Rochdale Canal

Hebden Bridge to Sowerby Bridge - 17th July 2016

Rochdale Canal, Mytholmroyd

I had a wish to walk whole of the Rochdale Canal and one day in July I decided to pursue this.

I did the 5.5 mile canal walk from Hebden Bridge to Sowerby Bridge (just after Tuel Locks and will walk the remaining yards when I plan to walk the Calder and Hebble Navigation) which took in Mytholmroyd and Luddenden Foot. 

I had nice weather (though a bit too warm at the end) to guide me. The canal stretch is interesting; scenic with historic links in places but in some places rather overgrown and could do with some tender loving care (particularly between Mytholmroyd and Luddenden Foot). The Rochdale Canal is aligned along the main roads and railway which makes easy planning for starting and finishing the walk.  Still 25+ miles to go!

Mytholmroyd to Todmorden - 31st July 2016

Rochdale Canal, Hebden Bridge

This canal stretch is interesting particularly through Hebden Bridge town centre - which was the busiest stretch on the walk.  I noted that considerable restoration has been done on the canal following the devastating floods of 2015 that affected the local area.

One stretch of the canal, on the outskirts of Todmorden, was closed (because of the floods), and I had to be diverted via the hilly Burnley Road.  I was able to rejoin the canal soon as I was in the town centre and continued onto to Walsden (to Hollins Road).  I retraced my steps to Todmorden where I caught my train home.  Still another 20+ miles to go!!!

Todmorden to Littleborough - 7th August 2016

Rochdale Canal, Todmorden

I did a 5.5 mile canal walk from Todmorden to Littleborough.  Originally it was going to be vice versa but because of the engineering works on the railway and a cancelled train (would have to wait at least an hour for the next one!).  It was best to start at Tod instead of hanging around at a railway station!  So I caught a bus and soon after arrival I was walking on the canal.

I walked through some stunning Pennines scenery on the canal summit stretch and saw the historic Yorkshire/Lancashire border on the canal.  It was some of the best canal walking I've ever done.  To celebrate my walking progress I had a lovely meal at The Waterside Restaurant in Littleborough, adjacent to the canal.  Still another 15 miles or so to go!

Mills Hill to Littleborough - 28th August 2016

Rochdale Canal, Slattocks

I did approximately 9 miles of canal walking from Mills Hill (Middleton area) to Littleborough in Greater Manchester.  The walk was uneventful; hardly saw any boats and some areas I walked through were insalubrious particularly in the Rochdale area.

Particularly enjoyed walking through the Middleton district valley and from Smithy Bridge area where I spotted the beautiful Clegg Hall to Littleborough.  Still another 6+ miles to Manchester! Nearly done! I cam across a number of poems summing up the Rochdale Canal on my walks.  The one below by Robin Parker of Langley Writers sums up this stretch of the walk I've done.

"Stop
Here for
Smithy Bridge,
Weighvers' Seaport.
Forward to Clegg Hall,
Kingway's new industry,
Halfpenny Bridge's dead mill.
Sandbrook and motorway culvert.
On through Castleton's bank-side decay.
In ten more years, will all regenerate?"

The Final Fling - 29th August 2016

Rochdale Canal, Manchester

The FINAL FLING from Mills Hill to Manchester. Now walked the whole length of the Rochdale Canal from Sowerby Bridge to Manchester in five stretches! This stretch was uneventful including crossing the M60 footbridge in Chadderton (the motorway is over the canal!), walking through regenerated Failsworth and the Royle Basin and entering the City Centre. Parts of the canal in the City Centre were closed with Manchester Pride happening and some stretch of the tow path was closed but was able to walk to the VERY END!

I walked parts of the canal in 2012 (in the City Centre) where I didn't have opportunity to do this time round because of closures and I didn't feel comfortable walking underground for the Piccadilly Lock on my own.  I  probably return walking 'The Rochdale Nine' to connect to Castlefield for other canal adventures in the future but will be avoiding the insalubrious locks 84 and 85!

I came across this poem on my canal walks which sums up my Rochdale Canal walking experiences. Written by Ann Robinson, Langley Writers, 2013.

