Whiskers off. Will eventually persuaded him to come to him and managed to get him back to Rainboat. By this time it was afternoon so Will had a rest and some lunch before setting off. We love our furries and wouldn't be without them but they do make life difficult sometimes. One thing is for sure. Mr Whiskers has lost his outdoor privileges on travel day mornings!

    We are in the Greater Manchester area now and approaching Ashton-under-Lyne. The canal corridor is still beautifully green but more often than not, corrugated metal factory walls and red brick housing estates lie behind the screen of trees and the bridges we pass under are tagged with graffiti. The water's surface is sprinkled with catkins and fluffy seed heads and we are seeing more and more chunky yellow goslings with their Canadian Geese parents. The gaggles of babies have been two or three in number but we're beginning to see larger broods now. We wonder if the early hatchlings are few in number in case the weather turns bad and the parents have to try again or if it might be something to do with the ubiquitous pesticides in the water 🤔

    We moored opposite a large country house with newly landscaped terraces switch-backing their way to a waterside patio complete with large wooden gazebo. We were only a short way from Portland Basin Marina whom Will had been in contact with about getting everything he needed to service Rainboat's engine. He began clearing the canoe out to paddle there but as he was pulling some fishing line out, it slipped through his fingers and the hook got stuck in his finger pad. He only buys barbless hooks so attempted to pull it out, only to find that it wasn't one of his hooks... it was a barbed one he'd picked up on his last paddle, intending to dispose of it so no wildlife got tangled 😬 It was impossible to pull back out without causing a lot of damage so he ended up clipping the eye off the end and pushing it out the other side. OUCH! Amazingly he did all this without alerting Vicky, telling her later that the burn his hands were still recovering from really put the pain in context 😱 He still managed to canoe to the marina for oil and walk from there to an industrial unit selling air and oil filters. Well done Will!

    The next day we took the dogs on a trundle up to Portland Basin, detouring via a path overlooking the River Tame in its steep sided valley. From the rural beauty of the Peak District we've moved to an area imbued in industrial heritage. From the brick and iron viaducts over the river valley to the tall industrial age chimneys we've passed along the way, this landscape had been engineered around production and transport. At Portland Basin a canal aqueduct passes over the Tame before the towpath goes under Portland Basin Stone Bridge and you arrive at the junction, faced with the Portland Basin Musuem, the former Ashton Canal Company wharf, with arched access for boats to load and unload inside the warehouse. Ashton Canal leads off to the left and Huddersfield Narrow Canal to the right. We're looking forward to exploring a new canal but are pretty apprehensive about the 74 locks required to take us through the Pennines.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    Moored in a short pound between two locks
    Moored in a short pound between two locksSigns towards the Ashton and Huddersfield Narrow Canals making sure we turn the right wayLooking left to the cotton mill chimney on the Ashton CanalTurning right towards the Huddersfield Narrow CanalA restored cotton mill rising from the waterThe ASDA tunnel!Signs signalling the junction of the Ashton and Huddersfield Narrow Canals at Whitelands BasinLock 1 of 74 on this canal 😵‍💫Bendy lock beam to fit into the tight spaceOne of many narrow tunnels that needed to be dug under modern infrastructure to restore the canalThe canal was restored bit by bit. Locks have plaques at boat level commemorating their reopeningLeo travelled with Vicky like a baby kangarooA mill that hasn't been restoredAmazing art on a garage wallYet another industrial building and chimneyStalybridge Street FestSweet and tangy Pad Thai for teaArmentiéres Square with Stalybridge Civic Hall and Holy Trinity church in backgroundThe highlight of our stay. We got to be butterflies!We got chatting to the host in the purple wings. She was lovely and interested in boat lifeCommemorating the first general strike. Reform took control of the council while we were there 🫤Vicky's bridge 😂Florence and Amelia's Café. Cake for us and puppuccinos for the furriesLeo didn't hold backIt got a little messy

    Stalybridge, Street Fest & Puppuccinos

    8 maggio, Inghilterra ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    From Dukinfield we'd only planned to travel a short distance but found ourselves going all the way to Stalybridge. Will walked ahead with the pups to open Stanley Lift Bridge then rejoined Vicky. We left the Peak Forest Canal by taking a right at Dukinfield Basin. Technically we turned onto the end of the Ashton Canal and travelled a few hundred metres, through ADSA tunnel (yes, it did have an ASDA built on top of it) to join the Huddersfield Narrow Canal at Whitelands Basin. We'd planned to stop here but the first lock came upon us so suddenly and the area looked dirty and was noisy so we decided to plough on up 4 locks to the first available mooring at Stalybridge.

    The Huddersfield Narrow was originally opened in 1811 but fell into disrepair, closing in 1944. It fully reopened just 25 years ago in 2001. Over a course of 20 miles it travels across the Pennines up 32 locks, through the 4.951km Standedge Tunnel, then down a further 42 locks. It's going to be quite a challenge!

    The short section we travelled today was very industrial, with lots of waterside mill buildings, two brick chimneys, multiple bridges, graffiti and new factories. There were also many short tunnels. We think the reason for these is because when the canal closed, many sections were infilled and built upon. Restoration required the excavation of the original course underneath the established structures. Unfortunately the maintenance isn't as good as it has been on the Macclesfield and Peak Forest. At several points Vicky had no choice but to drive through low, overhanging hanging tree branches.

    We moored in the second of two spaces available on the off side in a short pound below Lock 5 West in Stalybridge. A scrubby, narrow treeline stood between the path and a roughly surfaced car park where Leo took great delight in foraging 😒

    A great advantage to travelling this far is that we were only a short distance away from Stalybridge Street Fest that evening from 5-9pm. Armentièr's Square was filled with food trucks proffering culinary delights from every cuisine you could imagine while music from a live band contended with chatter from people arrayed at and around wooden tables and benches. Contrasting with the leisure walkers of the Peak Forest Canal, the people of Stalybridge are quite loud, rough and ready but so warm and family orientated. Vicky's chair wheel got stuck in a grating, but it wasn't there a second before a festival goer in a hi vis vest stepped forward and hoiked it out for her!

    We postponed our traditional Friday night pizza for yummy sweet and tangy Pad Thai noodles, followed by an espresso for Will and a cucumber and mint iced tea for Vicky. Afterwards we went to a stall where they were loaning out large butterfly wings for free. The current clientele were all under five but Vicky couldn't resist and the facilitators were happy to oblige. Once they'd picked a red set out for her they asked Will if he'd like some and to their delight he said yes. We had our photo taken and went did a circuit of the square. There were a few surprised glances but people were in a live and let live mood and our cheeks were aching from grinning by the end.

