Wandering Canuck

Pat and Kerry Coxen arrived today, starting their new adventures in retirement, in Britain. We’ve travelled before and have always planned to make Wandering Canuck our travel base for shared adventures for a while. I’ve had a few days of rain, mist and unsettled weather since Anne and Mike left, but P&K brought the sunshine again. Thanks goodness for guests and people to bring the sun!

Yesterday I made the odyssey to fetch the car from Huddersfield. I took the train that ran right along the canal I had travelled over the past 2 weeks. Quite a different perspective at 100mph! I went through Standedge tunnel, in minutes rather than the 1.5h by boat! I then drove back across the moors above the tunnels, in the fog, mist and wind. It really made the moors have a wild atmospheric feel!

the Cheshire plain from Mow Cop looking north

We shopped and prepped for the journey ahead, deciding that going south on the Trent and Mersey made the most sense at this time. Therefore, the Harecastle tunnel is next on the adventure list! We also drove to the top of Mow (rhymes with cow) Cop, where there is a folly built in the 18th century. It is a fake ruin, built by Randle Wilberham. It is also the site where the Primitive Methodists were founded. Strange, but spectacular views of the Cheshire plain, and with the Welsh hills in the far distance. A great beginning to our adventures.

Mow Cop rocks with the Cheshire plain in the background

the imitation ruins on Mow Cop with Pat and Kerry

Finished the Peak Forest Canal this evening, and what an experience. The canal is perched on the edge of steep hills, and provides great views throughout. We went to Whaley Bridge overnight, and moored in a very noisy basin (busy road right beside) but had a great time exploring the pubs of the village. We then went to Bugsworth Basin, which is a very well restored trans-shipment point for limestone and gritstone: both essential materials for the industrial activities of the area. The canal was important in the shipment of these heavy goods, and carried more than a million tonnes of them over 50 years.

We had our first rain, which had been threatening for a couple of days. The pictures of the valley scenery are all misty and grey- not the best, but very interesting for us to view.

one of the last locks on the Huddersfield Narrow

Mike learning about lift bridges on the Peak Forest Canal

Anne doing the same!

Mike demonstrating skill in steering the boat

Marple aquaduct and viaduct behind

another tunnel- this one with towpath and lots of room

Virginia creeper beginning to change to the scarlet colour of fall

We’re on our way on the Macclesfield Canal, towards that town, and then probably further, depending on time. We’ve made good progress and might get to Scholar Green before Anne and Mike need to return to Saskatchewan. The weather is decidedly beginning to feel like fall, though the bright sunny breaks does cause peeling of jackets. The leaves are just starting to turn and fall, creating a coating on the water (and on the prop of the boat!).  

the end of the Huddersfield locks, all 74!

our lock experts

Marple junction at the start of the Macclesfield canal

Anne and Mike arrived, and we spent the first day exploring Huddersfield, and going to the National Coal Mining Museum.

National Coal Mining Museum near Huddersfield

The mine museum was great, and included an underground tour of the actual mine works. Very different than mine tours in Canada, (where H&S means that everything is so coccooned and protected, you really have no understanding of the conditions that miners worked in). Coal mining was especially brutal, with whole families working ‘the pits’ from about age 7. Those laws changed over the years from about 1850, and by 1950, conditions had improved somewhat: showers were provided at the mine! The last pit ponies were taken from the mines in 1994!

The weather continues spectacular, though mornings are cool. We set off from Aspley basin through a very low road tunnel (chimney off!), and then through the first narrow lock I have done since the spring. Mike was somewhat surprised at how narrow the approaches really are.

Aspley basin in Huddersfield. Note the sky!

We continued up 17 locks to moor in very shallow conditions, beside one of the only fully converted former textile mills. This one is now apartments and an hotel/spa. Quite impressive. There are many more that are derelict (see posts from late June along the Bridgewater canal). We will continue to approach Marsden, with a total of 42 locks before we go through the Standedge Tunnel on Monday. There will be a great deal more about that in the coming days.

Titanic Mill, now converted for residential and hotel/spa use

the first lock for Anne and Mike!

narrow overgrown lock approach on Huddersfield Narrow Canal

Huddersfield Narrow canal setting