Sunday June 17th, Walsden - Todmorden

Yesterday was just a catalogue of downpour after downpour of almost Biblical proportions, accompanied by gale force winds. Glad we’re not on a time schedule, but really feel for those boaters who had to move, like the Shire Cruisers’ hirers we met near Rochdale last week.

Today, by contrast has been quite good – plenty of sunshine and a breeze, becoming overcast at times. At least it hasn’t rained and we’re now sitting back relaxing with the doors and windows open.

Under way quite late for us at 8.30, today has been little more than a ladder of locks with me walking all the way, only getting on board to get the lump hammer and mooring pins to tie up with! My hamstrings are certainly feeling it!

Nip Square Lock - why is it called that????

Starting from Walsden our first lock was Nip Square Lock. I’d love to know the story behind that name. The locks come thick and fast, 12 today in just 2 miles to Todmorden. It seems they thin out a bit tomorrow onwards for the journey down through Hebden Bridge to Sowerby Bridge.

Mill at Walsden

At times a fast flowing stream ran alongside and slightly below canal level with just the towpath in between. With the rain of the past few days, there was plenty of fresh in the stream, as indeed there was in the canal with water pouring over gates at both ends at times. Overflow weirs from the canal into the stream were working overtime and at one point the towpath is carried over the open overflow weir by a line of raised planks.

The scenery is full of interest with terraces running down to the canal on both sides interspersed with the occasional mill or factory building. The railway and main road run parallel, but never intrude on the relationship between stream and canal.

Canal warehouse at Gauxholme

At Gauxholme, the towpath changes sides and the canal starts to veer away from the generally northern direction it has followed thus far, veering slightly to the east as it hurries down three locks more closely spaced than usual. There is a lovely old converted canal warehouse at the start of the locks, which are interrupted by a wonderfully castellated railway bridge.

Gauxholme Railway Bridge

After two more closely spaced locks, the day’s longest pound leads us into Todmorden, famous amongst other things for the Great Wall of Tod – a huge brick retaining wall towering above the offside of the canal to hold up the railway and the town’s former good’s yard. Nicholson’s Guide notes an estimate of over 4 million bricks were used to build it. I’m not about to disagree.

The Great Wall of Tod

Todmorden or Library Lock is a strange one, in that road widening at the road immediately below has resulted in a guillotine gate being provided at the tail. It’s a bit off-putting as the paddle gear (manual) is on one side and the mechanism (electric) for raising and lowering the gate is on the other.

Here also the towpath changes sides again, although there is access for crew to get to the sanitary station on the far side. Here we pulled in to top up the water, empty the loo and get rid of the rubbish.

Just one more lock to work, and then we pulled in for the day. We shall do a bit of shopping today (Morrison’s for essentials), but will remain here tomorrow to properly explore what everyone tells us is a lovely little town, and do some more food shopping at the market.

Mooring at Todmorden

The scenery has again been superb, well wooded, nice buildings (both residential and industrial) and more good views of the hills. Ahead of us at our mooring we have a fine view of Stoodley Pike on top of its hill, looking for all the world like a rocket about to take off. It was in fact erected to commemorate The Battle of Waterloo and the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815.

Looking towards Stoodley Pike