Over the Rochdale Summit

Monday, 12 October 2009 19:08

And what an experience - capped by Fi's home-coming!

I woke up to a glorious outlook, and having readied the boat, made the sandwiches for lunch, emptied Bottomley Lock (33) and set off, I sat with Gypsy Rover in the said lock waiting for Ray, the BW lock-keeper. He duly arrived at 2 minutes to 9, explained the order for the day, and unlocked the top paddles, so we could fill the lock.

The scenery was absolutely stunning - the pictures cannot really do it justice - especially as they were taken by the helmsman (However they have been edited by the first mate, who, thankfully has now joined me on board, together with the other "agency crew", our dear friend Carolyn, from Banbury). By the time we reached Lock 34, Gail and Richard had arrived as extra crew for the day, and Bill later acted as Swing Bridge attendant at Warland. Thanks all!

Ray had warned us that we would encounter some empty pounds, and he was, of course, not wrong. The photos shows what was an empty pound, being filled from the pound above - with the top gates of the lock opened and the one bottom paddle opened fully: only to be done by BW lockies in extremis! Ray was brilliant - a great BW employee. I also enjoyed talking to the other BW lengthsman, who passed on some interseting information about the canal, but sadly didn't pick up his name. Thanks both!

Eventually we arrived beyond Littleborough Bottom Lock (46),  at Littleborough - a useful village with moorings for two narrowboats, a train station, two supermarkets, some shops and bed, breakfast and evening meal for us in our own home!

I took quite a lot of pictures, and have uploaded some more of them to our Rochdale Photo Gallery. Have a look if you have the time and inclination:

Click on the camera:

Rochdale Canal, Bottomley Lock to Littleborough - 5 hours 37minutes 3.22 miles 16 Locks