Piccadilly Basin, Rochdale Canal

 We were at Lock 65 for 0830, but the other boat was nowhere to be seen, so we waited 15 mins, but still no sign.  The lock keeper unlocked the gates and went off to Manchester to let the other boat come up.

We set off.  I opened the anti-vandal mechanism and lifted the box.  The lid went over the paddle gear so I had to hold the lid up with one hand and wind the windlass with the other.  Luckily I could manage with one hand.

Two locks down and I came across this one.  The anti vandal device had been jammed on and there was no way to get it off as the chain was too tight.  Then some cleaver person had come along and painted it all!

By the time we had got to the third lock the other boat had turned up so David went on to wait in the next lock - except he managed to get the boat stuck on something under the water (not difficult in Failsworth - there was so much rubbish around.

The other boat, the hire boat Worcester with three elderly American gentlemen eventually caught us up and with 2 BW guys and lots of help from the bank and after two hours, we eventually got the boat off the obstruction and were on our way again.

This is the bottom lock above our little "accident".  There is only one paddle - on the off side.  The only way to get to the off side is over the bridge and back along by the wall, except there was a locked gate!  The only way across was to tightrope over the ledge at the bottom of the bridge.

I do love it when BW look after the boater.

 We made quite good time and were soon near the bottom lock.  Here we found a new canal under construction.

I don't know if it actually joins up with the Ashton Canal, which was the original plan.

We all arrived in Piccadilly Basin at 3.30 and I collapsed into bed for a couple of hours.  David went off to find some takeaway and ended up with some Caribbean goat and chicken.  We ate that and then went to bed again.

I have not made a card, now, for over a month.  It's a good job I've got lots to spare.

This one uses the photo of two white Scotties.  I matted the picture onto silver, white and dark blue card, scalloping the outside edge.

I wrapped some blue ribbon, vertically, around the blue card base and tied it with a knot, then stuck the photo over it. 

To finish off, I added three silver dots made from silver card and a hole punch.

Henshaw Bridge, Rochdale Canal

David sat on "his" lock gate.









And Mr David in Scowcroft Lock, probably one of the scruffiest locks on the canal, but never mind, how many people have a lock named after them?

We stopped for water at the lock house at Slattock's Top Lock, the residents, Mike and Jean, are boaters and they very kindly share their water.  Mike suggested that we go past The Rose of Lancaster pub and moor up by the Boat and Horses, that way you get all the locks done and the flaky lift bridge out of the way before getting to Failsworth Lock tomorrow morning at 0830.

When we got there we couldn't get near the bank, which looked like solid concrete and there were no mooring rings - so we had to go on.  We are now moored up on the off-side of the new bit of canal where, hopefully, no-one can get at us.

This is a light blue card.  I stuck some white ribbon, with blue stitching across the top and bottom of the card, the bottom one tied with a knot.

I stuck a peel-off tulip onto some acetate and coloured the back of the "glass" then stuck it down onto white card with the edges deckle cut.  Then I matted this onto some yellow card before adding it to the card blank.

Finally, I added three glass gems to the bottom right hand corner.

Blue Pitts Middle Lock, Rochdale Canal

Through Rochdale today - yet another grotty canal scene.  Rubbish everywhere.  At least there were no cars in the two Moss locks like last time.

The Huddersfield Canal is closed again (3rd time since we decided not to chance it)  This time one side is completely de-watered.  We should have been going through the tunnel tomorrow.

Another picture from the Rochdale Canal - some lockside steps.  It is not to clear, but the steps are "hanging" and only fixed to the wall.

I matted the photo onto white and lilac card and then onto a white card blank.

Littleborough, Rochdale Canal

 We set off quite early and reached the summit lock just as 2 boats were coming down.  So we asked the lock keeper if we could go through today (we were booked for tomorrow).  He was waiting for a hire boat coming up at 11am and we could go through with them. 

So, instead of a nice easy day we ended up going down the locks to Littleborough with Sussex, the hire boat.

I was so knackered that I went to bed at 6.30 and woke up at 5.30.

This is a view from the eastern end of the summit.

This is another view from near the top.  The photographed matted onto white, purple and silver card and fixed onto a lilac card blank.  A peel-off of bull rushes is stuck down onto the bottom left hand corner of the photo.

Square Pool, Rochdale Canal

How is this for a view while doing the washing up?

A lovely sunny day, we managed 13 locks in 2 1/2 miles (I walked all the way).  So far the locks haven't been too difficult, but I did swear at a few, and hit one in frustration with the windlass.

It is so beautiful up here, but mooring is not easy.  The pounds between the locks are so small that they rise and fall almost as much as the locks, and the edges are all very shallow.

We planned to get water in Todmorden, but that didn't work Alice was spending the night there.  The goose was sitting on her nest and there was police tape all around it.

This is a lovely conversion of an old warehouse - see the card below.

The lock below our mooring here is is called Nip Square Lock and we are moored in Square Pool - neither is square.

We walked down two locks for a wonderful Turkish lunch and while we were away Alice went past, leaving the lock gates open so that when we got back to the boat it was high and dry with an alarming list.  Thanks Alice.

You won't recognise it but this is the side of the warehouse above taken the first time we came up here.  Just matted the photograph and stuck it to a white card blank.

Todmorden, Rochdale Canal

The Rochdale Canal is certainly very beautiful.  We have been travelling up a very narrow valley with steep hills on both sides.  Lovely stone cottages are dotted amongst the wooden hillsides and the sun shone all day.  Perfect.

After a very noisy night in Hebden Bridge last night (the local youths were having a party in the park) we decided to stop off just before reaching Todmorden today.  We found a lovely spot just before the town.

I walked into Todmorden (market day) and saw these ducklings with their mother.  There were actually 13 of them, so they must be newly hatched and looked the Heinz 57 varieties.

We saw only one other boat on the move, and that was a hire boat from Soweby Bridge that must have left yesterday afternoon.






I don't seem to do many stamped cards.  Too lazy I suppose.  I made this little cutie some time ago.  I is stamped onto watercolour paper and coloured with watercolours, then matted onto gold, red and white card.  I trimmed the white card with decorative scissors and the stuck the whole thing onto a blue card blank.

The sentiment is a peel-off and was matted in the same colour-way as the image.

Hebden Bridge, Rochdale Canal

 One twisty, turny tunnel on the Rochdale Canal, can't remember the name of it at the moment.

No alarms or excursions today.  David was up early and moved the boat up to the lock landing ready to get to the big Tuel Lane lock for 0830 when it opened, but just as he was moving off the new lock keeper arrived and said that we could go straight on up as there were 8 boats at the top waiting to get down.

When we arrived at Hebden Bridge there was only a couple of spare moorings - by the time we left there were 7 boats with patrol notices - ours being the only one without one.

Love Hebden Bridge, lots of lovely little shops, good food and lovely buildings.

 I made this card as a good luck in your new job card for David who have left the BBC and gone to work as a head gardener.

The bear is decoupaged.