Marple

Before setting off this morning, Mike went in search of a newspaper. he tried first the small shops but failed to spot a newsagent so ended up at Tesco, alongside the canal where we initially moored last night. He also bought some rolls as he used part of today's bread for stuffing with the roast pork last night!

Walking back down past the last two locks we did last night, it was interesting to note how many more things there are to spot which were missed from canal level. For example, a renovated building between two bridges on the very narrow section, was once The Emporium. Just use the imagination to wonder what that was.

It was quite cool when we awoke with a grey sky but by the time we cast off at 9:30 the sky was clearing and for a while we had sunshine. However, most of the day was lightly overcast, covering the sun but allowing the temperature to rise to a quite comfortable level. certainly with quite a few locks on our schedule today we did not want for hotter!

The first section was the completion of the last part of the Huddersfield Canal with just three left out of the 74 from the start in the city itself! (42 on the east side and 32 on the west) The surroundings were now much more overtly urban and commercial with some industrial use, albeit only light industry with all of the former mills now either demolished, standing empty and gradually decaying or, thank goodness, converted to other uses.



River Tame Aqueduct

The River Tame Aqueduct may be short but, from a construction point of view, is almost as notable as the more famous one on the Llangollen - it is an iron trough with a sheer drop over the edge opposite the towpath. To make such a structure watertight involved quite an innovation in its time.

Oh she's left me behind again

Lock 1 W

The last lock and yet another special: since the original construction the road carried by the bridge below the lock has been widened and when the canal was restored a new solution was required. A special hydraulic mechanism is used to operate the bottom gates with no balance beams and the gate paddles are also operated from the side.

The winding hole and former wharf, now a boat club, just below lock 1W officially brought the canal to an end and we were now on the Ashton.

However, it was little more than the Asda Tunnel (so-called as an Asda supermarket now stands over the canal) before we turned left at Dukinfield - the Ashton route into Manchester continues straight ahead but we were heading for the Peak Forest Canal and the Marple flight. Another aqueduct over the River Tame follows immediately but this is much more substantial, at least from the top side.

Only one lift bridge on this canal but it is quite an effort. However, Mike had the 'help' of two small children - the first of many such groups today.

Rather overgrown so that it is difficult to make out, but the first of the snake-type turnover bridges which are perhaps more well-known on the Macclesfield.

After a good lunch break we continued with yet another tunnel - Christine navigated through four or five today including at least one narrow section that was originally a tunnel. This must be a record! this one, Woodley, has a lined roof and a towpath which leaves only a narrow channel for boats - the next had no towpath and was much wider.

And then came Marple Aqueduct. The red sign warns people not to walk over the unguarded side!

Here she comes!

The height is far from obvious when on a boat crossing over but from the towpath it is some drop to the River Goyt below. An equally splendid rail viaduct is alongside.

So, now all that remained was the Marple Flight - here is the start at Lock 1. Each lock is around 13.5 feet deep, about the maximum for narrow locks. There were numerous visitors around today and, surprisingly, many said that they had never seen a lock operated before. So, with groups from children around 5 or 6 (with parents!) to teenagers and youngsters to adults both at the younger and older ends of the spectrum, we were kept quite busy explaining and involving them.

 

 

The bridge below Lock 8 has a roller for the horse-drawn towrope as this is a turnover bridge.

At Lock 9 is the former Samuel Oldknow's Warehouse now converted to offices. We are unsure of why there is a distinctive narrow section below the lock nor why there is a wide set of steps from the adjoining cottage. It seems that a gate set into the iron railing edging the lock bridge was also to facilitate the use of a tow rope to pull a boat out of the lock without damaging the decorative railing.

One for you and one for me

Possett Bridge is noted for its unusual two tunnels, one for the horse and one for the boatman!

The last few pounds are substantially extended into side pounds - this one disappears behind the nearby well-kept house.

Marple Top Lock

At last we arrive at the top lock and immediately after the junction we were mightily relieved to find an overnight mooring space within metres!

10.0 miles - 19 locks

Stalybridge

Yesterday we drove up from Cornwall - we had a special open air service as part of the Folk Festival in Wadebridge for the morning so we did not set off until 1 pm. However, the motorways were generally clear with almost no lorries at all and not too many caravans either. With a stop for a cup of tea at Strensham, we finally arrived at Frenches Marina around 7 pm.

We did not take too long in unloading as we did not take everything home for such a short break. After parking the car (there is nowhere to park at the moorings themselves) we settled down to the meal which we had brought with us. We have started to do this and it makes the arrival evening much easier, especially if it is late in the day.

This morning we contacted John Lund from the marina who came on his beloved motorbike to help let us out. We had a good chat first and learnt a bit more about the origins of the marina and what might happen in the future. John has run the trip boat from alongside Saddleworth Museum for the past 22 years.

By 10:15 we were finally away on a really brilliant late summer's day, with great views out to the surrounding hills.

There are no long pounds at all today although the locks are quite spread out - only in Stalybridge do they come anywhere near being a flight.

Although the canal runs through a number of villages and small towns, even when adjoining local industry it looks very rural as nature has taken over the banks.

Shallow edges continue to be a problem and the first three locks were quite hard work as the boat caught on underwater ledges after dropping off the lock crew! The long pole had quite a good work out this morning.

In places the towpath edge is collapsing badly with stones about to disappear into the water. However, this situation is out of character as in most places the towpath has been well restored. Despite the contentious claims about the number of visitors to the canal as walkers and cyclists, we certainly saw many today, yet only two boats passed us going the other way.

A number of the top gate paddles had the distinctive pepper pot vents.

The Royal George aqueduct carries the canal over the River Tame.