    On Saturday we managed to get out ahead of the thunder, lightening and torrential downpours when taking the pups into Stalybrige in the morning. Will left Vicky at a cafe with a pot of tea while he popped back to Rainboat to video call his Great Niece for some maths tutoring then rejoined her for a look around and cake at Florence and Almelia's Café. Tiger Lilly and Leo had been really good so when we saw there were puppuccinos available we caved and got them one each. We don't know who they gave more pleasure to; the dogs eating them or us watching them eat them! 🥰    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    3
    3We're used to dates in the 1800s, not 2000s1Temporarily stuck in utilitarian looking Lock 6W in Stalybridge. Will eventually managed to fill it.We called the CRT to report the fault and left a note for the engineer2Risen above the concrete walls to see the lock beam sundial commemorating reopening the canal.Cute boat style plant trough2Approaching Pylon 4ZO251BGot to go through it! 🐻Rainboat between the pylon legs1Arty farty photo2What fun 😂Last lock of the day was a lot more scenic than the first4The services building looked like a rough border crossing office - look at that razor wire!

    Delays at Grove Road Services

    10–15 mag, Inghilterra ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Water! We finally have a full tank of water! What a relief. We set off from Stalybridge, straight into the first lock of four on the journey. It wasn't long before we reached the second but we were in the second a long time. Lock 6 West is a utilitarian structure with flat, prefabricated concrete walls. It is located bang smack in the centre of Stalybridge and it was broken. The notched bar used to winch the paddles open had come out of its channel and wasn't catching on the cog used to wind it upwards. There was a second paddle but the anti vandal lock on this had either broken or erm, been vandalised. Either way it wouldn't open when Will tried the key in it. Stuck inside the lock, thankful she wasn't claustrophobic, Vicky telephoned CRT and reported the issue as urgent. Meanwhile, Will was being inundated with curious inquiries from people wanting to know what was wrong and wanting to help. He eventually managed to open the vandal lock manually by pushing the broken springs. This allowed him to wind the paddle open and water came gushing in to fill the lock. Phew! The phone signal inside the lock was poor and Vicky all but got cut off from the CRT so we wrote a note for the engineer to find and carried on with our journey.

    The scenery quickly changed from grey to green. We passed Canadian geese on their nests or mustering their hatched broods, we saw glades of richly hued bluebells beginning to thin out and the year's first yellow iris blooms. A number of electricity pylons came into view and Vicky radioed Will (who was walking Tiger) to tell him about a unique site she'd read about. When the Huddersfield Narrow Canal was officially closed it was filled in and an electricity substation built on the land. When engineers were working to reopen it, they had to figure out how to get past this obstacle. Like Rosen's famous Bear Hunt they didn't tunnel under it, they didn't go over it, they went through it 😂 The most practical solution was to divert the channel slightly to the east where a single pylon stood. We hadn't realised it was on this stretch of canal but the channel narrowed to one boat width and Vicky found herself driving Rainboat through the legs of a 179ft tall electricity pylon. Apparently it is the only place in the world where you can travel between the legs of a pylon by boat. It is so unique it even has its own Wikipedia page 😂 Ok, it's a little tongue in cheek making such a big deal of this but we did find it fun.

    From Pylon 4ZO251B we went into Lock 8W almost straight away. Immediately beyond lay Grove Road CRT services and its wondrous water tap. We'd seen hardly any other boats so moored very close to the service point as we wouldn't be blocking anyone and could refill before we left. Whilst it had water, the compound no longer contained waste or recycling bins. The last ones were 24 locks behind us in Marple. The closure of these services is really beginning to impact on continuous cruisers such as ourselves.

    Perhaps it was the excitement of boating through the pylon but the journey left Vicky pretty much bed bound for the next five days. When she had enough energy Will took her and the dogs out for a trundle in the Escape. Unfortunately it isn't as good on uneven ground as her broken powerchair so we couldn't go far. Ableworld engineers have said they can't fix the snapped foot peg so Will spent some time on the phone and they will try and send it to the manufacturer to see if they can do anything. One thing is for sure, it isn't going to be a quick fix so we are thankful we bought a temporary replacement instead of hiring one.

    Will kept himself busy during our stay by visiting the local shops at Millbrook, only to find 8 out of the 10 of them closed for refurbishment. He returned to Rainboat announcing he'd bought all the fruit in the village... 3 bananas and 4 oranges from the two shops 😂 He caught up with composting, only for one of the coolbox handles to break, spewing its contents into the engine bay. He therefore took full advantage of being stationed next to a water point, removing most of the detritus using the wet and dry vacuum, then hosing the entire bay down, pumping and vacuuming the water out, generally giving it a thoroughly good clean 👌🌟

    Late on Wednesday morning we saw two boats reversing back towards us. Their crew told us that the pounds between locks 11, 12 and 13 were drained and they couldn't continue. Having only a limited time on board, they were having to reverse to the nearest winding hole to turn and go back the way they'd come. We knew that Lock 26 was drained to repair a damaged cill so the lack of input from the water upstream could be the reason. If this was the case it would be easily remedied. If it was something else it could see us stuck for a longer period. Another boat was coming up the lock behind us. Each time the lock was used it would take water from the pound we were in, lowering the water level 😬 At least we'd got access to clean water!    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    2Rainboat's rear moored just past the bend. Lovely to see hills beyond the trees
    2Rainboat's rear moored just past the bend. Lovely to see hills beyond the treesRural view on the journey but the rubbish is piling up in the canoe due to lack of bins1The pound above Lock 11, drained of water 😪The pound is filling up as water gets released from locks upstreamJapanese Knotweed growing up around a wooden bench2Will nipped off to get groceries and had lunch at The Bridge Inn. No ale on tap thoughThe pound drained again after all the boats came through 😥Drone shot with the clouds reflected in the water3We moored close to the lock.There were stumps sticking out of the water to keep boaters away from the sloped bank360° from the path between the canal and the River Tame below4Beautiful light glinting off water dripping from the lock gates. Doesn't show well on phone screens.

    Lock 11 West

    15 maggio, Inghilterra ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    We'd been at Grove Road service moorings for 5 days and Will was getting 'itchy tiller' (easily cured by a change of scenery 😉). Vicky's health hadn't improved so she stayed in bed with the dogs while he 'single handed' Rainboat through locks 9 and 10, mooring just before the 11th lock. The pound beyond this was still drained so it was impossible to go any further.

    At Grove Road Will had encountered someone from the CRT letting water down the locks to help a boat grounded at Stalybridge. Apparently the CRT Directorate were meeting and travelling through Standedge Tunnel. The tunnel is situated in the top pound (the highest point on a canal with locks) so the workers had been told to keep as much water in it as possible. They wouldn't want the high an mighty getting stuck in the tunnel! Never mind the rest of us regular licence payers deprived of water downstream to the point that stretches are empty 😵‍💫 Ok, rant over 😂

    The surroundings below Lock 11 were beautiful. Mature Oak Woodland giving occasional glimpses of the Pennine Hills beyond. The canal is in the valley of the River Tame and here they ran side by side, separated only by a footpath and a steep sided slope. Will and Leo enjoyed crossing over to the path via Lock 11 and walking along it before crossing back to the towpath via Lock 10.

