Brighouse

Although we were not booked through the Tuel Lane locks until noon, we set off in good time, arriving just after 9:15. No lack keeper but a phone number in the cabin window. He informed us that he was at the two locks below and would lock us through after the boat had come up.

Tuel Lane lock claims to be the deepest on the system. It was, originally two locks (3 & 4) but they had to be combined for the restoration as a road intersection created a curved tunnel where one lock should have been. The depth of the water which discharges into the narrow tunnel section means that it could be quite dangerous if not operated properly and the Millennium money ran out before a mechanised system had been provided.

In the meantime, Christine went shopping - first to the adjacent market, with a good butcher and fishmonger, and then to Tesco on a short distance along the main road.

We were locked down before eleven and then had two further locks before we reached the end of the Rochdale and turned into the short arm where Shire Cruises have a base and diesel for sale. We were keen to make sure we had full tanks as there is no obvious opportunity until after we have completed the Huddersfield. We also used the sani station before turning around to begin the Calder and Hebble.

As we continued down the next section we kept a good eye open for new housing at Copley, just below the canal, beside the river. A friend in Cornwall has a sister who lives here and we promised to look out! We are not sure but perhaps it is one of this quite extensive development of typical Yorkshire town houses.

After a further short run we arrived at the Salterhebble top lock and opted to tie up at the visitor moorings for lunch and to clear the prop. Also, as the locks ahead are short, we knew from Andrew's previous trip through here that we needed to remove the stern fenders to shorten our length just enough to get through.

The first lock is probably the shortest - the original design was for 58 foot wide beam boats - we have read somewhere that coastal boats once managed to ply their trade as far up as Rochdale. Many of the locks on this canal still have their original style of ratchet mechanism which requires a handspike - ours is homemade and rather bulkier than the 'real' thing!

The technique with these locks is to put the boat at an angle but, until the water has dropped a little the bow will not fit underneath the platform for operating the lower gate paddle gearing. A bow rope has to be taken off so that, once the lock is empty and one gate opened, the boat can just be pulled across to the open side. It was touch and go, made worse in some locks by fast flowing leaks which threaten to drown the boat!

The bottom lock of the first flight of three has a guillotine lower gate.

By the time we reached Brighouse, Christine was keen for a cup of tea and the Eccles cake she bought at the market earlier. We saw some good visitor moorings and pulled in. By now we have left the rural scenery behind, not to return for a while. After a trip to the adjacent Sainsbury supermarket (pizza topping at last!) we decided that the sensible option was to spend the night here. We will then be able to use the sani station and water point first thing in the morning before setting off down towards Wakefield. How far we will get is unknown - the most important aim is to be back above Huddersfield Broad by Sunday night so that we are on schedule to be at Marsden by 4pm on Tuesday, ready for our booked passage of Standedge Tunnel.

7.7 Miles - 13 Locks