Manchester to Sowerby Bridge

Tuesday 29 August was our fifth anniversary of leaving Viking Marina to start our travels on the canal network.  It was also the day we sailed out of Manchester on the Rochdale Canal with Geoff & Chris.  The first locks are known as the Rochdale 9, they link the Bridgewater to the Ashton Canal and remained open when the rest of the canal fell into dereliction during the 1940s.  

Looking down at one of the Rochdale 9 locks with a smart bar on the right hand side, unfortunately the towpath wasn't very savoury in places.

At the top of the 9 the canal flows under a building which is supported on pillars standing in the water.

The towpath is carried on a footbridge under the building at the top of the Rochdale 9

We made good progress up the 9 and continued out of the city through Ancoats.  At Lock 81 (we started at 92) we met a boat coming down.  They looked thoroughly fed up and had tales of woe about the state of the canal.  At that moment Geordie Spirit and Brent III, travelling side by side, became ensnared in a continental quilt which stalled both engines.  

After that incident things went downhill, we made slow progress as we came across low pounds which had to be topped up from the pound above so most of the way we were draining down water.  Rubbish of every description was either sticking out of the water or fouling our props and at Newton Heath there was a car in the canal with 2 boys jumping on it.  At Failsworth the local youths threw things at the boats but weren't a good enough aim to do any damage.  We continued through Chadderton where the canal started to improve and moored up outside the Rose of Lancaster pub, named in our guide as a safe haven.   Needless to say a drink in the pub was very welcome after the day we'd had.  

It could only get better and the next day it did, no empty pounds and nothing round the prop.  We climbed 10 locks and stopped short of Rochdale. 

The next day the canal deviated from it's original course because the M62 embankment had been built across the then derelict canal.  The new route took us through a culvert under the M62 and into the outskirts of Rochdale.  Once again the canal looked like the rubbish strewn canals of the 1960s.  On either side of the central channel shopping trolleys, wheelbarrows, bikes etc stuck out of the water and within the channel we were picking up the usual rubbish on the prop.  As we approached Littleborough we met a boat coming in the opposite direction; it was August Bank Holiday week and we'd only seen 4 other boats on this canal. We also had our first sight of the hills and for the first time enjoyed the view.

A sight for sore eyes and the promise of better views ahead

At Littleborough we came across another empty pound, apparently it drains out overnight but after going through the next lock we were rewarded with a good mooring and views towards the summit level.  

The next day we had to stay put, it was a Friday and the locks either side of the summit are closed on Mondays and Fridays to allow the water levels to recover.  The reservoirs which originally fed the canal were sold off in 1923 when the canal company ran into financial difficulty.  A limited supply of water is bought in from the utilities company which now owns the reservoir and I should think most of that flows away through leaking locks and pounds.

On Saturday we started climbing the last 10 locks to the summit but once again came across an empty pound.  CRT staff came along and gave us a hand and Lock 37, the highest broad lock in England, took us onto the summit level.  And in case your wondering (because we did) the highest lock in England is a narrow lock on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. 

Sunshine on the summit level which is 600 feet above sea level

At the next lock we started our descent and crossed the county boundary into Yorkshire.  We moored up shortly afterwards and the dogs had a game on the towpath.

Ted and Ziggy get on well despite the difference in size

On Sunday we started our descent in earnest but the canal was better in Yorkshire, more water, a lot less rubbish and no trouble from the locals.  The bottom gates on lock 31 had been modified because their balance beams would be sticking out onto a track.  It is quite common to see balance beams at an angle to the lock gate when space is restricted but this lock had a ratchet system with it's own windlass. 

The ratchet to open the shortened gates at lock 31

We sailed passed the high brick wall which is a retainer wall for the railway embankment at Todmorden.

Geordie Spirit dwarfed by the high brick wall 

We pulled onto the moorings and later went for a drink.  The Wellington was billed as the smallest pub in town but it may also have been the noisiest.  The White Hart was a big improvement until the fire alarm went off and we had to evacuate.  We were amused to see an old boy come out with his pint and toddle off up the street with it.  

On the moorings at Todmorden with 2 dogs watching the photographer

On Tuesday we sailed into Hebden Bridge, an upmarket town and tourist attraction. Unfortunately the persistent rain prevented me from getting my camera out but I did take a photo of the towns fancy millennium clock by sheltering in an opposite doorway.

The Millenium Clock at Hebden Bridge

On Wednesday we sailed into Sowerby Bridge and joined the queue for Tuel Lane Lock.  This new lock is 19 feet & 8 inches deep and because it replaced locks 3 and 4 it has been numbered lock 3/4.  

The massive gates of Tuel Lane Lock opening after we'd dropped nearly 20 feet

The lock-keepers who operated Tuel Lane Lock also took us down through locks 2 and 1 and onto the Calder & Hebble Navigation.  We were all relieved to be off the Rochdale Canal, some of the scenery had been picturesque and the Yorkshire mill towns were interesting but we certainly won't be back for a repeat trip.  

Our journey from Manchester to Sowerby Bridge