Water Levels

We left Brighouse with another narrowboat and so were able to share the locks which are shorter than those on other canals.  Manoeuvring both boats in and shutting the gates was sometimes a bit tricky.  The canal follows a wooded route through the Calder Valley and has an excellent towpath which is also a cycleway.  When walking with Bess and Brin I had to watch out for speeding cyclists.   At Elland the towpath takes a detour through an alley and up on to the main road to cross over to the other side of the canal, a bit of a mystery tour until you spot where the towpath starts again.  

At Salterhebble the bottom lock has an electric guillotine gate which replaced the original lock gates in the 1930s when a new road bridge encroached on the available space.   The other two locks at Salterhebble were manned by volunteers who warned us the water levels were low between the locks.  Happily we sailed through without any problem. 

Salterhebble guillotine lock - the grey box on the right is the control panel.  

The Calder and Hebble connects with the Rochdale canal in the busy boating town of Sowerby Bridge.  The hire boat company, Shire Cruisers, occupies one of the many wharves whilst the others are used for private and visitor moorings.   Enormous stone warehouses and other buildings crowd around the wharves and apart from the use of the buildings this area has hardly changed since the canal's heyday.  

Warehouses and the busy canal basin at Sowerby Bridge

On canals the locks are numbered, heading out of Sowerby Bridge the Rochdale Canal has Lock 3/4.  This isn't a watery route to Hogwarts but at 19 feet 8 inches  it is the deepest lock in the country and replaced the original locks 3 and 4.   The lock enabled the Rochdale Canal to be reopened in 1996 but the waterway was only completely reopened to Manchester in 2002. 

Lock 3/4 also known as Tuel Lane Lock

The Rochdale Canal is notorious for it's low water levels so we decided, as did several other boaters, to catch the train to Hebden Bridge and Todmorden.  

The dry weather came to an end with a big thunderstorm, luckily Bess and Brin weren't upset by it.  On the journey back to Brighouse we noticed the water levels were up and as we rounded a corner a willow tree was down across the canal.  There was just enough room for us to squeeze through but I had to move everything which could get caught up off the roof.  

Back at Brighouse Kev recognised Chris and Bernie, boaters who we enjoyed travelling with in 2011 on a holiday to Newark so we enjoyed a good chat.  On Saturday night heavy rain put the River Calder in flood, preventing boaters travelling to or from Brighouse.  During Sunday a queue of boats developed and a constant procession of boaters walked to the lock to check the water level indicator board.  This remained on red,  "Do not proceed", until tea time when the water had subsided enough for amber, "proceed with caution", to show.   By mid-morning Monday the water level was back down to green and the queue of boats had long gone so we set off on our return journey. 

The River Calder flooding - the river jetty is underwater with just the tops of the mooring bollards showing.  

Our journey from Brighouse to Sowerby Bridge and back. 

Lazy Days

From Bramwith we sailed up the New Junction Canal and headed west on the Aire and Calder, taking our time in the heatwave.   At Ferrybridge the canal joins the River Aire which wends it's way past Ferrybridge power station and it's abandoned coal wharves.  Further on the woodlands of Fairburn Ings nature reserve line the river bank. 

At Castleford we were surprised to see Trev and Sandra, the couple we travelled with from Bingley and through Leeds.  Brinny and Bess were excited to see their dogs although it was a bit hot for chasing round.    

View from the footbridge over Castleford flood lock towards the visitor moorings.  The lock is an unusual shape and the  gates are open because the river levels are low. 

From Castleford we headed west on the River Calder.  At Whitwood an orange buoy marks the position of a large sandbar which juts out into the river.  I wish it'd been there a few years ago, it would've prevented me running us aground.  

We stopped at Stanley Ferry which has a Canal & River Trust workshop that specialises in replacement lock gates.  The finished gates are stacked in the yard and kept soaked with water pumps.  They won't be fitted until winter when the canal can be closed.  

Stanley Ferry yard, the finished gates are stacked on the left. 

The canal splits to be carried over the River Calder on two parallel aqueducts.  The first is reputed to be the largest cast iron aqueduct in the world.  The trough holding the canal is supported by iron bars connecting it to the two arches and it was opened in 1839, the Sydney Harbour Bridge was built on the same principle.  The second aqueduct was built in 1981 as an alternative crossing to prevent damage to the historic structure. 

The Stanley Ferry cast iron aqueduct, taken as we sail over the modern structure.  

 Stanley Ferry has good visitor moorings and a pub selling real ale so we stayed awhile to enjoy the sunshine and the occasional cold beer. 
     
The Aire and Calder Navigation ends at Fall Ings Lock, Wakefield, and from here we're sailing on the Calder and Hebble Navigation.  Fall Ings Lock was a taste of things to come.  The lock gates were heavy and difficult to open but the lock gear was so stiff Kev had to take over.  When it became apparent most of the locks would follow suit Kev took over the lock duties.  To complicate matters the locks had a unique contraption on some of the gate paddles, a small iron wheel has to be turned with a wooden lever, known as a "handspike" to raise the sluices.   We have a handspike but it is cumbersome to use.   Luckily half the locks on this stretch are flood locks and are left open unless the rivers are flooding.   

