NB Zindagi: Tunnels, Hills and Lots of Locks!

Plan? What Plan?

When we started out in 2007, we had a vague idea of the main places we wanted to go first, and then worked out where we might go after that. Our plans have been flexible, to say the least, and we like it that way!

In 2007, though we started up in Lancashire, we headed south and spent spent most of our time exploring some of the waterways in the south of the UK – but not all of them!

In 2008, we headed north and stayed there for most of the year, heading southwards in November to moor up in Blisworth Marina for the first time. After that, it became our usual winter 'home' until early 2013.

2009 found us fitting our cruising around Val's replacement knee joint operations in January and July. They were very successful! In the Spring, we went down the Nene to the River Great Ouse and the Cambridgeshire Fens. After the second op, and more recovery time in Blisworth, we set off for the Kennet and Avon Canal, via Braunston, the southern Oxford Canal, Oxford and the Thames.

An eventful time on the K & A, and a magnificent frosty journey back up the Thames from Reading to Oxford – and we entered 2010.

To start with, largely immobile in Aynho and Blisworth, but then we headed north-east via Leicester and Nottingham to the River Trent, from which we branched off wherever we could, down to Lincoln and Boston and back, then along the Chesterfield Canal and back before leaving the Trent on our way to Rotherham and Sheffield.

Then north and west over the Pennines by the Rochdale Canal, down to Manchester and then via the Macclesfield, Trent & Mersey and Staffs & Worcs Canals south to near Wolverhampton, via Birmingham and on down to the Severn at Worcester. Right down to Sharpness, then back up to Stourport, to head up the Staffs. & Worcs. Canal near to Wolverhampton again.

Blisworth again for the winter, then in the spring of 2011 we took a trip down the Grand Union to London, through and out the other side to the Lee and Stort – and slowly back! Then over to the Stratford Avon and up the Severn to visit the newly re-opened Droitwich Canals.

By boat to London for Jeremy and Laura's wedding in October 2011, then back to our 'second home' in Blisworth for the winter, enjoying a little more involvement with Christian folks there, too.

In 2012 we started by heading north again to see the Caldon Canal in the Spring, then changed our plans and decided to cross the Pennines again - up and down the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and then back over the Leeds & Liverpool to the Bridgewater. Our proposed visit to the 'Shroppie' and the Llangollen followed on after that – beautiful countryside on the way and once we were there.

Then onto the southern section of the 'Shroppie' and from there the Staffs. & Worcs. – we decided not to go down to Stourport but turned north again to Great Haywood, then south via the Trent & Mersey to the River Trent and then the the River Soar – up to Leicester.

From there, we dawdled back towards Blisworth for the winter again. The folks at the marina were expecting us on 5th November 2012, and we just managed to avoid being there early!

January 2013 saw us move back to the land in Lapford, and very little 'boat-related activity' until October 2014, when we moved Zindagi onto the 11-mile long Grand Western Canal near Tiverton in Devon. 3 years there gave us the opportunity to carry out some needed maintenance, but we did very little cruising!

The future? Well, as you can see, we moved Zindagi back onto the main national canal system in early October 2017. Just those couple of days gave us a fresh taste of enjoying life on board – almost like old times!

So, we hope to get out for some more trips, hopefully sometimes with friends, re-exploring some of our old haunts. Looks like there may be some interest from the younger members of the family, too. Lots of different routes to follow from Hatherton! Only about 3 hours drive to get there from Lapford – not too bad!

Saturday, June 09, 2012

Tunnels, Hills and Lots of Locks!

Coming down from the Caldon Canal and back into the edge of Stoke-on-Trent in the second week of May, we headed north-west on the Trent & Mersey and came to Harecastle Tunnel. Probably the first canal tunnel we ever went through, back in the late 70s, before the old half-sunken towpath had been removed, forcing us to scrape the roof of our hire boat – they were very understanding! No such problems now, despite the wildly varying headroom. Zindagi's chimney had to be detached but the rooftop garden was OK.

A Peacock butterfly near Kidsgrove, where we turned off up the Macclesfield Canal.

Val operating the 'stop lock' at Hall Green. Just a 1 ft rise, originally to stop one canal company 'stealing' water from another! All the other locks on the 'Macc' are grouped together at Bosley, 10 miles further on.

Some beautiful stone bridges on this canal –

. . . and a good parade of goslings!

One of several 'snake' bridges on the Macc, this one at Congleton. How to get your towing horse to the towpath on the other side of the canal, but without disconnecting the rope!

A late traveller coming down Bosley locks as we went for an evening stroll,

and Zindagi getting near the top of the flight the next morning. 12 locks - 120 feet rise, then another 16 miles of lock-free cruising (and dawdling) before we reached Marple towards the end of May.

Beautiful countryside, beautiful weather - at last!

Of course, having climbed up 120 feet at Bosley, at Marple we now needed to go DOWN 214 feet! 16 locks this time, bringing us down to Ashton-under-Lyne and the junction with the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Between Ashton and Huddersfield there are 74 locks in just 20 miles. This is the second one, on the outskirts of Ashton, complete with old mill chimney and the Pennines looming beyond.

Eight locks behind us and the hills ahead. A beautiful canal, with its own special challenges – mainly shallow water and frequent running aground, apart from so many locks. Some people who travel this route say 'never again!'

Not us! We came this way in 2008 and thought we would sample it again this year. The little Scout Tunnel may be only 205 yards long, but you can clearly see the rough rock face. A foretaste of a tunnel to come!

Flag irises nearby – only just coming out at the end of May.

Climbing up this valley which used to be filled with mills and industry . . . Much of that has gone now, but there are growing and apparently thriving towns all the way, like here in the outskirts of Mossley.

Spring seemed to be reaching the pine trees, as we walked in the woods opposite our mooring near Roaches Lock.

But then the weather changed as we move further up the hills – lashing Pennine rain!

The railway line had been alongside us all the way from Ashton-under-Lyne, sharing the climb up towards Standedge. Here the Saddleworth Viaduct soars above the canal . . .

. . . but we had our own climbing to do! The flight of 9 locks at Diggle would take us right up to the highest level navigable canal in the UK, 645 feet above sea level.

Despite our studious dawdling, we had arrived early for our passage through Standedge Tunnel, but it was worth a brisk walk up to see other boats at the Diggle portal, waiting to go through that day. Dateline: 1st June. Our encounter with Standedge was booked for the 4th!