Well, the Huddersfield Narrow Canal redeemed itself for once - marvellous!
Yesterday dawned bright, still with a chilly wind but not gale force thank goodness.
Not too early a start as the hire boat that moored behind us at 10pm last night went down the locks at 8am so George set off for the first lock of the day Booths 31E at 09:15 ...
… then came back to wind (turn) Rock n Roll
We had winded when we arrived in an attempt to get a satellite TV picture but to no avail this time - we had a decent signal though from the digital aerial.
George sitting on Booths Bridge conserving his energy
From the top of Waring Bottom Lock 28E I could see this rather nice building - an old school house maybe or a chapel.
From the bottom of Waring Bottom Lock the water gushed in and washed the windows - so glad they’re weatherproof! ...
… Looking back I could see why this lock was one of only two that were already set for us - all that water flooding in filled it up again after the hire boat mentioned earlier had emptied it.
Taken by George as I approached White Hill Lock 29E
… where he also took this picture of bluebells in the woods - lovely!
Approaching Shuttle Lock 24E - a guillotine lock - I hope it doesn’t cut off my head!
After about a billion turns of the wheel - he’s still turning it!
And after what he said was another billion, it’s still nowhere near up yet!
The sluice gate seen here was opened before the guillotine could be lifted
Ok … I’m good to go … not much room though - the end of the bridge ‘ole pushing the aerial back!
The only other boat we saw moving today was at Dartmouth Lock 23E so he was going to have a good road going up the locks we’d just set for him!
The Railway Viaduct behind the houses as we head into town
Coming out of the lock bridge into the narrow alongside the road
This bridge was no more that a couple of inches above the chimney and I could hardly see over the roof - I certainly couldn’t see where I was going beyond the bow!
So glad we didn’t meet that other boat down here!
Last one for today Pickle Lock (where did they get these names from?) Just look at those lovely mill buildings there.
12 noon and we’ve arrived at our destination. We cruised down to the water point above Waterside Lock 21E and then reversed back into a mooring space on the side of the winding hole - not a brilliant mooring, no view to speak of out the windows and quite a noisy pallet making business over the other side of the canal, but it’s fine, we’ve got secondary glazing to the windows, a local Co-op over the road and good internet and TV signal (even satellite too).
George poped over to the Coop for me and saw a pub (The Commercial) that sold 9 real ales - so later he had to try one out …
… and chose Commeriale 3.8% brewed here by the side of lock 24 and told me - it was perfect!
Off into Huddersfield by train tomorrow (just 15 minutes away) for an eye test - a bit faster than going in by boat (4 miles away and about 15 locks - a couple of days at least)!
When you get to Huddersfield you must try the Railway Station bar if it is still open. A few years since I last went but good atmospere and real ales.
ReplyDeleteThanks Andy, we’ll definitely give that a try!
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