On the outskirts of Huddersfield we turned onto the Kirklees Cut and then back on to the River Calder which took us to Brighouse, a small industrial town which is a good place to stop for the weekend.

Our journey from Bramwith to Brighouse

Past Times

From Viking Marina we  took a steady trip down memory lane.  Our first stop was at the top of the New Junction Canal.  The next morning our ropes started creaking, an indication of water movement often caused by a commercial barge.  A little later Humber Pride, an oil tanker, came over the Went Aqueduct.  Humber Pride and Humber Princess are the last commercial barges running regularly to Rotherham.    

Humber Pride fills the narrow Went Aqueduct as it returns to Goole

Our route alternates between canal and river with electric locks between them.  The Doncaster to Rotherham railway line runs alongside and crosses our path on a very dilapidated  bridge at Conisborough.  Braces and cables appear to be keeping up the bridge which I used to travel across daily on my commute to Sheffield.   In comparison Conisborough Viaduct, which is no longer used, has elegant arches which span the Don Valley.

Conisbrough Viaduct

At Swinton we moored near Waddingtons boatyard, once a thriving barge business but sadly no longer operating.  The fleet of 90 has been reduced to a dozen and the yard is now used, by Waddingtons which is still owned by the family,  to dismantle the boats for scrap.   A poignant end to this once famous fleet.

Some of Waddington's remaining barges.  Resilience, on the left, was used by Acasters to transport a transformer to Newark last year.  The yard is on the right hand side of the photo.  

On a happier note the window sill of an old wharfe building at Mexborough was the home for 3 owl chicks who looked out as we passed.

Our journey on the South Yorkshire Navigation was punctuated by shopping trips.  At Aldwarke we stopped to shop at ASDA which is conveniently next to the lock.  Wheeling the trolley down onto the jetty saved carrying the shopping.  We then moved on to Eastwood Visitor moorings at Rotherham, a short walk from the Retail World shopping centre.  We stopped here for a few days and took the opportunity to see friends and family.  Nic and Gaz took Kev shopping and he returned with 4500 teabags which should keep us going for a while!

On our return journey we stopped at Doncaster to shop at the excellent market.  All stocked up we sailed onto Bramwith for the weekend. 

 Our journey from Goole to Rotherham and back to Bramwith.  Our return stops are marked in purple. 

  

Battery Charger and toilet

We left Naburn Lock at 2.45pm and at the start of our journey the incoming tide reduced our speed. 

Pulling out of Naburn Lock.  To the right of the weir is a floating pontoon which floats up the two poles when the water level rises.

As the tide turned our speed increased but we didn't reach 8mph which was an advantage at Selby.  Selby Lock entrance is at right angles to the river and is only about 18 feet wide.  Turning into the lock can be tricky so Kev always follows the advice given by the Lockie on our first trip up the Ouse.  We sailed passed the lock entrance, turned Brent III to face upstream and then travelling against the current, turned into the lock.  

The entrance to Selby Lock 

We took our time on the return journey and met up with John, Cath and the kids for an excellent weekend.  We said our goodbyes not realising we would be seeing them the next day after we discovered our inverter/charger was not charging the batteries.  After a phone call to the manufacturer we pondered our options.  The unit had to be returned to Sterling for repair so then we would be without the inverter and the 240volt system.  We rang John at Viking Marina and he came to our rescue with a good deal on a replacement unit which resolved our dilemma.  So back to Goole we sailed. 

The new unit was quickly installed and we decided to stay on and tackle another job, servicing the toilet.  This task is one of the joys of owning a boat and involves replacing various seals.  Unfortunately the first time we put the toilet back together a puddle appeared around it's base.   Thankfully the second attempt was a success without Kev having to resort to a tube of silicon.

Satisfied everything was shipshape we sailed off from Viking Marina to resume our travels. 

Leaving Viking Marina

Our journey from Naburn to Goole

York and Naburn

From Goole we retraced our route on the Aire and Calder as far as Knottingley where we turned into Bank Dole Lock and onto the River Aire.  The river took us to West Haddlesey and onto the Selby Canal which we always thought was one of the prettiest canals and still do after travelling further afield.  The clear water teems with shoals of small fish, electric blue damselflies flash in the sunshine and there is an abundance of small birds in the plants and trees lining the canal. 

Tankards Bridge on the Selby Canal. 

The rural setting gives way to the outskirts of Selby and we were surprised to see some of the moorings have a one hour maximum time limit.  This is to give boaters operating the swing bridge into Selby Basin a mooring but the space allocated, enough for four narrowboats, does seem excessive.   There was space in Selby Basin so we moored up there for the night ready for an 8am lock out onto the River Ouse. 

The Ouse is tidal and the Lockie let us out on the incoming tide.  The current pushed us along and we were soon travelling at a speedy 8mph!  As the river reaches high tide we slow down but   after 2 and 1/4 hours Naburn weir and lock came into view.  Just before turning into the lock we saw a large salmon leaping in the water in front of the weir.  