    On our day of arrival we received an email saying the cill at Lock 29 (ahead of us) had been repaired and the lock reopened. With this work complete and the CRT visit over, water would hopefully start to flow downstream again. Sure enough, the next day a boat came down Lock 11 and cruised past us, meaning the pound was full enough to use 😁 It turned out to be the first of many. Low water was no longer a problem for us so we moved on to the next most pressing supply; diesel. Our diesel stove is still necessary to keep us warm and its drip feed does gradually drain the fuel. The number of locks combined with Vicky's health are really slowing our progress and it's been a while since we filled the tank. There is no fuel boat on this stretch and the marina Will telephoned didn't sell it. After a bit of research he managed to find a petrol station on a road near our route that he could roll the 14 litre jerry can to on our trolley when we got nearer. Phew! Boat life does require a certain amount of flexibility!    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    The wide channel made it feel a bit like a river
    The wide channel made it feel a bit like a river2Meadow on one side, trees on the other 👌4Not a happy parrot. Nor a happy pirate during our journey 🙄Five year old Molly informed us that the resident swan's name was RichardBistort, a type of dock that grows in wetland. There were hundreds in the meadow.Meadow in the foreground with lots of Bistort flowering.View out the porthole. Glad we were inside!1Harking back to the 80's with a prawn cocktail starter at Roaches Lock pubNo hand pull ale again so lime and soda with Will's fish n chips2What we girls miss out on 🫣😂 (Roaches Lock pub)

    Roaches Lock, Mossley

    18 maggio, Inghilterra ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    The journey between Lock 11 and Roaches Lock (15) was difficult for everyone involved. We waited for the morning thunderstorms to pass, hoping they'd take the torrential rain with them. Come afternoon Will single handed again while Vicky stayed in bed with the dogs. It rained intermittently but Will donned his long waterproof coat and was working hard so didn't get cold. Tiger's trazadone didn't seem to reduce her travel anxiety the way it usually does so she was worried the entire 2 hours 40 minutes of the journey. The pounds had refilled but water levels were still low despite all the rain we'd had. This led to frequent groundings and being unable to get close enough to the bank to moor where we'd planned at Lock 13, or at any of the other points Will tried before the official site at Lock 15. Inside, Vicky had closed the blinds to stop Leo reacting to movements outside. This worked but the noise of the hull scraping against the canal bed was amplified in the steel box echo chamber of the bedroom, which put Leo on edge (easily done to be fair). When Leo is on edge Leo makes noise, which in turn didn't help Tiger or Vicky's nerves.

    A boat had recently descended the first lock and kindly left the gates open for us so Will was able to drive right in. He'd put the canoe on the roof so Rainboat had more room and he didn't have to worry about Little Rainboat getting crushed as the water surged in and pushed the heavy steel vessel backwards. The second lock was also in our favour and Will got chatting to a family interested in boating who were only too happy to close the gates after we left, meaning Will didn't have to moor and get off to shut them himself. We were only 45 minutes in at this point. It was the next two locks, groundings and failed moorings that took nearly 2 hours. As if to complement the hull grounding, a low bridge scraped the top of the canoe as we entered. Will had to reverse, take it off and put it back into the water to tow which slowed us down in locks. At least it was beautiful scenery!

    Arriving at Roaches Lock visitor moorings was such a relief. We could slot right into the side and there were bollards to tie on to. The channel widened out and the wooded offside was bordered by bullrushes and spotted with yellow iris blooms. We took the dogs for a short decompression walk, doubling back along a path in the flat swathe of meadow between the canal and the River Tame. The sun had come out by this point so we sat out for a little while afterwards with fluffy Willow seed floating in the breeze, Red Campion, yellow Broom and creamy Wild Carrot umbellifers flowering amongst the tall meadow grass. Half a dozen friendly dogs kept Leo and Tiger amused as we chatted with their various walkers. Then little Molly came along with her family to feed Richard, the resident swan. We locked Leo away to prevent him trying to steel the swan food. All of the delighted five year old's attention was focussed on Tiger. They both revelled in it and it was a joy to see 🥰

    The sunshine didn't last but Will dodged the showers over the coming days, visiting the nearby Café @ Woodend Mill for a melted brie with caramelised onion toastie and Roaches Lock pub for a fishy lunch. He stocked up at the hilariously named Veg Lord farm shop. Overall it was a peaceful, scenic spot to moor, with friendly dogs and walkers, one of whom told us that the canal gets even prettier the further we go!    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    Bit of a gap between the stern & bank. Whiskers wasn't impressed being so close to civilisation.
    Bit of a gap between the stern & bank. Whiskers wasn't impressed being so close to civilisation.View under Bridges 87 and 86 in to leaky Lock 16 West1Inside Lock 16. Not the most comforting of sights from the bedroom 🫣Gates usually last about 25 years. The 2004 plaque shows these are nearing the end of their life2The pups were happier than on our last journey2Looking ahead to Wharmton Hill 348m with its transmission aerial.Looking ahead to Lock 19 with restored mill buildings on the rightWelsh Poppies & Aquilegia growing on the wall. Kind CRT volunteers worked us through this lock2Rainboat's new figurehead 😬 Don't go too far Leo!Will enjoyed a steak lunch at the Kingfisher with a view of Rainboat.2Cormorant perched on the near bank.4We hope Rainboat never meets this fate. It's been here for a year while insurance gets sortedWill and Leo enjoyed sitting out with the marina crewLovely Michelle was smittenSo was LeoGetting a bit chilly in the evening so of course they provided a blanketSnuggle pupCuddles with Lyndsay2Leo showing off for his new admirers (and cheese of course 😂)1Even more fussHe stole Tiger's soft corduroy harnessSmiles all round3Frenches Wharf Marina with Alderman Hill in the distanceA pedestrian lift bridge spans the entrance to Frenches Wharf Marina

    The Kingfisher, Greenfield

    21 maggio, Inghilterra ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Today we managed 5 locks, totalling 1.4 miles over the course of 3 hours. At an average speed of less than 0.5mph that's slow going even by canal standards!

    Will single handed again and Vicky had enough energy to sit up in bed so she employed a different strategy to keep the dogs as happy as possible. Piling the duvet and pillows at the bow, she removed the blind and opened the doors while we were travelling so the dogs could see where we were going and scent the air. When it came to locks and mooring, she closed the doors and put the blind back in place so Leo wouldn't react to people outside and Tiger wouldn't get scared of being in a lock. This was complimented by relaxing music and squeezing blobs of Primula onto licky mats to distract and calm when there were bangs or scrapes from grounding. We can report with great relief the strategies worked reasonably well. Leo especially liked role playing as Rainboat's new figurehead 😂

    We tried mooring just after Lock 19 but once again Rainboat couldn't get into the side. Will, who had hopped off under a bridge where the channel narrowed, had pulled her forward and found himself stranded on the bank as the gap was too wide to get back on 🥴 He managed eventually but when we came across accessible moorings outside the Kingfisher pub we didn't question whether it was suitable for the furries, we were just glad to have found somewhere!

