Huddersfield

We arrived in Huddersfield yesterday afternoon, everyone seems surprised to see boats on the move, apparently one a week is the norm!  As one chap put it "There's loads moored at the boatyard but I don't think they ever go anywhere". This week must be a record as there are four of us on the move, we have been meeting and passing one another since Wakefield.

The lack of use shows in the stiffness of the paddle gear, but I have met worse. There aren't a lot of places to moor but enough considering how few boats are about. The canal route from Cooper Bridge to Huddersfield is a green corridor through a largely industrial area, you can see the industry if you look for it but it rarely intrudes on the canal until you actually reach Huddersfield.

The Sainsbury here is canal side but, annoyingly, doesn't have any moorings for shoppers. Even more annoying is the fact that there are moorings but they are for permanent moorers.

We did a bit of a scout round town today, there is quite a good market, nothing compared to Leeds but the prices are comparable.

We are booked to go through the Standedge Tunnel on Wednesday morning so we may move on from here tomorrow. The cats are beginning to climb the walls, almost literally, so I think we better find somewhere a bit more 'cat friendly'.

Yesterday's journey 2.3 miles and 7 locks

So far this year we have travelled 446.5 miles, 292 locks, 43 swing bridges, 1 lift bridge and 11 tunnels

In 2011 we travelled 461.4 miles, 444 locks, 3 swing bridges, 34 lift bridges and 15 tunnels


During 2010 we travelled 740.3 miles, 642 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 25 tunnels


Since Ray retired we have travelled 1648.2 miles 1378 locks, 99 swing bridges, 39 lift bridges and 51 tunnels