The River Ouse took us on into York passing an unusual wire sculpture on Naburn Bridge. 

A wire man and his dog fishing on top of Naburn Bridge

The moorings at York are near the museum gardens, a central spot ideal for visiting the city and as with all Canal & River trust visitor moorings there is no charge for our stay.  The river at York is almost as busy as the streets.  The large tour boats tower over the small hire boats and rowing boats are out most of the day with their trainers shouting instructions from the bank or small motor boats.

On the moorings at York.  Some of the trip boats are moored up in the background.

  When it was time to leave we kept a careful eye on the river traffic before turning Brent III round and heading for the rural peace at Naburn.  At night we heard owls calling out and Ken, the Lockie, has seen a tawny owl feeding her chick in the bushes at the bottom of his garden.  Less welcome he had a swarm of bees settle in one of his trees while we were there. 

We had visitors for Father's Day weekend.  Shaun, Laura, Nic, Gaz and all the grandkids came over on Saturday and as always it was good to see everyone again.  Nic and Gaz stayed on the Naburn Lock Caravan Site so we were able to enjoy the evening and a barbeque with them.   On Sunday we all enjoyed an excellent carvery lunch at the Blacksmiths Arms in Naburn.

Our journey from Goole to York and back to Naburn

Goole

On arrival at Viking Marina our first task was to replace the rapidly deteriorating leisure batteries.  After some research we'd bought 4 traction batteries which are more suitable for our demands.  They are 6 volts instead of the 12 volts in a leisure battery so new wiring was required as well as a slight modification to the battery box.  When everything was in place we switched on the mains and gave them a good first charge. 

Before we went for our check-ups Brent III had one of her own, the Boat Safety Certificate.  This is due every 4 years and is required for all boats kept on the inland waterways.  Every boat also has to have boat insurance and a Canal & River Trust License.  

Our journey to Rotherham wasn't straightforward.  A massive landslip at Stainforth in February moved the rail tracks so a replacement bus service is running between Goole and Doncaster.  In an unexpected complication Bess and Brinny weren't welcome on the first bus but luckily the second driver was happy to take them.  We enjoyed our stay with Nic and Gaz and were able to see family and friends.  Thankfully Shaun saved us any problems with the return journey by giving us a lift back.  

Goole town centre is a short walk from the marina and we enjoyed taking the footpath round the docks and over Ocean Lock, one of the locks connecting Goole's inland port to the River Ouse.  Narrowboats can use this lock but we will be taking the scenic route via Selby.

Looking down Ocean Lock with the River Ouse in the background

Looking across the docks, the two distinctive towers are water towers and are known as the salt and pepper pots.  

Wen all our tasks were complete we sailed out of Viking Marina in glorious sunshine leaving the familiar skyline of Goole behind.  Not so familiar was the sight of Southcliffe, a humber keel, in sail outside the Waterways Museum. 

Southcliffe in sail

  

Full Circle

The Aire and Calder is our home canal and we were pleased to see the familiar control panel at Knostrop Fall Lock which along with all the other locks on this canal, is electronically operated.   At the touch of a button the sluices are raised and when the lock has filled or emptied another button opens the heavy lock gates.  

The control panel for locks on the Aire and Calder

The locks on this canal have been built to accommodate 600 tonne sand and gravel barges and are considerably bigger than most locks on the canal network.  Some locks have an extra set of lock gates so the full lock only needs to be used for the commercial barges.

Looking down Bulholme Lock from the top lock towards the centre lock gates.   The orange marker for the bottom gates can be seen just above the tree line on the left of the canal.   The building houses the controls for the lock-keepers.

We moored up at Woodlesford for a few days and enjoyed sitting out in the sun for a change.  The new butcher's shop, next to the Co-Op, was excellent so we called in again before leaving.

Our next stop was Castleford, a small town with all the facilities for boaters.  The plentiful moorings are a short walk from the town centre and as the Bank Holiday approached boats started to arrive.  On Saturday morning Cath, John and the kids joined us for the weekend  followed by Lynne, Gary and their friends.  

The weather was glorious so we were able to sit out all day, enjoy our first barbecue of the year and chat around the fire until the early hours.  Bess was pleased to see her old friends Roxy and Shanti and sat outside Lynne's boat waiting for Shanti to come out.  

We're often asked about our arrangements for health services.  In common with many boaters we've remained registered with our existing dentist and doctor.  The time has come for our check-ups but a secure mooring is needed for Brent III so we can stop over in Rotherham.   Luckily Sue and John at Viking Marina are able to accommodate us.  

On our return journey to Goole we passed two very different types of boat.  As we left  Ferrybridge we came across a Dragon Boat Race.  

Dragon Boat at Ferrybridge

Near Goole we passed the commercial barge Battlestone loaded with sand.
  

Battlestone creating waves as it passes.

  Mooring up at Viking Marina felt like coming home.  Since setting sail from here we've travelled 644 miles and come through 354 locks.  

Our journey from River Lock, Leeds to Viking Marina