    As it turned out, the Kingfisher is adjacent to Frenches Wharf Marina, where Leo and Tiger introduced themselves to the resident boaters, primarily Michelle, Lyndsay and their fur babies, who were sitting out enjoying the warm, dry day. When it was time to go back Leo was a little tyke, ducking under the pub railings and running rampant in the beer garden. When Will took him out later, the only option was to use the dreaded harness and lead. He didn't like it but when his marina admirers invited them to pull up a seat Leo forgot all about it and both boys had a great time socialising. Leo came back smelling strongly of perfume from all the cuddles he got 💕

    The next day was warmer still so Will picked up icecreams at the nearby Tesco to keep us cool, then took Leo to sit out with the Frenches Marina crew. They were such a friendly bunch. The 'Leo Fest' photos are courtesy of Michelle.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    Lovely and cool in the shade. The gangplank was required though!
    Lovely and cool in the shade. The gangplank was required though!1Goodbye to Frenches Marina and its handy TescoA long narrow bridge before Lock 20WEntering the pound with low waterWill we make it?You can see how far the water has droppedCreeping along. The bumps are where Rainboat's hull hits the canal bed 😬Interesting back gardenAnother sunken boat at Uppermill. Beech flowers littered the water & path. Leo's legs were covered!The first Saddleworth Garland Day celebrating May and the coming of summer.Saddleworth Women's Morris and Clog2More dancingA summery prawn salad at the Waggon Inn. Tasty but quite expensive.A beer named Tiger at the Albion Tap. Brewed just 3.5mi away. It would have been rude not to! 🍺🐯The Albion Tap. A refreshing break from the sun in an interesting little pub.Uppermill highstreet. Vicky was very happy the Cake Kitchen did takeout 😋Biscoff loaf from the Cake KitchenFamilies enjoying the hot Bank Holiday weekend by the Tame CrossingVicky started to sew a little bespoke harness for Leo. He wasn't impressed 😒2Shakshuka with iced coffee at Our Place.

    Uppermill, Lock 21 West

    23 maggio, Inghilterra ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    The hot Bank Holiday weekend was upon us. The adjacent beer garden of the Kingfisher would be packed and our unshaded boat would roast. It was time to move on. Will had previously taken a walk up past two locks to scope out the next moorings at Uppermill. They were in a cutting with a steep bank and a green tunnel of Beech, Oak, Sycamore and Ash providing cool dappled shade underneath. Perfect. The only question was, could we reach them in Rainboat?

    Will emptied and opened the nearby first lock, ready to drive in. As Rainboat was ascending, another boater who had walked the length of the next pound, told Will there was a problem. The water was very low, perhaps making it unnavigable. The boater had already called the CRT as he was wanting to come down. He said he'd wait and see how we did. There certainly wasn't enough water for two boats to pass each other. Taking it as gently as possible to keep Rainboat level and to enable us to back off any sections the bow got stuck on, we inched ahead. It took an age and lots of reversing in order to chart alternate courses but we made progress. The other boater had filled the second lock in preparation for their descent but when he saw how difficult it was he went back and released the water, sending a sizeable wave rolling towards us and easing our passage somewhat. We were super relieved to get through the lock and didn't even mind that Rainboat was so far away from the mooring that we needed the gangplank to reach the bank!

    As we settled in we heard sheep bleating and the music of a Morris band marching through town. Jamie who was moored opposite on Lady Mickfee struck up a conversation with Will, telling him there was a festival next weekend; the Whit Friday Band Contest where brass bands from the 12 towns of Saddleworth compete for a cash prize (separate post to come). Jamie had been cruising but had become so frustrated with how difficult the water levels made it, that he'd stayed here for the last month. He had a car and offered to fill our diesel and petrol cans when he was filling his own the next day. Will leapt at the offer. It would certainly be a lot easier than lugging gallons of fuel along uneven pavements on the trolley!

    When Will explored later he found Uppermill to be a gem of a place. The Morris band was still marching through streets lined with atmospheric grey stone buildings, whose bricks were probably millstone grit quarried from the surrounding South Pennine Hills. They housed lots of independent pubs and cafés, a cake shop, greengrocer, butcher, craft, book and DIY stores. Will even got to visit the the new artisan cheesmonger Tyromancer, on the day it opened to sample and buy three different organic cheeses. Will was in cheesy heaven 😇 If you've never heard of it (we hadn't) Tyromancy is the art of fortune telling using cheese 🧀

    Our spot provided the best protection from the heat we'd ever had. It also meant we didn't have enough solar power to run the fridge freezer 24/7 which in turn meant we just had to gobble all the icecream Will brought back before it melted. Oh the hardship 😋😂

    We stayed the whole week to listen to the bands on Friday. Will pushed Vicky up and down the short stretch of towpaths between the two locks and tried to stop Leo running off and getting into mischief. He took the bus to nearby Oldham to pick up vacuum cleaner bags and a soda stream gas canister from Argos but decided that the pubs and cafés in Uppermill were a lot more exciting so didn't stay for lunch. The mooring's close proximity to pubs meant it was rather noisy at night and during the day the other boats often had dogs barking and their engines or generators running. The couple behind us even brought out a power sander, so it wasn't the quietest of stays but it was what we needed and Will really enjoyed exploring the pubs, cafés and little shops.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    The Whit Walk
    The Whit WalkWords to their anthem so people can sing alongBands set off from the Saddleworth Museum & Gallery by the canalFrom the websiteCrowds gathering on the streetsThe contest stage all set up for later in the dayQuite a lot of waiting around for the music to start

    Uppermill Whit Friday Band Contest

    29 maggio, Inghilterra ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    When we arrived at Uppermill, one of the first things we were told was that the Uppermill Whit Friday Band Contest was being held in 6 days time. During the course of the week the local level of excitement only grew. Though we'd never heard of it, it was obviously a big and much anticipated event. Will picked up a program that told us it was the 138th annual contest!

    The organisation was a bit baffling to us outsiders but we gathered that Uppermill was one of 11 villages in the Saddleworth area that holds a band contest on Whit Friday. The contests all start at 4pm and the bands travel between the villages in coaches. Each contest has its own stage and adjudicator. The adjudicators sit in vans or nearby houses so they can listen but not see who is playing. Each contest has its own cash prizes, including some for deportment, but if bands take part in 6 or more village contests they are eligible for the grand prize. Apparently each village and contest has its own unique style so visitors are advised to do their research and find one that suits them. Each contest starts with the bands marching through the streets before performing their competition piece on stage.

    As well as holding its own band contest in the late afternoon, Uppermill is the destination of the morning Whit Walks. Several villages walk into the town centre with their church banners and village bands before congregating in the centre for a joint church service.