It was good to see that there was plenty of water flowing down the system - here is the bywash at one of the locks. As the canal is shallow this is often needed in order to keep the navigation open.

An unusual piece of sculpture stood at the edge of the canal - not sure why as it seemed to be in a piece wasteland between the canal and the cottages!

Ater coming down Lock 19W we planned one more lock before lunch when we spotted another boat with no-one on it but floating on the off side. Local bystanders reported that they thought that it had been moored so we felt it best to rescue it. We picked up the bow rope (which had clearly be cast off by vandals) and brought it to the towpath edge and tied it up with the help of a couple of walkers. By now it was lunch time so we moored ourselves as well. As we were eating, the owner of the boat came by and spoke with us.

We encountered several people today who had never seen a lock operating before - this chap seemed to enjoy helping us through a couple of locks.

Some of the villages are canal-side but others line the main road which, as we saw yesterday when we came that way, is at a much higher level. The church at, we think, Mossley Brow stands on the hill top whilst others are much lower.

Scout Tunnel is quote short - 188m - but was carved out of rough rock. A short distance at each end is brick-lined but most of it is bare.

We had heard about a boat sinking earlier this month at Lock 9W and John Lund at Frenches explained to us the problem. The short pound between Locks 10W and 9W is compounded with very leaky gates - no doubt the failure to clear the weeds and shrubs growing out of them is symptomatic of the level of care. (Contrast this with seeing teams scraping the gates on the Grand Union)

What then has happened is that a boat comes down Lock 10W, waits for the next lock to be prepared and attempts to enter the lock. By now the level has fallen as a result of the leakage and becomes stuck on the cill. Unless it is very quickly reversed back, the level continues to fall and the boat his held firm until it tips downward with several feet of drop.

As it happened, we met one of the two boats we passed today in this pound so we had no problem.

There are precious few service points on the Huddersfield and we were hopeful of using that above Lock8W which had the full range of facilities. Alas, someone has recently repaired the water point but failed to understand how it is to be operated. (Most likely, the wrong type of tap was fitted). The proper connector could not be attached so we had to hold the hosepipe on, avoiding the spray. We gave up before the tank was full!

We understand that this next section was turned into a culvert when the canal was closed and presume that the pylons were put up then. Now, we have to go along a narrow, deep piled stretch, right underneath the pylon.

We spotted a number of these rollers (approx 300m long) on the edge of the canal. We do not know what they are for - anyone out there a clue?

First mooring, opposite Tesco

We came into Stalybridge and opted to moor for the night on the opposite bank to Tesco. Although a bit put off by the number of Canada geese that live here, we did not know if anything further on would be any better. By now Mike had picked some blackberries which he proposed to use for a pudding tonight. Christine thought that ice cream and proper cooking apple would enhance it so popped to the supermarket whilst Mike continued with preparing the meal.

Second mooring - above Lock 4W

When she returned, the single hander who was moored at the same point suggested that, like him, we moved down through a couple of locks to another visitor mooring which would be a much quieter. We opted to take his advice and indeed did find it further away from the pubs. Although it is a short pound, it is signed as an official Visitor Mooring (there are at least three in Stalybridge) so we hope that we will not find ourselves on the bottom in the morning!

5.1 miles - 15 locks

Greenfield

Only four locks to go on this trip before we moor up in the small marina where we have arranged to leave the boat for the next ten days. Alice took the opportunity to learn about bringing the boat into the lock when going downhill - rather different from the opposite direction. Jess went ashore with Mike, supposedly to help with the gates but in fact she spent most of the morning chatting to ducks and shooing away the bullies (aka Canada geese!)

Saddleworth Viaduct over first lock today

Lock 21W has a ratchet mechanism to operate one of the bottom gates whose balance beam was truncated for a road widening.

Much of the canal still has a rural feel.

Lock 20W has a strange pepper pot close to the top paddles - an ornamental blowhole which should not be looked at too closely when the lock is first being filled!

Although these locks were not in anything like the same condition as those on the previous days, we made good progress down to the entrance to the marina. This is guarded by a lift bridge which continues the towpath across the gap. It is a multi, multi, multi wind hydraulic mechanism which left Mike definitely in need of a coffee once we had moored! Lowering the bridge was helped by Jess adding her weight to the end.

Moorland view from marina

After lunch, leaving Christine to cleaning and packing, Mike took the two girls the short trip into Uppermill to visit the Saddleworth Museum. (There was a notice say no photography so unfortunately we can only describe the gallery in words) Although quite small it has many different displays and both girls completed one of the quiz sheets which are provided for children. Perhaps the most interesting part was the re-creation of a one room weaver's cottage where all the family would be involved in the sheep-to-cloth process. There sleeping space was a small loft over the main living area where the carding and spinning is done. The other half of the room contains a hand loom where the spun yarn is woven into cloth.

Some of the displays highlighted life in the 1960's when the museum was first established. The girls could not quite believe that that was when Granny and Grandad were teenagers! Did we really dress like that and only have a Dansette for music?

After completing the tour of the museum we walked along the high street sussing out places for tea but then spotted a busy playground where the girls enjoyed themselves for some time. Perhaps not the most demanding of play areas but at least everything was well maintained.

Finally, just after four o'clock, we adjourned to the Vintage Cupcake Tearoom where two Rocky Road cupcakes were ordered. Alice also selected their special Victorian lemonade as something different to try. Alas it was not really to her taste - certainly very sharp and lemony - very different from the colourless fizzy lemonade usually on offer. (Mike enjoyed the second half of the bottle!)

Finally time to return to the boat just in time as some dark black clouds appeared over the horizon and heavy rain quickly followed. A DVD filled in the gap before it was dinner time!

11 miles - 5 locks