Last Legs

 

Friday 19th. September.

Another grey misty morning sees us making a leisurely exit from Broad Cut on the last few miles of our epic voyage. It's strange cruising under the M1 after so often driving over the top!

Sandal Castle appears, through the mist, on the right and we lock down onto the River Calder once more.

Entering  Wakefield we are treated to a very different view of the city.

 

Through the flood lock near the Hepworth, past the new Waterfront developments, Ruddy Duck & up to Fall Ings, our very last lock! 

 

 Sadly this lock, which was always hard to operate, has not improved over the past 7 years, bit like me really!

The final couple of miles, around the back of Heath & Eastmoor, slip past. The boat likes rivers, plenty of water, & really kicks on.

 

 

 

So that's it, Stanley Ferry aqueduct, built after the style of Sydney harbour bridge, comes into view & we've arrived!

 

 

 

Hope you've enjoyed the trip, probably a little more than we did!  It was relentless, hard work & often frustrating but .....    WE DID IT!!!

Navigation bound

 

Thursday 18th. September.

 

It's out of Brighouse Basin, on a grey & murky morning & into the land of the ubiquitous 'Handspike'  a fiendish device, like a baseball bat, used to operate the unique Calder & Hebble  lock gear.

 

We pass the entrance to the Huddersfield Broad canal at Cooper Bridge and

 

 

continue through Battyford to Mirfield, stopping for lunch & a quick trip to the CO_OP.

 

Shepley Bridge is rather pretty and takes us down onto the river through Dewsbury then in & out of cuts to

 

 

Horbury Bridge & Calder Grove where we moor up for our last overnight stop at the Navigation. An old friend joins us for a cuppa & I fetch fish & chip for supper!

 

 

In search of the brass band.

Wednesday 17th.September.

Another bright day. It's beginning to feel familiar around here even though it's been nearly 9 years since we boated here.

 

At the Halifax arm we stop for water in Salterhebble Basin where we dog-leg through 3 locks, the lower one having an electric guillotine gate.

 

Through Elland next, then we attempt to stop for lunch at the Colliers Arms but sadly it seems to have closed down. So we take advantage of their benches & the sunshine & eat our own sarnies!

 

By 2:30  we arrive in Brighouse Basin. It's market day so we have a wander around although, in common with most small towns, the stalls are dwindling.

Back at the mooring I annoy some kids who are chillin' after school & chat to some of the residential boaters.