    We'd not come across this festival before but according to Wikipedia it is particularly strong in the manufacturing towns of North West England. Events are held in Stalybridge, Uppermill and Mossley and are internationally renowned. They even have their own Wikipedia page:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whit_Friday

    We heard the first strains just after 9am and the intermittent music continued until about 10:30pm. A lot of traditional tunes were played alongside more contemporary pieces like The Village People's YMCA. The general hubbub of visitors and competitors died down after midnight so it was a long day. Ironically the walks first originated as a distraction from the drinking, gambling and 'demoralising recreations' of youths attending Manchester Horse Races. It sounded to us as if there was quite a lot of drinking and demoralising recreations going on in and around the local hostelries 🍻

    Will popped down a few times. He enjoyed the marching and the music but there was far more time spent hanging around waiting for each song to start, which put him off staying for too long. Vicky could hear the music from the boat and it was fun to start with but wasn't really her thing. Nonetheless we are glad we stayed for this huge cultural event. With over 1000 spectators in Uppermill alone it is obviously a massive deal in the North West and something we'd never come across before. Just one of the reasons we love to travel!    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    The towpath veered to the left, leaving us with a patch of grass at the stern to call our own
    The towpath veered to the left, leaving us with a patch of grass at the stern to call our ownSetting off from UppermillWill setting the lock, driving us in at the bottom and out at the topCanalside cottages4Approaching Saddleworth Viaduct3The impressive Saddleworth Viaduct with Bridge 75 and Lock 23 West beyondTemporarily moored to set the lockTaking a rest waiting for the lock to fillBeautiful light in this narrow stretch1Wool Road Transhipment Warehouse. Destined to become a dwelling.Art works under Wool Road Bridge1Will was a bit taken aback to find all these people at the local pubThe Unofficial Beer Walk, an annual 11 mile event raising money for charitySaddleworth has a really strong community spirit5Happy 4th Adoptiversary to our lovely Leo! 🥰Image taken from CRT website showing reduced water levels at Hill Top Reservoir for a new slipwayWill returned to the Navigation when it was less busyAnd enjoyed the fish and chips so much......he returned again to have venison stew......and a third time for veggie burger......with lemon cheesecake and ice cream for desert 😋 Thank you Navigation!Goslings are numerous now but still very cute

    Wool Road services, Dobcross

    30 mag–6 giu, Inghilterra ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    A cruise through another two locks took us from noisy Uppermill, under Uppermill Viaduct and through a narrow cutting to the quiet car park at Wool Road Services, Dobcross.

    We moored at the far end of a winding hole so there was a wide stretch of water at Rainboat's stern. The towpath cut through the car park, bypassing a patch of grass and two wooden benches outside our gate. This became our private little garden for the duration of our stay.

    Wool Road also provided the first lot of bins we'd encountered since Marple, 39 locks away and over a month ago! Ahead on the opposite bank was the Wool Road Transhipment Warehouse. It previously served Stonebottom Mill, a woollen mill that later became a cotton spinning mill and was more recently converted into homes. The small, single storey warehouse fell into disuse as railways grew in popularity, before being revived in the late 1970s by the Saddleworth Historical Society. They won grants to restore it as a community facility and it won a Civic Trust commendation. From 2009 it served as a meeting place for Huddersfield Canal Society but in October 2025 was auctioned off for conversion into a dwelling.

    The day we arrived was a sunny Saturday and was only getting warmer. Will made a beeline for The Navigation for a bite to eat and a refreshing drink. He was more than a little surprised to see the beer garden overflowing with people in fancy dress. The rowdy revellers informed him that it was the Unofficial Beer Walk, an event organised by a brother and sister team for the last 11 years to have fun and raise money for charity. It's described as an 11 mile jaunt through Greenfield, Uppermill, Dobcross, Delph and Diggle. The pub had suspended its menu in order to focus on quenching the thirst of these fancy fundraisers. Good on them. The community spirit of the people in this area is really making an impression on us.

    We've gradually been trundling our way upstream towards the summit of the Huddersfield Narrow and Standedge Tunnel. We only have 9 locks to go so Will had booked passage on the following Monday, giving us plenty of time. The plan had been to descend the 42 locks on the far (eastern) side then transition onto the Huddersfield Broad Canal. This plan had to change when Will received an alert that in 2.5 weeks the CRT were closing the lowest 31 eastern locks due to low water levels. It would be nigh on impossible for us to get through 50+ locks in that time and we didn't want to give ourselves the stress and exhaustion of trying to do it to this deadline. We made the decision to get some help up the remaining 9 western locks, go through the tunnel to Marsden and turn round.

    The next day brought another obstacle. A boat reversed back to moor ahead of us, its helmsman complaining that the next lock was padlocked 🫤 We didn't panic because as liveaboards with no fixed employment we have the luxury of time. This allows a 'whatever will be will be' attitude. The CRT had also closed the Marsden flight on the western side. The next day we received a call from Martin at their regional office to personally inform us of this and ask about our plans. It was good, proactive work from the CRT that would ensure everyone was aware of the situation and realistic about their plans.

    The Huddersfield Narrow (nicknamed the Huddersfield Shallow) has long suffered from low water levels. It crosses the Pennines and at around 645ft above sea level, its top pound (9 locks ahead of us) is the highest in the whole network. Standedge Tunnel was constructed so the navvies wouldn't have to raise the channel any higher. Its water is supplied by Hill Top Reservoir, specially created for the purpose and owned by the CRT. Legislation has required an upgrade to the reservoir which began recently and is due to be completed next Spring/Summer. Water levels have needed to be lowered to carry out the works, meaning there is even less available for the canal than usual! The CRT are now buying in extra from Yorkshire Water to refill the canal and get us and others up to Standedge.

    CRT volunteers and lockies were regularly on site but our arrangements to go through the locks had several set backs, meaning we stayed at Wool Road for a week.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    Vicky was angry but worried the man would get physical, so filmed in case anything happened
    Vicky was angry but worried the man would get physical, so filmed in case anything happenedThey waited 1hr 45 for the CRT to open the lock, blocking our way.3A bit of happiness. The Great Goose Rescue! It had got trapped between Rainboat and the bank 😊

    Nobody needs Bad Neighbours

    5 giugno, Inghilterra ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Nobody needs Bad Neighbours when Water Levels are Low

    Our time at Wool Road Services kept dragging out. Repairs on the Huddersfield Narrow's feeder reservoir meant water supply is very limited. The CRT padlocked the next lock because the water was too low for anyone to go through. They were arranging to buy in extra from Yorkshire Water but this would take time. When levels were raised, they would escort boats through.

    As livaboards we accepted this as an unfortunate part of cruising the underfunded waterways. John from The Rock was not so sanguine. He complained to anyone who would listen and proclaimed he was going to contact his friend at Waterways World magazine to put some pressure on. He'd arrived after us but moored ahead of us, telling the local CRT that if anyone should go first it should be him. We let this slide. If he was stressed we were happy for him to go first.

    Days passed and we found out John wasn't the best neighbour. He backed up to within a few yards of our bow to get more solar, then ran his engine loudly in gear so the noise and fumes came into our bedroom through our bow door vents. We get that people need to run their engines but doing it until 21:30 is outside the accepted etiquette of an 8pm cutoff.

    John also liked to leave food out on the towpath. Will explained to him that Leo was intolerant to cereal and he saw Leo's aggressive outburst when Will carried him away. The next day there was mouldy fruit and vegetables and the day after that was a mass of rolled oats lying in the mud, making it very difficult for us with Leo.

    Usually you can move away from neighbours you don't get on with but right now this wasn't an option.

    Little did we know that worse was to come.

