Sowerby Bridge to Viking Marina

We set off from Sowerby Bridge in good spirits, the Rochdale Canal was behind us and the Calder & Hebble Canal was considerably deeper.  

The basin at Sowerby Bridge

We soon arrived at the 3 Salterhebble Locks where a team of volunteers were waiting to assist us.  Both boats sailed into the top lock, the paddles were opened and down went the water but then we discovered the boats were too long to open the front gates.  The volunteers refilled the lock and we backed out so Geordie Spirit could go down alone, she was sat diagonally across the lock which left enough space to open the gates.  

Geordie Spirit descending the first lock.  The volunteer on the left is holding a Calder & Hebble handspike which is used to operate the ratchet style lock gear found on this canal.  We used a piece of wood which later came in useful for the fire.

All the locks on this canal are a similar size, some were just big enough for both boats together and others we had to descend singly.    The canal suffered flood damage in 2015 and extensive repairs to the canal banks, towpaths and bridges have since been completed to reopen the waterway.  

Elland Bridge which had to be rebuilt after the floods

We moored up in Brighouse Basin and awoke to torrential rain on Friday; it stopped mid-morning so off we went onto the first river section.  The waterway was built by linking navigable sections of the River Calder with a series of canals and as we sailed on the river sections we noticed their currents were getting stronger.  The flood gates were all open until we arrived at Mirfield where the Ledgard flood lock was closed.  We were able to go through but noticed that since setting off the river level had come up and was now in the red (do not proceed) on the navigation board.  We moored up in Mirfield and for a change sat out in the sun for our cuppa. 

On Sunday the river level had dropped so we set off and continued to Millbank and the next day we sailed the canal section to Durkar.  As we approached Broadcut Lock we could see the river running parallel to the canal and it looked very high so we stopped for the day.  When we heard Storm Aileen was approaching we prepared for a long wait, an Asda delivery stocked up our supplies and some logging provided fuel for our fires.  There was plenty of time to walk into the village for an excellent fish & chip meal at the Kingfisher Cafe.

At midday on Thursday we received an email from CRT, the flood gates were being opened.  We didn't waste any time in setting off along with a couple of other boats who had been waiting.  The river took us into Wakefield where Brent III was built at West Riding Marine.

The river at Wakefield, West Riding Marine was in front of the white roofed building on the left.

Fall Ings Lock at Wakefield is a big river lock with heavy gates but it was our last manual lock.  We gladly exchanged our windlasses for a waterways key to operate the electric control panel on the locks.  At Stanley Ferry we passed the CRT yard where replacement lock gates are made; some were stacked up ready for the winter stoppages. 

Lock gates stacked up in the yard

We sailed through to Castleford and moored up on the old commercial moorings.  Our original plan had been to visit York but after our recent experience with high river levels decided against this because the River Ouse is notorious for flooding.  From Castleford we sailed to the top of the New Junction Canal and from there it was a short journey to sail home to Viking Marina for the winter.  

This year we've sailed 1011 miles and come through 620 locks, the map shows the waterways we travelled.