Friday 20 November 2015

Stats for 2015; highest, longest, deepest ….

We have been out seven times this year, with trips of between 11 miles (our last trip this year) and 108 miles (Anderton to Swanley via Llangollen) and lasting between 6 and 20 days (South Pennine ring). We’ve spent 4 fewer days on board than last year and travelled fewer miles with fewer locks, but have been on more new waterways.     

Huddersfield Narrow canal, near Marsden, June13 rising up 40E

We’ve had too much water …… Todmorden lock, Rochdale canal, June

19 top gates lock 19

and too little.  Clayton top lock, Ashton canal, May

19 low top pound clayton

We have experienced the deepest narrow lock in the UK (Vinegar lock on the Ashton), deepest broad lock (Tuel Lane on the Rochdale), and traversed the highest summits in England and Wales; the Rochdale is the highest broad canal (600’) and the Huddersfield Narrow the highest narrow canal (645’).

1 highest lock in england

We have been through three tunnels over a mile and a half long, including Standedge, the highest, deepest and longest tunnel in the UK.  Other firsts for us were guillotine lock gates, chain-operated lock gates, the Anderton Boat Lift and the Calder and Hebble Spike!

Anderton boat lift, July

27 boat lift

  Using the Calder and Hebble spike, Salterhebble locks, June17d spike

Miles (approx): 513

Narrow locks: 378, broad locks: 126, large (river) locks: 8

Moveable bridges: 48 including those fixed open

Major aqueducts: Pontcysyllte and Chirk

Tunnels; 33 including Harecastle (2919 yards), Preston Brook (1239 yards), Standedge (5698 yards), Wast Hills (2726 yards).

Days on board: 94

Waterways

Grand Union, North Oxford, Coventry, Birmingham and Fazeley, Trent and Mersey. Bridgewater*, Rochdale*, Ashton*, Calder and Hebble Navigation*, Huddersfield Broad*, Huddersfield Narrow*, River Weaver*, Shropshire Union, Middlewich Branch, Llangollen, Worcester and Birmingham, Droitwich Junction.  Birmingham Canal Navigations; Main Line, Wolverhampton Level, Wyrley and Essington* (part), Walsall*.

* indicates new waterways for us.

Moored at Devil’s Garden near Big Wood, River Weaver, July

devils garden

Marinas stayed at

Calcutt, Aston, Droylsden, Anderton, Swanley, Droitwich Spa.

Next year - north, south, east …?

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