    On Friday, 6 days after we'd arrived, we set the alarm for 7am to give Tiger her calming medication. The CRT arrived to take John and ourselves up the locks. We let John go first, knowing the lockies would come back for us. Leaving our mooring, we took Rainboat over the other side of the canal to fill with water, planning to stay there until the lockies were ready. This was the last passing place before the lock so it was sensible to wait here in case another boat came down towards us.

    Will had just hopped off to pull Rainboat in when another boat, that had moored behind us late the previous day, came up very close behind. The woman had seen Will preparing to set off and he'd explained he was just going to move over to the water point and wait there for the lock booking. Her partner had obviously not been best pleased when he heard this. He began shouting at us to pull the boat over, saying that if we were getting water we weren't waiting for the lock. Vicky started to get upset at the agression and shouted back at him that if he wanted to go fast he shouldn't be on the canals. He shouted at her to 'come here, come here' as if he was about to get physical. Then drove his boat into Rainboat's stern, ramming her into the bank and scraping down her side and the side of the boat moored opposite to squeeze through and moor right in front of the lock gates! Never in our lives has anyone deliberately rammed us!

    They waited there for 1hr 45minutes, then told the lockies that they'd booked passage through, not us. The lockies only knew there were two boats booked, but not their names. They couldn't really do much as the canal wasn't wide enough to overtake. It was even more of a blow when they told Will there was only enough water for two boats to go up today and that we'd have to wait until Monday and do the 9 locks and 3 mile tunnel in one day. This would take at least 5 hours and wipe us all out.

    Our nice neighbours couldn't believe what they'd witnessed. We explained what had happened to the CRT on the phone and Will talked to Andy, the boss lockie who was around later in the day. Andy knew of the couple, telling Will they'd been on the private Bridgewater Canal up until a few months ago when they'd got their UK wide CRT licence. He'd met them in Manchester where they complained to him a lock wasn't filling fast enough. He pointed out that they'd left the bottom paddles open. They then went ahead and left all the paddles open on all the locks, meaning a massive amount of water was lost and Mick had to go behind and close them. When he heard about what they'd done to us, with backup from our neighbours, he told Will he was going to report them and do his best to get us up the locks the following day so we'd not have to do the flight and tunnel both in the same day.

    The vast majority of people we meet are lovely so it was very unusual to encounter someone so insensitive and another person who showed such aggression. We are extremely glad it is such a rare occurrence.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    1The top West lock, recreation green, Rainboat & the Pennine ridge in the distance
    1The top West lock, recreation green, Rainboat & the Pennine ridge in the distanceSweeping views of the ridge and sweeping winds making navigation trickierBrave soul cuddled between her mummy & the duvet waiting for her meds to kick in. She did wellLuckily the boat we had to pass had a shallow draftIn the lock. The section at the bottom with no weed would usually be covered with waterYou can just see Andy's blue CRT jumper on the left as he strides ahead to open the penultimate lockNearly there1The last lock on the West of Standege Tunnel is in sight!And there is Andy opening it for us 🤩4Will's veggie breakfast at Diggle Lock caféVicky's super duper ice cream from Grandpa Greene's Luxury Ice Cream Parlour1Interesting choice of decor at Wizard's HollowWonder what happened to the last guy who turned up to the biker bar in a multicoloured hippy shirtThe pièce de résistance of the Huddersfield Canal. Standege Tunnel.Leo playing Standege Tunnel hopscotchA timeline of real events sending players back or forwards between Diggle & MarsdenRoll the dice to determine how many steps you takeLeo loved the wide open area of short grassLeo smelled Grandpa Greene's food and took himself across the bridge to find it 🤦Will fetched him back, returning with ice creams for us & a pupcup for themLeo got rather excitedTiger couldn't quite believe her tongueSharing was tricky1Look at that tongue! 👅

    Diggle, summit pound 343ft

    6 giugno, Inghilterra ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We Made It!

    After a week waiting at Wool Road facing set backs and unpleasant neighbours we finally made it to the summit pound of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal! At 343 ft above sea level it is the highest altitude Rainboat will ever reach on the waterways of England and Wales.

    It was Saturday and our passage through Standedge Tunnel was in two days' time. Lockie Andy had seen the delays we'd faced over the last week. He knew a journey up nine locks and through the 3 mile tunnel in one day would be a lot for anyone so even though it was his on Emergency On Call day, he had promised to do what he could to get us to the tunnel entrance.

    Another boat had been due to come down before us so we set the alarm for 8am and fed Tiger her calming medication, which takes 2 hours to kick in. 45 minutes later we heard a 'Rat-A-Tat-Tat'. The other boat had decided to stay put so Andy would be ready to go in 15! We weren't going to pass the opportunity up so with a quick dash, no breakfast for us and plenty of peanut butter on licky mats for Tiger and Leo, we were approaching the first lock at just before 9am. Thankfully we'd had the foresight to lock Whiskers in overnight so didn't need to worry about retrieving him in a hurry.

    Andy was an absolute star. It was drizzling, with patches of proper rain but he worked tirelessly and without complaint. We grounded on the cill coming out of the first lock so he actually ran to the next one to let water down and raise the level, setting us free. Talk about endurance sports!

    The pounds were short, the locks coming in quick succession. Part way through we met the other boat who had changed their mind and decided to come down after all. Passing in the shallow water was tricky but thankfully they were a charity boat with no passengers meaning they sat high in the water. We cruised past a sewage plant at some point but on the whole the scenery was stunning. Through lush foliage we saw industrial age stone buildings, backed by a faraway ridge dotted with sheep, bracken and dark green copses.

    As we approached the final lock Vicky's eyes were drawn away from the natural beauty to the canalside Grandpa Greene's Luxury Ice Cream Parlour! Hopefully they'd do takeaway 🤞

    As we exited the final gate at Lock 32 West we felt such a sense of relief and gratefulness towards Andy. There hadn't been any shops near Wool Road but Will gave him a bottle of his favourite Chianti Classico Riserva as a token of thanks. It can feel as if the waterways are falling apart sometimes and the Huddersfield Narrow is the most challenging of all the canals we've cruised but the generosity and helpfullness of lockies and volunteers really lifts our spirits.

    Diggle had a holiday feel to it as we tied up to the bank just before lunch time. The wide, open area had the scent of pines and the sound of live music wafting through the air. We took the pups to a nearby green known as Diggle Fields and were accompanied by Mr Whiskers, who eyed up the twisted oaks growing down the bank then quickly became distracted by something hidden in the long grass.

    Our neighbour Wendy from NB Conway came and introduced herself, giving the pups some love. She was particularly admiring of Mr Whiskers and told us she had two of her own cats on board, one of which glared in alarm through the window as Whiskers sauntered past.

    As we hadn't yet had breakfast, Will did a quick scan of local eateries on Google Maps and headed for the nearest pub. On the way he saw Wendy and her girlfriend trying to retrieve their life ring they'd accidentally knocked in the water. They weren't having any luck so he returned, hoiked the canoe from the roof and went to rescue the buoyancy aid. That's not quite how life rings are supposed to work guys! 😂 Wendy gave him a measure of her sourdough starter as thanks.