Sonnet 

"Stay a while in this peaceful, tranquil place.
Interrupted only by noisy train.
See railway and road over water chase;
Here these three transport modes meet once again
To Manchester or Leeds train thunders by,
People travel on it to work or shop.
It's very loud, but sound is never shy;
Quickly gone now, still silence back does drop
Rochdale Canal flows sluggishly away
Via dark lock flows down another course
No changes from day to following day
Passing through our countryside from its source
Roadway over the bridge was Three Pits Lane
Will never lead to anywhere again" 

Littleborough to Walsden - 10th August 2017

Rochdale Canal, near Littleborough

After completed walking the Rochdale Canal last year, I decided to re-walk some selected stretches on the Rochdale Canal with the Summit stretch being my favourite one.  I supposed to have walked 10 miles from Littleborough to Hebden Bridge but the constant rain curtailed my plans! In the end I only walked approximately 3 miles to Walsden.

I arrived at Littleborough railway station around lunchtime, had to endure a very busy Leeds railway station and a Manchester bound train because of fans going to the Rugby League Grand Final at Old Trafford, and began my walk straight away.  I knew it was going to be a wet walk as the heavens opened on my arrival so cutting my walk wasn't an option.

I stopped at the lovely Summit Inn, in Summit, for lunch.  It's a lovely pub with its historic photo memorabilia of the canal and village life in general.  It's a chain pub but it hasn't lost it's authenticity though it seemed a popular stopping point for the rugby league fans enroute to Old Trafford!  A pub highly recommended for its ambiance and food though it can get very busy.

Despite the rainy weather and feeling very wet I walked on the stretch via some stunning Pennine Scenery and passing the highest locks in England (600 ft above sea level) towards Walsden.  Met a friendly pony and saw ostriches enroute in Summit.

Just missed my train back to Leeds so I tried looking for a pub to kill some time but turned out that Walsden hasn't got a pub (just a convenience store but I wanted to sit inside somewhere) so I kept dry at the station's shelter.  Walsden is simply a satellite town to both Todmorden and Littleborough (though the latter town is in Greater Manchester) and there isn't really anywhere where you can have a drink after a walk.  The trains are hourly to Leeds and had a long wait in the ghost like feel village and I reminded myself not to finish canal walks in Walsden. 

I certainly walk this stretch again but when it's dry and preferably sunny! 

Sowerby Bridge to Hebden Bridge - 13th January 2018

Rochdale Canal, Hebden Bridge

After successfully completing our walk on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal our next adventure is walking the Rochdale Canal.  We plan to walk the 31 mile canal from Sowerby Bridge to Manchester.   It opened in 1804, closed in 1952 and restored in 2002 and is a vital link for boaters completing cruising rings on the waterways.

We walked approximately 5 miles from Sowerby Bridge, just after the canal meeting the with Calder and Hebble Navigation, and ascended towards the Tuel Lane Locks (Locks 3/4).  We continued on the rather muddy towpath passing Luddendenfoot, Mytholmroyd and eventually reaching Hebden Bridge.

We saw plenty of things along our way and the towpath was quite busy with walkers and their dogs.  It was a pleasant walk though not raining the weather was miserable with a dark cloud hanging over the area.  We finished and left the canal from one of the bridges in the town centre and made our way to the bus stop.

We were surprised to see there are no direct buses to Sowerby Bridge so we had to get a bus to Halifax and change for another bus to Sowerby Bridge.  We learnt later we could have got off at Tuel Lane for the long walk down the road to Dad's car in the town centre or get off at Kings Cross for the connecting bus.  We got off very near the car park and before setting off for home we had a coffee nearby at The Moorings Pub (situated at the Canal Basin).

We will continue our adventures soon! 

Hebden Bridge to Littleborough - 25th February 2018

The highest point on the Rochdale Canal

Our adventures on the Rochdale Canal continues with a 10.5 miles walk from Hebden Bridge to Littleborough.  We had a nice day and we were walking on the canal mid-morning.

We joined the canal from a short walk from the railway station and passed through Hebden Bridge, a pleasant market town, and soon ventured off to Todmodern.  The South Pennines is renowned for its stunning countryside and this stretch was no exception.  The canal ascends up in the valley with its locks and surrounding hills.  

We met Canal and River Trust staff as we were approaching Todmodern and we had a great chat about the canals.  They had a stall and were encouraging people to become Friends of the Canal and River Trust. I'm a friend and I'm proud to support this wonderful charity which has transformed by love for the great outdoors! 

