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The trip got even more exciting!
Who was it that said west is best, east is bad? Well, we had our fair share of challenges as we continued east down to Huddersfield through the eastern locks of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.
Waterside Lock (21E) in Slaithwaite was reconstructed west of the old lock and once out of the lock the remains of the old one are visible. The new lock allowed the canal to pass under Platt Lane Bridge, without the need for an humped back bridge.
Many of the eastern pounds were low and this is one of the reasons - leaky gates, as here in Spot Lock 20E
We passed derelict Mills; this one was above Highest Westwood Lock (17E). Westwood Mill may the the oldest surviving of the woollen mills (now sadly derelict) in the Colne Valley. The earliest part was built in 1798.
Lowest Westwood Lock (16E) was in a lovely situation, just below Linthwaite as the Colne Valley opens out.
 Geese at the lock with the railway just visible above
Looking back, the restored 1912 steam powered Titanic Mill is now residential apartments, including a Spa!
 Looking back at Linthwaite
After the restored Golcar Aqueduct, we had a major challenge.
Golcar Aqueduct
We passed a narrowboat going up just as we left Ramsden Lowest Lock (13E). They warned us that the narrowboats ahead of us (there were at least four) had real trouble at Rough Holme Lock (12 E) at Milnsbridge. So forewarned is forearmed as we approached!
The water level in the lock was the problem. It did not equalise with the water level above where we were waiting, because only the nearside paddle was working. John checked the bottom paddles were shut - but the water was pouring out of the gates more quickly than it was filling from the top. A bit more patience and John pushed again, and again and again!
I called BW to advise them of the problem and they said they would send someone out. This was our second call of the day as we had reported that one of the paddles on a previous lock was broken.
Then we decided to try the method that one of the other boats had apparently tried (according to our passing narrowboat who had used the power of his boat to push the gate open). John tied our bow rope to the end of the gate and I reversed on full throttle - eureka, the gate began to open slowly!
John was able to push the gate open then and finally, after about 20 minutes, I was able to get into the lock.
 In Rough Holme Lock at last
11 locks down - 10 to go and under 3 miles too ........
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