    The Wizard Hollow pub only opened in the evenings but Diggle Lock; a café with a hipster vibe provided a great veggie breakfast and pot of English Breakfast Tea for Will. Back on board it wasn't long before Vicky persuaded him to pay a visit to the ice cream parlour. He returned with the most splendiferous waffle cone dipped in dark chocolate and rainbow sprinkles, containing a smooth, sweet mango and passion fruit double scoop of ice cream. Highlight of the week for Vicky!

    We'd seen billboards advertising Wizards Hollow pub so as it was Saturday night, Will popped out for a pint. He didn't stay long. Wizards Hollow turned out to be the base of the Road Wizards Motorcycle Club. Will strolled in wearing his mukticoloured hippie shirt and was completely blanked by the 7 leather clad men. There wasn't a bartender but one of the club members gave him a choice of a bottle of Bud or Newcastle Brown. Cash was preferable but he needed to ask his mates for change. Will sat quietly drinking his ale, staring at the full size skeletons riding real motorbikes dotted around the room. On his way out one of the members nodded to him, saying 'see you again'. Will made a noncommittal noise and made his way back to Rainboat to relay the experience to Vicky 💀🏍️

    The next day Will prepped Rainboat for her journey through the tunnel (more about that in our next footprint). We walked the dogs on the green and enjoyed playing a game of Standedge Tunnel hopscotch, with Will rolling the dice and moving Vicky alongside the paving stones in her chair. The stones were carved with Diggle at on end and Marsden at the other, with a timeline of events in the tunnel's history; its opening, closing, reopening, visit from Prince of Wales, a record breaking time for legging a boat through etc It was a lovely way to share the story. While Vicky and Will were having fun, Leo was getting bored. After being retrieved from a family playing on the other side of the green he smelled food at Grandpa Greene's, took himself off down the towpath, across the canal and further down the opposite bank to hassle the diners sitting at outdoor benches 🤦 Will left Vicky with Tiger and returned not only with Leo but with an ice cream for Vicky and one for the pups to share. When the furries were ensconced he fetched another for himself.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    Measuring and recording Rainboat's vitals 🤞
    Measuring and recording Rainboat's vitals 🤞We needn't have worried, she was well within the limits2This TunnelMESH unit was placed on Rainboat's roof for wireless communication1Look who's at the passenger window 👀Ready to go at Diggle Portal4Using a connecting tunnel to check we are okArched red brick ceiling with cut stone brick wallsTransitioning to iron girdersPrefabricated flat concrete panels as a ceilingShaped girders supporting a ceiling of goodness knows what2The most beautiful original Pennine gritstoneA TunnelMESH device allowing monitoring and communication from within the tunnel to outside itSteel mesh sprayed with concrete where the original rock was too loose for boltsOverhead gantry providing access between the tunnelsBrick ribsA tiny light at the end of the tunnel2WaterfallGetting nearer to itOnly this section had wiringAl tried to keep Tiger distracted1This helped1Until she heard her Dad's voice and Rainboat's engine from within the tunnel

    Standedge Tunnel. A Journey Under The Pennines

    8 giugno, Inghilterra ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    N.B. this post is unapologetically long because we had the most amazing experience, so settle in with a cuppa.

    Standedge Tunnel.

    At 5189m it is the longest canal tunnel in the world.

    At 194m underground it is the deepest canal tunnel in the UK.

    At 196m above sea level it is the highest canal tunnel in the UK.

    Running from Diggle in Greater Manchester, under the Pennine Hills to Marsden in West Yorkshire it is rightly one of the seven wonders of the waterways and an IWA Silver Propeller Site to boot.

    It took 17 years to build, opening in 1811. It was closed for 57 years but happily for us it was made safe and reopened in 2001. Restoration involved bolts nearly a metre long to secure the bare rock. Steel mesh was sprayed with concrete to stabilise the rock face where bolts weren't suitable.

    Adjacent railway tunnels were opened in 1848 and 1871. A 3rd opened in 1894 and is the only one still used by trains.

    All the tunnels are linked by cross-tunnels or adits, which aided in the initial construction. The oldest of the disused tunnels has been made accessible to fire engines and ambulances in case of emergency in either the canal or current rail tunnel. When a boat is in the tunnel a service vehicle drives through and personnel use these adits to visually check on the boat's progress, making sure there aren't any problems.

    The tunnel is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from late March to early November. It is only wide enough for one boat so crews from Marsden leave in the morning and crews from Diggle in the afternoon.
    Owners must book in advance and be accompanied by a chaperone who can take over steering if necessary. Fibre glass and petrol fuelled craft are not permitted.

    Before vessels enter they must have their air and water drafts measured to ensure they can pass through the restrictive internal dimensions. We'd commissioned Rainboat to have a taller ceiling than most narrowboats so she wouldn't feel claustrophobic to us and so that 6'6" brother Al could stand up inside without hitting his head. Having made such an effort to reach this point we were nervous of falling at the final hurdle. The way we store our belongings makes Rainboat stern heavy with a slight tilt to port. To bring her bow and starboard down Will made a massive effort moving the heavy compost bins into the bow locker, the heaviest planters on top of it and the rest in the bathroom near the front of the boat. The 15kg dog food transferred from the back step to the bath and the generator joined Vicky in the bedroom. The gangplank came off its stays, the fenders were stowed away, the water tank under the bed was filled and the remaining loose items from the roof and deck went in the canoe. We'd done all we could and just needed to wait for the verdict now.

    Moving to the mooring bollards near the portal, we were both a little anxious. Vicky's brother Al was travelling over to visit for a few days and his arrival made us both happy as well as helping distract us from the test ahead. All three furries were overjoyed to see him and lots of strokes and cuddles ensued.

    We'd had a couple of phonecalls to check we were ready to go through and to give us an ETA for the boat from Marsden emerging. There were supposed to be three boats travelling from Marsden and two from Diggle but people had obviously changed their minds because in the end it was only ourselves and one boat from Marsden. Al didn't even have time to finish his coffee before the CRT and this boat arrived. The volunteers got their special measuring sticks out while Will looked on with baited breath. Living up to her name, Rainboat passed with flying colours 🌈 coming in at 5'9" air draft and 1'9" below the waterline, well under the 6'2" limit.

    Things seemed to proceed quite quickly after that. Hi vis vests and hard hats were shared out, powerful battery operated work lights placed on Rainboat's bow and a metal plate supporting a pair of blue tubes was plonked on her roof. This turned out to be part of the TunnelMESH underground wireless communication system whose installation cost just less than £1million. It allows a boat's position to be monitored and for the chaperones to communicate with people outside the tunnel.

    Al had volunteered to drive Tiger to Marsden portal and meet us there, swapping 2 hours in the tunnel for 15 minutes in the car. He whisked our very reluctant curly furry away while Vicky settled Leo with her in the bedroom.
    Will tried to sort the canoe and start the engine with not one but two chaperones on the stern. Then, we were off!

    We've cruised through lots of tunnels in the 3 years we've been travelling on Rainboat but Standege soon distinguished itself. The forms we saw were so varied, from brick ribs to solid arches, some neatly repointed, some crumbling, reinforced steel beams, flat, prefabricated concrete ceilings, wooden beams, steel bars, rough flows of concrete over steel mesh to the most amazing roughly hewn hunks of angular gritstone.

