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Advice needed - The Rochdale canal (large pic warning)


DeanS

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I've had a bit of an eye opener.

 

As I'm based at the top of the Rochdale 9 flight in Manchester, I've mainly considered only cruising on the Bridgewater canal, with the worry that the Rochdale canal is a no go area...(kids throwing stones etc). ..

 

but....I've just downloaded Google Earth, and done some canal searching, and it looks rather nice...bits of out of the way towpath, in between the more built up areas.....

 

So surely if I'm happy to tackle the locks (there are quite a few), I should be able to cruise the Rochdale through the summer...and it's only a 15min car journey to get back to work every day....

 

Here's some pics I've found...

 

Do you think it's safe enough to leave the family while I do the work shift......I'm keen to also moor on the offside for security...at times...

 

and if the whole family were to jump in the car and leave the boat alone..dog and cat inside, do you think it's a higher risk than normal...or not....if I use large padlocks etc

 

places like Hollington, Middleton...are not far from Manchester.....

 

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Edited by DeanS
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A little bit further and you reach Slattocks, Castleton station 1/2mile way, get through Rochdale and there is Smithybridge and Littleborough (stations), then you get to the outdoor gym up to summit, maybe down to Walsden and Todmorden. Spend all summer out of the smoke!

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Is the answer not to go and find out Dean?

 

One mans "no go area" can be another mans paradise.

 

near the "estates" , it's a known no go zone...but I'm not sure where the "estates" are......and whether or not there are safer zones between them.

 

I wouldn't moor anywhere near Rochdale for example...

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near the "estates" , it's a known no go zone...but I'm not sure where the "estates" are......and whether or not there are safer zones between them.

 

I wouldn't moor anywhere near Rochdale for example...

Have you been before?

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We have the Rochdale Canal in mind possibly for this July - if not, then for October/Christmas/next year. Having a look on Youtube a couple of months ago (like to plan in advance!) I found these 2 nice videos of still photos from this canal:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeJK1Y-o6Wo

 

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We found the Rochdale lovely and only at one lock at Milnrow was there any graffiti Most people stop overnight at Slattocks Bridge and make a run for the bottom of the locks at Littlebrough but the whole area is green and pleasant. Close to Hollingworth Lake is a delight. The stonework of the bridges and lock bypasses are a wonder.

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Hi Dean,

 

Sorry I can't be of any assistance at all in your questions regarding that canal, so this is pretty much smiley_offtopic.gif but you've mentioned a few times in other posts as well about not wanting to do the "Rochdale 9" locks, and in this one elude to "tackling locks".

 

Are the Rochdale 9 a particularly hard flight or do you just not like doing locks at all? Do you wife and kids not assist with either taking the tiller or doing the gates & paddles? I appreciate your in a WB and it means opening all the gates, but I've found since I've built up muscles in the right areas the locks aren't anywhere near as big a ball-ache as they were when we first started. I appreciate others on WB's do locks on their own, but you have a "crew" travelling with you hug.gif

 

Go explore and enjoy your travels & the peace & quiet you so desire this summer boat.gif

 

ETA - lovely pics btw - I'd be itching to get out there exploring after seeing the pics of your marina

Edited by Bettie Boo
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We have cruised the Rochdale several times and will do so again this June These are the areas where I would not worry about mooring

 

from Manchester
Rose of Lancaster at Chadderton
Slattocks

Smithy Bridge below the swing bridge
Littleborough - opposite the sanitary station (never used the town mooring)
anywhere between Summit and Walsden
Todmorden town mooring
Anwhere down to Hebbden Bridge
Apart from Mytholmroyd there's other options all the way to Sowerby Bridge

 

I think you will enjoy it, it's very nice, especially at the summit

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From Littleborough all the way to Sowerby Bridge is absolutely stunning, and probably as safe as anywhere.

 

 

I don't know the Rochdale to Manchester stretch that well, but there are what look to be some nice spots, and a few in which I have witnessed undesirable looking types, and dealers. Although you could probably say that about the back end of most towns.

 

Have a look at the "virtual cruise" on Pennine Waterways.

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An ideal canal to work with another boat(if narrow)apart from a few locks which have shrunk(which are clearly marked0. Your picture number 3 shows the mooring just past the Rose Of Lancaster,which is the first place to stop from Manchester. The mooring is quite shallow. The canal through Miles Platting was always regarded as a bit dodgy. Better now but still not a place to moor .If you are widebeam so cant share,its hard work,but well worthwhile. Summit to Sowerby Bridge is probably the best bit .Last trip,we moored at Sowerby Bridge,Hebden Bridge,Todmorden,Lttleborough and Castlefield Basin.Not stressfull even at my age.(Note,your picture number 3 is the Irk Aqueduct where you can moor.The canal is very shallow outside the Rose of Lancaster.)We have moored above Slattocks Top Lock,which is fine,but the road is a bit noisy.

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Hi Dean,

 

Sorry I can't be of any assistance at all in your questions regarding that canal, so this is pretty much smiley_offtopic.gif but you've mentioned a few times in other posts as well about not wanting to do the "Rochdale 9" locks, and in this one elude to "tackling locks".

