A quick excursion off the main line

Monday, 21 September 2009 09:56

So - where were we?

On the Calder and Hebble Navigation, in the top lock of the Salterhebble locks. Should we turn right or left?

Left is towards Sowerby ("So-er-bee") Bridge

Right is down the Salterhebble Branch (or, as the sign says, the Halifax Arm) and Nicholson says there are " visitor and long term moorings and a range of boaters facilities". (Nicholson's italics, not mine!). So despite warnings from gongoozlers that the wind was in the wrong direction and that the smell of the sewage works would follow us there, we turned right under Wakefield Road Bridge.

It is a short Branch - less that half a mile - and we soon approached the long term moorings on the right. On the left was what looked like a lock.

View down the branch

On closer inspection it was lock gates

Through which were private moorings, to the right of the "lock" were moorings - but notices stated that mooring was "by prior arrangement with the Premier Inn". These mooring were almost full. So where were the visitor moorings?

There was one scruffy mooring vacant at the end - but again it was "by prior arrangement".

Mooring at end

So, no BW visitor moorings and we didn't feel inclined to moor  "by prior arrangement". Where were the boaters facilities anyway?

We winded in the strangely shaped winding hole at the end to comments from the "pub" customers - 'that's a large boat!' It suddenly struck me that we are a large boat - most boats that "live" on the Calder and Hebble are smaller so they fit the locks! Also probably most visiting boats do not venture down the branch!

The end of the Salterhebble Branch

Back we went and headed towards Sowerby and the last stretch of the Calder and Hebble main line. There were no more locks to negotiate and the canal wanders along a green leafy cutting with hills on the towpath side over the river. It reminded us of the Llangollen at times. (I almost expected to see you Rich, coming towards us - ha ha!)

We passed under a splendid railway viaduct

The blue skies and this house gave us Spanish memories!

Soon we saw Sowerby Bridge in the distance

The canal becomes enclosed by the remains of old industry - much of it demolished with only the first storey walls by the canal still standing. It is almost eerie.

However new housing is rising from the ruins

The BW "Sowerby Bridge Visitor Moorings" have about four rings, hopelessly spaced and the Yorkshire Electricity signs say don't use mooring stakes. Duh! Anyway, we were warned away by a boater who was temporarily moored there. He told us that all the "smack heads" congregate there and that if we were lucky we would be able to moor in Sowerby Bridge Basin.

Looking ahead to the end of the Calder and Hebble in the basin there were no moorings available. So we hived off left onto - wait for it - The Rochdale Canal! There are a few so called short-term moorings before the two Sowerby Bridge locks. We were lucky - just one left and just our size!

So here we are, moored on the Rochdale, anticipating the best, once we set off! However, we have a bit of exploring to do first and will stay for a day or so.

Calder and Hebble Navigation, Cromwell to Sowerby Bridge - 4 hours 22 minutes, 4.76 miles, 7 locks