    Our chaperone's voice was echoing off the walls as he chatted away, sometimes giving advice, sometimes sharing knowledge of the features and history but rarely facing Will when he spoke. This made it very difficult to understand what he was saying over the noise of the engine in the tight little cave-like surrounds. Part of his advice was to look at the ceiling ahead as a guide. Easier said than done when he insisted on standing in front of Will, blocking his view!

    At points water dripped, spouted and poured from cavities in the rock and we could hear the rumble and roar of trains as their tunnel crossed over ours.
    We cruised under and past metal pedestrian bridges and adits leading off to the side. At a few places there were green lit emergency exit signs and it was here that someone checked in with us in person. TunnelMESH cylinders were affixed to bars spanning the roof and our unit beeped, intermittently communicating with them while our chaperone radioed verbal confirmation.

    Sustained periods of intense concentration are not Will's forté but he did bloomin well keeping us steady. The depth varied, causing Rainboat to slow in the shallow sections, her engine straining to shift the water under her hull against the high friction of the bed. The chaperone advised Will to 'slide' along the walls at times to navigate round the wonky bits. Will was not keen on this and we got away with a few bumps, scrapes and only one shuddering bang to the superstructure from an unknown obstacle part way up the wall. The chaperone had accompanied a boat whose superstructure had collided head on with the wall, stopping the boat dead in the water, throwing its crew forward. This made us feel better about our comparatively minor side swipes.

    Eventually we saw the actual light at the end of the tunnel. It was a relief as Will's arm was aching with the strain of microsteering the heavy tiller to keep Rainboat on such a tight course. 1hour 43 minutes after we entered the subterranean world in Diggle, we emerged at Marsden to see Al sitting with Tiger at a picnic bench outside the Watersedge Café. He had been getting live updates on our progress from the CRT and Tiger had used her super doggy hearing to lock in to the sound of the engine and Will's voice. They were both expecting us and Tiger had completely forgotten about the ice cream she was half way through eating!

    We're so grateful to Al for looking after her as she would not have coped well with the experience. Leo on the other hand was an angel, keeping close to Vicky and accepting reassurance (and treats) for any unexpected noises. Whiskers was more annoyed at having been locked in overnight than worried about the unusual journey with the lights on inside. As for us? It was an experience of a lifetime. Utterly enjoyable and fascinating for both of us. Challenging and tiring, mentally and physically for Will. We are so glad we got to do it!

    For those with an interest, you can see pictures of the tunnel restoration on the Pennine Waterways website here: https://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/huddersfield…    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    3Moored within sight of the tunnel at Marsden
    3Moored within sight of the tunnel at Marsden1Difficult to tell who was more pleased to see the other 😻Standege Visitor Centre, café & North of England Centre for Music and ArtsOrganic bao buns and ale at the River Head Brewery Tap1Note the sign beneath the sign1Tiger forgave her Uncle Al for dognapping her earlierVisitor centre carrot cake for Will and Al with a boxed slice to take back for Vicky5Lots of instruments on display at the music and arts centreWill bought a refurbished flute that had been made on site3Piano planter in the music centre groundsThe bao buns were such fun that Will and Al returned the following day for lunch1Lucky Al has a long lap 🐯🦁Whiskers didn't want to say goodbye to Al. We locked him inside to make sure he didn't follow.1Al was meeting Dad & Sarah at Thorne. Google Maps shows who's been there before!

    Marsden Portal with Al 🥰

    8 giugno, Inghilterra ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    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.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsRainboatVicky 'n' Will's Travels
    Moorings for the foreseeable
    Moorings for the foreseeableWill caught a ride on the volunteer run trip boat to a Sunday Session at StandedgeSunday Session underwayOne of the live music acts at the Sunday SessionScrumptiousness from Cuckoo Pizza pop up and the visitor centre barWill took the bus to nearby Slaithwaite where the canal runs adjacent to the mainstreetLeo and Will are making friends at The Railway pubResting with mum

    Lock 42E, Marsden

    10 giugno, Inghilterra ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    After saying goodbye to Al and waiting for the downpour to pass, we left Standedge Basin and took Rainboat half a mile along the cut to the moorings above Lock 42 East.

    On the West side of the tunnel we'd ascended 32 locks to the summit pound and this was the start of 42 locks down to the end of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and the start of the Huddersfield Broad. The first 10 locks are close together and known as the Marsden Flight. Passage through them must be booked in advance so the CRT can regulate the water level in the top pound, ensuring it doesn't get too low for boats to safely navigate through Standedge Tunnel.

    After we joined the Huddersfield Narrow Canal in early May the CRT announced an extended closure of the final 32 locks on the east side while they make upgrades to Hill Top Reservoir which feeds the canal. We initially decided to come through the tunnel then retrace our steps rather than being stuck waiting. Since then we've had time to ponder and decided to give staying put a go. As continuous crusiers we are usually only allowed to stay 14 days before moving on but with the route ahead closed there is more leeway. The local CRT can't officially grant us permission to overstay but have said they won't report us to the enforcement team for doing so and are personally quite happy for us to be here. This way, when the canal reopens we can complete the entire length.

    There are spaces for 6 boats at these moorings, with the option to go down the Marsden Flight and moor near the winding hole at the start of the closed section. It is certainly very quiet with so few boats passing by and will be nice and relaxing, especially for Tiger Lilly. One person has left their boat here while they take a foreign holiday while Tony and his partner are doing the same as us. They are a friendly couple who have offered Will a lift in their car if he needs to get anywhere. Transport form here is good, with a bus stop nearby and a train station so close that you can hear the engines idling as they wait at the platform.

    The friendly Railway pub is just a stone's throw away and Marsden is close by with its Co-op, book shop and butchers. There are a number of events taking place including Sunday Sessions every week at the tunnel portal with live music, pizza and a bar. The upcoming Pennine Beer festival is within stumbling distance and the Mikron Theatre is holding an open air comedy in a few weeks. The theatre itself is based on a narrowboat and travels the network in the summer months, putting on performances in collaboration with various outdoor venues.

    The CRT have recently started giving experienced paddlers the opportunity to canoe through Standedge Tunnel as part of a group once a month. Will is intending to book a place, happy that the money raised will go towards much needed canal maintenance.

    In August there is a weekend celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Standedge Tunnel and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal reopening. We may even be around for that!

    While Will is looking forward to the events, staying in one place will also give us the opportunity to sort out some of life's less exciting tasks that would have been difficult on the move. We've arranged for a local home appliance service to inspect our broken fridge and for it to be replaced and the old one taken away. If and when Vicky's wheelchair gets repaired Will can get buses or a train to pick it up. He's also booked a session at Marsden's chiropody and podiatry clinic in the hope of reducing the pain in his foot where was broken 5 years ago by a horse.

    We'll see how staying in one place goes and update you here if there is anything of note. The moorings and Marsden in general have a good community feel but there is always the option of going back through the tunnel and down the west locks if we get too bored!    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione