Monday July 2nd, Walsden - below Longlees Lock, East Summit moorings

After yesterday’s horror story, today wouldn’t have to much better to be success. Thankfully it was better, although the weather has again been bl**dy awful for July.

Winterbutlee Lock

Progress today was largely trouble-free and we were soon into our stride on a grey, cool morning which, so the weather forecast promised, held more rain for us.

Winterbutlee Lock (what a lovely name) was soon negotiated as were the plague of black slugs that inhabited the lock sides, no doubt encouraged by the wet weather.

Short beams at Lightbank Lock

At Lightbank Lock, there are short balance beams on the bottom gates. A track serves as access to a lovely cottage on the other side and crosses by a bridge at the lock tail. Because the track is so narrow and the turn onto the bridge so acute, the balance beams have to be shorter. To help open them, a curious rack & pinion mechanism is used wound by a windlass placed horizontally on top of the spindle. Elaine had difficulty in getting the gate shut (it had opened all right) and I had to climb up the lock ladder to give her a hand.

Desirable property at Lightbank Lock

The scenery today almost defies description. It is superlative. We had seen it before as we came in the opposite direction, but you see it all from a different perspective when you turn round and do it the opposite way. The hills really close in around the canal, yet despite the almost precipitous sides, there are houses, cottages and barns all clinging to the slopes. The road continues to run alongside, but the railway has chickened out passing under in the long Summit Tunnel.

The rain, which had been holding off, now started. At first it was just short and intermittent bouts of light drizzle, but gradually the bouts got closer together and finally coalesced into permanent mizzle.

The next two locks are very close together – Sands Lock & Bottomley Lock. The former had one almost impossible to open top paddle and Elaine’s plans for going up to the second lock were put on hold as she struggled to get the paddle up.

The longest pound of the day then followed – not that that means much as we only travelled a mile in total today, before we arrived at Warland Lower Lock. Again, the two Warland Locks are separated by a very short pound that when we arrived was extremely low. Mud and rocks were clearly visible at the sides.

Once we had filled the Lower Lock (and made the intervening pound even shallower) and opened the gate I decided to stay in the lock chamber whilst Elaine went on to empty the Upper Lock to let more water into the pound. When she had done so and opened the gate, I very gingerly exited the Lower Lock and made a very cautious journey towards the Upper Lock. Sadly my progress was stalled just before the lock when the bottom became too near the top and progress stalled.

There was nothing for it but to open a top paddle at the Upper Lock and run some water straight through to raise the level. This did the trick and it wasn’t long before the bows visibly rose and we could get under way again and into the lock.

Once through, we only had my nemesis of the outward journey – Warland Gate Swing Bridge. This was where I had my Homer Simpson moment of that particular day and tried to open the bridge the wrong way. Fortunately it was Elaine doing it today and she got it right first time!

Moorings just below Longlees Lock, the East Summit lock

Just beyond are the visitor moorings just below Longlees Lock and the summit. We are booked to go over the top tomorrow and start the descent back to Manchester.

Sccenery approaching the summit

We were glad to tie up and get inside.  We have travelled just 6 locks and a single measly mile in distance today. But it has, at least, been an infinitely more satisfying day than yesterday. The scenery has just got better and better and we will start the descent tomorrow.

Fortunately it will be an easier operation than the uphill locks. 

Working a single boat uphill through broad locks is a time-consuming business if you want to be careful about your boat. First you have to get the boat tight into the side of the lock as you enter and then get a centre rope up to be tied to a bollard. The top paddle has to be raised very gently to try and keep the boat into the side and this all takes time.

Going downhill there is hardly any of the turbulence caused in an uphill lock, and paddles can be raised fully virtually straight away, making things so much quicker.

We will take an extra day going back. The second day on the outward journey from the outskirts of Failsworth all the way to Littleborough was almost too much for two geriatrics like us. We will now put an extra overnight stop in at Slattocks.