On top of the world!

After coming up 32 locks from Dukinfield Junction at Ashton under Lyne, we are now moored at Diggle ready to go through the Standedge Tunnel.  At 650 feet above sea level this is the highest point on the English Canal system.  Here is an account of how we got here.

Last Wednesday (7th) we came down the 16 Marple locks and moored near the bottom.  The Marple Locks are really deep, averaging over 13 feet each.

Much of the upper Peak Forest Canal is on a shelf above the Goyt valley with fine views north.  Here we are looking from the canal towards the Kinder plateau.

Higgins Clough Swing Bridge provides some entertainment on the way back to Marple.

Here we are coming back to Marple Junction.  The boat ahead is turning left onto the Macclesfield Canal.  Our way lies to the right where the top lock of the Marple flight is just out of sight.

Part way down the Marple Flight is this fine warehouse.

Here you can see a boat coming up the flight coming out of Lock 5 as we come down the lock above.

This view shows Leo about to cross the Marple Aqueduct which crosses the River Goyt.

Helen is doing a balancing act on the roof of Leo crossing the Marple Aqueduct with the railway viaduct next to it.  The Aqueduct seems to have been lined either side since we last came this way making it barely 7 feet wide.

From the bottom of the locks we did a lovely walk into Compstall and back under the viaduct and aqueduct.  This view shows the shapely aqueduct with the railway viaduct behind.










On Thursday we passed Dukinfield Junction where the Peak Forest meets the Ashton Canal and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.  We turned right on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal (HNC).

It was so dismal and dark at first that you can see the boat headlight even before we get into Hyde Bank Tunnel.

There is one lift bridge shortly before the junction.  This needs about 60 turns of the windlass to lift it fully.

Just before the junction the canal crosses an aqueduct over the River Tame.  The HNC follows the valley of the Tame nearly all the way to its summit level.  Just beyond the bridge is the Portland Basin and the Ashton Canal goes left with the HNC going right.

Soon after joining the HNC it passes under a large ASDA store in a tunnel.

The first lock 1W ('W' is for west i.e. the locks up from the west) appears under the bridge with a side tunnel for horse and lock crew.

Here we are coming to lock 3W.  So soon after joining the canal you can see the Pennine moors in the distance.

Mills are such a feature of the HNC.  Many are derelict but this one has been converted for use by small firms.

An iron trough carries the canal over the River Tame.  Interestingly the towpath beside is on a separate stone bridge.

At Stalybridge after six locks we moored opposite Tesco which was wonderfully convenient for shopping.

We had a walk round Stalybridge looking for points of interest.  Here is a statue of Jack Judge who wrote the war time song "It's a long way to Tipperary" in Stalybridge.

Stalybridge Station buffet is famous and has received lots of awards.  It has been fitted out as it might have looked in Victorian times.  It serves some very nice and well kept beers too, which we sampled.










On Friday we carried on up 8 locks to the Roaches Lock pub and met our friends Iain and Ann for a lovely meal in Uppermill celebrating Iain's birthday that day.

Coming out of Stalybridge the canal passes directly underneath a pylon.  Most unusual.

Just to prove the point, here is the view looking directly upwards underneath the pylon.

Now you would have thought this warning sign was the wrong way up.  Normally excess water on rivers means 'don't navigate' but here lots of water is good and not enough means you will not get over the cill of the lock.  Having said that the actual indicator board that should be fixed to the wall by the lock was propped up on the leg of the sign so it would be of no use anyway.  In fact there was plenty of water all the way up the locks.

Approaching Mossley the church at Quickswood dominates the canal.













On Saturday and Sunday we carried on up the remaining locks to Diggle at the top.

I said there was plenty of water and here you can see it pouring over the top gate of a lock.  We had lots of rain on Friday night and this might have helped.

More about the Standedge Tunnel later but when the canal was built it took many years before the Tunnel was completed.  In the meantime with the rest of the canal complete goods had to be transhipped and carried over the top by horse and cart.  This was a transhipment warehouse at Dobcross now used by the Canal Society.

Near the top of the locks the canal passes under Saddleworth Railway viaduct.  In fact the pier supporting the viaduct has been deliberately undercut to help boats turn into the lock 23W.

Last time we came up here we had severe problems with this short pound between 26W and 27W.  A hole in the pound was letting water drain away rapidly.  This time we had no problems.

The top part of the valley is open and almost alpine in appearance.  Here is the view looking back from 29W.  The mainline railway from Manchester to Leeds comes up the same valley and often runs close to the canal.

We think this is one of the most scenic canals and really gives you the feeling that you are deep in the hills.  Here we are approaching the penultimate lock  31W which has a good cafe next to it.  On Sunday there were loads of people round here.

And here is Ian celebrating arrival at Diggle.














We have booked to go through the Standedge Tunnel on Wednesday and plan to have a couple of days up here first to do a bit of walking and sightseeing.  Today (Monday) we have walked over the moors to Marsden at the other end of the Tunnel.  We had lunch in a cafe there and came back a different way.  We've walked about 11 or 12 miles today so we've had plenty of exercise.

Here is the view looking down eastwards to the Colne valley which the canal follows from the other side of the Tunnel to Huddersfield.  The Tunnel emerges on the far left of the picture and the place on the right is Marsden.

This view covers the whole of Marsden which is a much bigger place than Diggle where Leo is moored at the moment.  There are lots of mills and plenty of excellent pubs and cafes here.

On the way to Marsden we climbed Pule Hill shown here.  On the return trip we followed an old turnpike road built in 1759 round the back of Redbrook reservoir seen in the middle of the picture.  The turnpike road was built by Blind Jack from Knaresborough where we live!  What a coincidence.  The canal tunnel runs under the left slope of Pule Hill.





We will be doing some more sightseeing tomorrow before coming through the tunnel on Wednesday.  More about that after we've come through.  Once through the tunnel there are 42 locks down to Huddersfield so that will keep us busy for a few days.