Slaithwaite

After our 4 night stay at Huddersfield, we set off for Slaithwaite up the recently restored Huddersfield Narrow Canal, a whole different experience from the wide canals we have become used to. A very slow day.  It took us 8 hours to do the 5 or so miles to Slaithwaite.  We left the basin though what looked like a culvert and soon found lock 1E.  Keeping the boat well back the lock (and all subsequent locks) was very docile.  Reaching the top we found the pound about 2 feet down.  "Nothing ventured nothing gained" came to mind so we set off gingerly, but after 100 yards, and still fortunately by the towpath section, we became solidly aground.  So at about 8:15 a call was made to the emergency BW number and within about 45 minutes Fred and Nick appeared.  Nick went ahead to let some water down and when it came like a flash flood, the boat set off backwards. It was a struggle to make any headway against the flow.  Fred stayed with us through the first tunnel and then joined Nick to see us up the next few locks.
When we heard that the Huddersfield Narrow Canal was shallow we didn't realise that it meant we would be bumping on the bottom most of the way.  A low pound would be a special problem.  Above lock 6, although the water was well up, we ran aground in the narrows, but reversing off managed to find another inch of water.  Above lock 7 the water was too low to let us leave the lock over the cill.  Pat tried to let down a lockful from above, but needed help of a strong passer by to wind the bottom gate paddles.  She then had to let down more as we ran aground again later in the pound itself.  We found ourselves on the bottom again within lock 11, even though the bywashes were running.  We gave up on attempting to reach "lock landings".   The only way was to put Pat off from the front at the lock throat.   One dud top paddle at lock 12 and leaking bottom gates needed both of us and two passers by to get the top gate open.   Being Sunday there were many walkers out there and many taking an interest in our progress, astonished that we got there from London.   Fishermen were for the most part cheerful and chatty. The scenery, once it opened up near to our destination was on a grand scale with the isolated mills part of the landscape.
It was with some relief then that we arrived at the visitor moorings at Slaithwaite (Slawit to the locals).   Once tucked up it started to rain on what had been a very pleasant, if tiring, day.