We anticipated a possibly difficult stretch ahead - we knew that we had to be at the top lock before 4 pm, that Andrew had quite a bit of trouble and delay when he came this way two years ago and also that there was a good prospect of frequent rain! As a result we set off just after eight with only two miles to go but 18 locks!
Although the lack of water depth meant that some pounds were very slow to navigate, almost all of them were as full as possible, with plenty of water going over the weirs into the bywashes.
Apart from several very heavy rain showers, interspersed with drizzle, it was a steady climb with the Pennines becoming ever closer.
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One large but derelict, mill building had large notices declaring that it was being seized by a Receiver. Judging by the names of the parties involved, it seems possible that someone had thought that it would make a good apartment conversion but that the project had somehow failed. In any event, it was a sorry sight.
About half way we passed ?? reservoir which is one of the important feeds for section immediately below - although with the recent rain we saw numerous streams emptying into the canal.
Some three and a half hours later we arrived at the top, somewhat surprised that we had not encountered any especially difficult problems!
We tied up at the bollards just above the locks - for once there was enough water to come alongside - so that we could wander along the towpath up to the visitor centre and tunnel entrance.
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A trip boat was just about to set off into the tunnel.
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Back at the boat we had lunch before Andrew set off to explore up the valley and see how the Yorkshire Water reservoirs are faring and a little later Mike and Christine walked into town to do a little shopping.
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The splendid Mechanics Institute building is a measure of the town's important mill industry in the past, now sadly all gone. It is a compact town, more a large village which once had its own employment, the hills are never far away.
Back at the boat again, Christine stayed to read (aka sleep) whilst Mike wandered down the flight to take photos of the locks he missed on the way up as it was raining so heavily. By now sunshine appeared for a while and it was tolerably warm.
At lock 38E he discovered that the short pound above lock 37E was almost completely empty so he called up Andrew and he brought down a lock key so that we could check the relevant paddles. Since all the locks from 42E down to 34E were completely empty, lock 33E was full and all the other pounds were overflowing, it was not a little mysterious. Anyway, we found that one top paddle was a fraction of a turn up and when we pressed it tight the water level started to rise quite quickly. Whether it was down to us we cannot tell but we cannot see how another boat can have gone down since there was only one that was already waiting at the tunnel when we arrived.
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Finally, we moved the boat the short distance up to the tunnel entrance, along a very leafy stretch, with heaps of spoil from tunnel construction now covered in vegetation.
2.12 Miles - 18 Locks
Although the lack of water depth meant that some pounds were very slow to navigate, almost all of them were as full as possible, with plenty of water going over the weirs into the bywashes.
Apart from several very heavy rain showers, interspersed with drizzle, it was a steady climb with the Pennines becoming ever closer.
One large but derelict, mill building had large notices declaring that it was being seized by a Receiver. Judging by the names of the parties involved, it seems possible that someone had thought that it would make a good apartment conversion but that the project had somehow failed. In any event, it was a sorry sight.
About half way we passed ?? reservoir which is one of the important feeds for section immediately below - although with the recent rain we saw numerous streams emptying into the canal.
Some three and a half hours later we arrived at the top, somewhat surprised that we had not encountered any especially difficult problems!
We tied up at the bollards just above the locks - for once there was enough water to come alongside - so that we could wander along the towpath up to the visitor centre and tunnel entrance.
A trip boat was just about to set off into the tunnel.
The Standedge Visitor Center contains an interesting history both of the original canal construction and its commercial operation, as well as its recent restoration.
The splendid Mechanics Institute building is a measure of the town's important mill industry in the past, now sadly all gone. It is a compact town, more a large village which once had its own employment, the hills are never far away.
Back at the boat again, Christine stayed to read (aka sleep) whilst Mike wandered down the flight to take photos of the locks he missed on the way up as it was raining so heavily. By now sunshine appeared for a while and it was tolerably warm.
At lock 38E he discovered that the short pound above lock 37E was almost completely empty so he called up Andrew and he brought down a lock key so that we could check the relevant paddles. Since all the locks from 42E down to 34E were completely empty, lock 33E was full and all the other pounds were overflowing, it was not a little mysterious. Anyway, we found that one top paddle was a fraction of a turn up and when we pressed it tight the water level started to rise quite quickly. Whether it was down to us we cannot tell but we cannot see how another boat can have gone down since there was only one that was already waiting at the tunnel when we arrived.
2.12 Miles - 18 Locks
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