 

Are the Rochdale 9 a particularly hard flight or do you just not like doing locks at all? Do you wife and kids not assist with either taking the tiller or doing the gates & paddles? I appreciate your in a WB and it means opening all the gates, but I've found since I've built up muscles in the right areas the locks aren't anywhere near as big a ball-ache as they were when we first started. I appreciate others on WB's do locks on their own, but you have a "crew" travelling with you hug.gif

 

Go explore and enjoy your travels & the peace & quiet you so desire this summer boat.gif

 

ETA - lovely pics btw - I'd be itching to get out there exploring after seeing the pics of your marina

 

Hello:)

 

Doing the locks is no problem really,...but you wouldn't want to do the Rochdale 9 every week.

Likewise in a widebeam, leaving Manchester in a widebeam and going up the Rochdale, is quite an exercise......and I didn't realise that there are some hidden gems in between the built up areas, so I wasn't prepared to do all that work, for no reward. Having looked into it, I'm now quite keen to turn right out of my marina instead of left, and go moor on the Rochdale for 14days.... :)

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Hi Dean,

 

Sorry I can't be of any assistance at all in your questions regarding that canal, so this is pretty much smiley_offtopic.gif but you've mentioned a few times in other posts as well about not wanting to do the "Rochdale 9" locks, and in this one elude to "tackling locks".

 

Are the Rochdale 9 a particularly hard flight or do you just not like doing locks at all? Do you wife and kids not assist with either taking the tiller or doing the gates & paddles? I appreciate your in a WB and it means opening all the gates, but I've found since I've built up muscles in the right areas the locks aren't anywhere near as big a ball-ache as they were when we first started. I appreciate others on WB's do locks on their own, but you have a "crew" travelling with you hug.gif

 

Go explore and enjoy your travels & the peace & quiet you so desire this summer boat.gif

 

ETA - lovely pics btw - I'd be itching to get out there exploring after seeing the pics of your marina

I think I have found where you are going wrong when operating a lock...

  • Greenie 2
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As I'm based at the top of the Rochdale 9 flight in Manchester, I've mainly considered only cruising on the Bridgewater canal, with the worry that the Rochdale canal is a no go area...(kids throwing stones etc). ..

 

 

You can't CC on the Bridgewater, to get a licence you have to have a home mooring. Going up the Rochdale there are some little pockets of niceness where I'd happily moor in between the areas of dense housing. Seek and ye may find but I'd be looking beyond Slattocks and then it wouldn't be 15 minutes by car into Manchester, as suggested somewhere near a station would be best.

K

 

 

 

 

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I would go with Rose of Lancaster, Slattocks, then pretty much anywhere from Smithy Bridge, eastwards.

 

Easy connection back to Manchester Victoria with stations close to the canal at Mills Hill (for Rose of Lancaster), Castleton, Smithy Bridge, Littleborough, Walsden, Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd and Sowerby Bridge, and a frequent train service.

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For clarity.

 

I have to continue to make multiple journeys to Manchester on a daily basis, so can't really go "to the summit" ;-)

 

I think I'm going to give it a go, and find some of those pockets of niceness, and have a barbecue every day. Got solar panels. Tick. Got extra water tank. Tick. Getting extra casettes. Tick. Getting car for taking casettes for emptying. Tick. Sounds promising.

 

"Look kids!.....it's the OUTDOORS!"

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I'm sure you'll let us know how you get on. Although I moor at t'other end of the Rochdale, I've never been further than Littleborough, but am considering doing so this spring, especially as there now appears to be volunteers available to chaperone such we ageing singlehanders.

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For clarity.

 

I have to continue to make multiple journeys to Manchester on a daily basis, so can't really go "to the summit" ;-)

There's plenty of folk take the train every day to Manchester from Todmorden, Hebden Bridge and beyond. Did it myself or 5 years.

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Dean

 

Its been 3 odd yrs since we did the Rochdale on part of our ridiculous 2 week cruise down the Trent from Leicester , Aire & Calder, Calder & Hebble then back over the Rochdale, Ashton, Peak.Macc & T&M.

 

We had some early worries about the Manchester end of the Rochdale on advice from others......

 

We had the most amazing trip (But tiring!)

 

Thinking of your end of the Rochdale.... We had traversed from the summit with a retired couple in a NB,

 

1) Close to you - We couldn't moor at the Rose as the moorings had collapsed - Having booked the passage down for the next day we moored above the lock by the Lift Bridge (Grimshaw lane?). Right next to the houses - Plenty of teenagers partaking in special cigarettes ! But all extremely friendly even tho we had moored in their usual fishing swim! Bit too near to home & not as good as your home mooring!

 

2) Moving up past the Rose it didnt seem too bad - We met a lad who frequently left his hostel in Manchester & camped along the towpath as he enjoyed the peace & quiet.

 

3)Hopwood ? This seemed fairly quiet - I recall getting petrol from a canalside station. Would have stopped here if we were not on such a mission !

 

 

Not sure how far you want to go from home as dont know the local transport network. We didnt even find Rochdale that bad (The drunks were friendly at the locks @ 8am! - Even offered to marry my Wife !) Not an option tho for mooring for us!

 

Have to say one of the best places we overnighted was the visitor moorings at Islington Marina (But you know that !!!)

 

In essence - Rochdale Canal - Hard work , stunning scenery & a undeserved bad reputation in our view !

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