Coast To Coast canoe route

[Frogsider]

I spotted this in The Guardian online.  Wondered if anyone else did and if it might be a suitable route for an ambitious HBBR event?

I don't have a canoe - and I live in France, but I could build one and cartop it to Liverpool.  Or perhaps I should look for a completely different project nearer to home!

Patrick  

[momist]

That is a lovely article, thank you.  

However, do not ignore the hints of the problems encountered.  I took my 22 foot sailing cruiser (bilge keels, sans mast) from Tarleton on the Rufford Branch through as far as Skipton (and back) many years ago.   It was thoroughly enjoyable, but I do recognise the reference to the plumage on the shopping trolleys.  The portion prior to Wigan proved trying, with lots of mud and the stink of oil and sewage.  After four days travel we ended up returning to within 5 miles of home, having climbed 22 locks within a mile and a half on Wigan flight.  Passing through the back end of Blackburn we were shot at with an air gun of some kind - we never actually saw the attacker.  Later the hostile natives pelted us with stones and whatever missiles they could find, none were over 8 years old.  Near Rishton we ran aground on what seemed to be an engine block that someone had dropped over the bridge parapet, to see the big splash.

On the return journey, we were attacked by a fellow boater.  She emerged from the waterside pub somewhat unsteadily and followed us, on the tow-path, for over a mile hurling insults and abuse at us and threatening to throw my wife and child "in t'f_ckingcut!"  Our crime?  We had come down the lock, leaving it empty, while she was quaffing her ale and she would now have to either wait for a boat ascending, or fill an empty lock which is regarded as a minor sin.

The stretch from Barnoldswick through Skipton is truly lovely, but you are still a very long way from having crossed even half of the UK, and that took us 8 days using an engine.  How long a paddling/rowing trip would take is mind-boggling.

[Frogsider]

That sounds awful!    Maybe it would be better to start at the other end and stop before you get to Lancashire?  

I think I'll give up on the whole idea and find a river or canal to explore in France instead.  Less chance of getting shot or stoned by the natives.

Patrick

[GregHBBR]

Hi Patrick,

Frogsider wrote

That sounds awful!

The key phrase to quote may be "many years ago".

Much has changed on the English Canals over the last few years, with many town centres much gentrified and "improved".

I did the Lancaster Canal, Ribble Link, Rufford Branch and Leeds and Liverpool through to the Bingley Five Rise in 2003 and the L&L again in 2008. All was sweetness and light.

[momist]

Fair point Greg.  Working it out, that was over 35 years ago - where has all that time gone?  We did that canal trip when I first bought the sailing cruiser, a Westerly 22, because I had spent all my money and could not afford charts, flares etc. to make it safe to take to sea.  The sailing proper started the following year.

[Chris Waite]

I read a magazine called The Week

It is a condensation of the preceding seven days worth of newspapers and I can recommend it for that alone, but one of the sections is on Travel and in the latest issue, it suggests crossing the North of England by canoe.

The route runs from Liverpool docks to the Humber Estuary - 150 miles and can be found on

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/

.... if you can work out where to look.  I'm afraid I rather gave up after ten minutes of being offered a job, or to volunteer, or donate, but I am sure someone with a quicker mind and fingers than mine could make sense of it.

Sounds like a good game for a couple of weeks.  Of course I do need a preceding year or so

To build my Peduloyh-driven River Raider

Remember Curvy Mabel  

The PRRB?

 

Christo von W

[Timmo]

That sounds like a good trip.

The map (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network) on the canalrivertrust site shows two possible routes. 

One is Leeds Liverpool canal and then the Aire & Calder Main Line to the Humber Estuary, the other could be the Manchaster Ship canal to the heart of Manchester then the Ashton, Huddersfield Narrow, and Rochdale canals to connect up with the Aire & Calder Main Line again for the last bit. 

The first option looks longer but also looks like it contours more and therefore has fewer, locks. Still plenty though. The second route has at least two massive flights of locks up and down the Pennines and a 5km tunnel at the top (very scary places when in a boat that a wayward narrow boat can crush in a second.) I think it would have to be the first of those two routes.

Let me know when the pedalyuloh raider is ready and I'm in. Excellent challenge.

Curvy Mabel looks a good starting point. She can be long enough to go well, carry kit and have space to sleep aboard (that last being a real help when on canals where mooring is totally accepted while camping ashore is not catered for and is at best tolerated and sometimes actively discouraged.) Also has a nice flat mid section so you can stand up and walk around without risk of tipping. Handy when climbing in and out using ladders in deep locks.

Any sort of deck planned to create dry storage and reduce the area a tent has to cover?

Tim.

On 12 Oct 2015, at 13:05, Chris Waite [via UK HBBR Forum] <[hidden email]> wrote:

I read a magazine called The Week

It is a condensation of the preceding seven days worth of newspapers and I can recommend it for that alone, but one of the sections is on Travel and in the latest issue, it suggests crossing the North of England by canoe.

The route runs from Liverpool docks to the Humber Estuary - 150 miles and can be found on

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/

.... if you can work out where to look.  I'm afraid I rather gave up after ten minutes of being offered a job, or to volunteer, or donate, but I am sure someone with a quicker mind and fingers than mine could make sense of it.

Sounds like a good game for a couple of weeks.  Of course I do need a preceding year or so

To build my Peduloyh-driven River Raider

Remember Curvy Mabel  

The PRRB?

 

Christo von W

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[GregHBBR]

Chris Waite wrote

I read a magazine called The Week

It is a condensation of the preceding seven days worth of newspapers

Isn't this the same thing that was discussed earlier?

[Timmo]

Looks the same to me. I'd missed that earlier exchange.

Want to merge the threads?

On 12 Oct 2015, at 15:00, GregHBBR [via UK HBBR Forum] <[hidden email]> wrote:

Chris Waite wrote

I read a magazine called The Week

It is a condensation of the preceding seven days worth of newspapers

Isn't this the same thing that was discussed earlier?

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If you reply to this email, your message will be added to the discussion below:

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[Chris Waite]

Now listen here Gregory

When you live with one foot in the Channel, anywhere North of the Thames might as well be deep space.  I wouldn't know the Rufford Branch from Hadrian's wall, (unless I was allowed to study the cross-section).

How do you get a pocket cruiser down something

That will only take a canoe?

Christo von W.

[momist]

Hey Christo - The Leeds-Liverpool canal is one of those wider than normal canals.  Up ere in Lancashire we built to last.  Th'cut was made wide enough so we could use our short boats and butties, the Lancashire short boat being a bit shorter than your usual canal barge, but twice as wide, so it held more and shifted more weight and volume for each trip, and still turn round in a small winding hole.

The Rufford branch leaves the main line before it reaches Liverpool, and goes off down the valley of the River Douglas, until near where it joins the Ribble Estuary, just a bit south of Preston near a place called Tarleton.  That's where I kept my sailing cruiser (Westerley 22) too many years ago.