Through the tunnel

17/7/2017


We moored at the tunnel entrance for a few days, waiting our turn to plunge into the unlit cave like tunnel. A very pleasant mooring,  woodland,  a wool emporium + cafe!! Not to mention a local pub!
We whiled away our time walking the hills, following a public right of way, down to a very civilised cafe in Upper Mill. And a knitting pattern for a tea cosy now sits on our boat, waiting for my attention.

The tunnel is carved out of solid rock, and is not a smooth even surface. One of the photos shows men with a metal rod, measuring the height and profile of our boat.  Protruding boulders mean that some boats simply can't fit, but fortunately ours measured up.

It takes nearly 2 hours to traverse the tunnel, JJ  ably managing the contact sport without gross damage to the boat. Me managing my dislike of the underground by reading George Eliot's biography and knitting. And trying to ignore the grinding darkness. We emerged to a sunny mid afternoon, on the eastern flank of the Pennines, to start the descent,  following the nascent R Colne.

We motored down 8 locks, finding a delightful rural mooring. Another late evening stroll through the surrounding valley.

Thence to Slaithwaite,  a small town near the metropolis of Huddersfield, still in the broadening Colne valley, mill buildings always in view, many now converted to apartments. Jumped on a train to Huddersfield to collect our first guests to stay with us, and how excellent to have friemds to share the journey. They are also proving very handy with locking.

Now waiting for the canal to be topped up with  water.  The University of Huddersfield has approval to take water from the canal for its cooling systems. Another example of private interests profitting from a public asset. We had to reverse into a lock, and fill it, to climb back to the  previous level. Just as well we are happy with slow travel.

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