We decided to push on at Todmodern, another market town, towards Walsden.  At Walsden we stopped at Grandma Pollard's Fish and Chips shop/restaurant for a late lunch; I ordered a small portion of fish and chips and a black tea.  They were enjoyable and we ate our food in their picnic area by the canal.  The restaurant is very popular for locals and visitors alike as the restaurant was full. 

We were conscious that it would get dark around 5.00pm so we decided to continue on towards the Summit and eventually Littleborough.  We continued to ascend up the in the Pennines, crossed into Lancashire (as was the county landmark before 1974) and up to the West Summit Lock.   The Summit is certainly my favourite stretch to walk on the canal with its rugged Pennines surrounding the waterway and after walking from the West to the East Summit Locks we started descending down towards Littleborough.

Last mile and half of so was pretty uneventful apart from the descending locks and we reached our destination, Littleborough Railway Station.  We had to wait quite a bit for our train home but it was great day out being out in the sunshine and fresh air.

Littleborough to Mills Hill - 10th March 2018

Well deserved stop at Lock 50, Rochdale Canal

We returned to Littleborough to continue walking approximately 7-8 miles on the canal to Mills Hill.  We saw remnants of the snow on the hill following the crazy we have had over the recent weeks.  We passed through Smithy Bridge and the beautiful Clegg Hall where we stopped to have lunch.  

We returned to Littleborough to continue walking approximately 7-8 miles on the canal to Mills Hill.  We saw remnants of the snow on the hill following the crazy we have had over the recent weeks.  We passed through Smithy Bridge and the beautiful Clegg Hall where we stopped to have lunch.

We soldiered on and as we approached Milnrow I was a bit apprehensive as my past passage through the Rochdale area wasn't pleasant with its insalubrious surroundings and bored kids shouting abuse.  On this occasion however we had the canal to ourselves when we passed through and we even stopped to take a breather at Lock 50 (Moss Lower Lock).

We passed through a wooded area and we had to divert at Edinburgh Way just walked overground for quarter of a mile until we rejoined the canal.  At Castleton we stopped at the Blue Pits Inn for a drink - a pleasant cosy pub.  The rain got more persistent so far the final couple of miles we didn't stop much and walked to New Mills Station where we finished.  After the Slattocks Locks the camera was put away as it was heavily raining.  We only had to wait a few minutes for our train - the train was packed so we had to stand at the beginning but we were on our way home.  Just the final stretch to Manchester now.

Mills Hill to Manchester - 30th March 2018

Rochdale Canal, Failsworth

Dad and I picked up where we left off on the canal and continued walking west.  It was a pleasant stroll taking in the sights of old and of the new.  We notice a very heavy presence of Canadian geese throughout our walk - I'm not a fan of them and admittedly a bit scared of them.  They seem to be either in a pair or in threes (wonder why the latter?) but we read on one of the notice boards that the geese are monogamous and that the couple are mates for life! 

We crossed over the M60 via it's footbridge as the course of the canal goes underneath and slowly descending down to Failsworth.  We decided to stop for a coffee at it's Tesco's Extra.  Always like popping into Tesco's Extra as it brings back fond memories when stopped at their cafes when we walked the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.   We enjoyed a coffee and also customary shortbread at the cafes on our canal walks. 

I'm afraid to say that the canal goes down hill not just physically but in appearance.  From Newton Health to Ancoats we saw so much rubbish in and out the canal.  Seeing the settee thrown in the canal made me feel disgusted how little pride and responsibility is taken to make the waterways pleasant for everyone.  I didn't appreciate seeing the graffiti...why do people do it?  I struggle to comprehend!  There was insalubrious and creepy  feel to that stretch and I was so glad that I was walking with my Dad.  It was like this all the way to Manchester although the Ancoats area was nice.  

We reached Manchester City Centre - one of my least favourite stretch with insalubrious characters hanging around and underground and its graffiti everywhere.  Canal Street and Manchester's Gay District however was lovely to walk through with its colourful and relaxed atmosphere.  We eventually reached Lock 92 and the end of the Rochdale Canal!  It was great rewalking the Canal with my Dad and we look forward to another canal adventure soon!