Tuesday July 3rd, Longlees Lock, Western Summit, to Benthouse Lock 46, Littleborough

Woo-Hoo! Red letter day today. We didn’t get wet! That’s right; our wet weather gear came out in the morning as a matter of routine and was soon put away again!

Longlees Lock, looking east

We had a later start today as we knew Ray, the summit lockkeeper, wouldn’t be around until at least 8.30. As it happened, it was nearer 9.00 as he brought two boats up from the moorings below the western summit lock where we had tied up on our outward journey.

Longlees Lock looking west

We were soon through Longlees Lock and heading across the summit, admiring the wonderful scenery all around us. Ray stayed behind to let up the two hotel boats (Bywaters Holiday Cruises) who had tied up behind us yesterday afternoon.

We waited at the East summit lock for Ray to catch us up. We thought that the paddles had been padlocked, but as he smilingly told us, one side could have been worked! Anyway, we’re glad we waited as we wanted to get the obligatory certificate to prove that we had cruised across the summit not once, but twice!

We set off down the locks towards Littleborough partly assisted by Ray. The movement of water between these closely spaced locks has to be judged quite finely if locksides are not to flood, and with the amount of rain we have had recently there is certainly plenty of water!

The sides of two of the locks have settled a bit and are only wide enough for one boat so the hotel boats had to separate and the butty had to be bowhauled through.

There were copious amounts of water flowing over top gates and then cascading over the bottom gates so it was bl**dy hard to get the top gates open.  And no matter how hard we tried, the lock surrounds at a couple of locks did end up under water.

It’s all the fault of the dastardly Rochdale Canal Company who, in the sad days of the canal’s dereliction, was all too eager to sell off the canal’s infrastructure if they could make a quick buck. Accordingly, the large side pond adjacent to 1^st Below Punchbowl Lock was sold to the adjacent mill company to make a car park (typical) and the widened pound on the off side also sold off. The lock itself was filled in and the whole area graded.

This is also the shortest pound in the Littleborough flight, and when there is plenty of water the lack of overflow areas means it floods the lock surrounds and towpath.

Anyway, we eventually sloshed our way through, with Ray holding the hotel pair back so when they let water out of a lock, it didn’t overflow into ours.

Looking down from Pike House Lock

Within a few minutes, though, we were through the short pounds and the water situation eased. Once through the mill complex that surrounds Thickone and Sladen Locks, we were back out into the countryside and having to walk a bit further between locks.

Scenery on the Littleborough flight

When we were on the outward journey we noticed the old loading dock immediately above Lock 46, Benthouse Lock. Whilst Elaine took the boat into the lock, I took the boat pole to check for depth and found it was actually quite deep. It is fitted with bollards and so is evidently meant as a mooring.

Mooring above Benthouse Lock, in old loading arm

So, we reversed out of the lock and swung round into the short arm and found it perfect for mooring.

Not a drop of rain whilst cruising today, which is a miracle. Indeed, we actually had bursts of quite bright and warm sunshine from time to time. However, after we had finished lunch, it started to mizzle again.

Tomorrow we shall bid farewell to the hills. They have been our constant companion for the last couple of weeks now, and we shall miss them. As I have constantly said, the scenery has been magnificent and I consider it to be the best we have encountered on our waterway travels. It all turns rather humdrum and urban now with the delights of Rochdale and Castleton tomorrow.

Deep Joy!