I enrolled in October 2000 at a University of the Third Age "Local History" class where Alan Robinson is the tutor. I have since become a "discipline." We had our class each Wed morning and Alan then asked if we would like to go on walks along Canals and Railways - this became known as the Tuesday "Out and About" group. Until this time I had spent little time studying Canals apart from thinking they were the last refuge for wildlife and wild plants.

An Oasis of calm in a stressful world sometimes looking a bit neglected and in need of some TLC.
Until Saturday I had never heard of the Canal Card Collectors Circle. In June I normally go to Beverley Folk Festival and it is lovely on a warm day lots of singing and dancing in the streets. Alan asked if I would like to go on a cruise on the Calder Lady with one of his groups. We met at Dewsbury Canal Basin on a cool, windy and showery morning. Once on Board I met a lovely crowd of people from all over UK and USA. It was lovely to be part of such an interesting and happy crowd of enthusiasts. I enjoyed meeting Ken a lovely gentleman from Willingdon outside Eastboune - we had a lot of laughs together!! My sister has lived in Sussex on and off since 1965 so I know a lot of the places round about. I had walked along stretches of the canal but it was a different perspective from on board the Calder Lady. We were sat undercover but the boat has wide panoramic windows which give excellent all round views. We travelled through Millbank Lock and the Figure of Three Locks which was quite an experience and hard work for the crew (part of the attraction could be watching others working so hard!!). I had a lovely day on Saturday and think overall I made the best choice.

On Sunday I made my way to Huddersfield and met up with the party (about 25 altogether) at the Aspley Basin and we had a walk and then set off to Slaithwaite, and on to the Hey Green Hotel, Waters Road. Marsden - this was a fabulous hotel (would be great for a Wedding) gorgeous grounds in the middle of nowhere. After some delay we had a good lunch and then went to Tunnel End at Marsden and had a boat trip into the Standedge Tunnel (recently reopened in May 2001), it was very narrow and dark inside but fascinating to see the route hewn straight through three and a quarter miles of rock "Millstone grit" of the South Pennines. In darkness the men used to "leg" the boat through the Tunnel lying on their backs on top of the boats - using their feet on the roof of the tunnel to move the boat - it took about four hours. The horses (who normally pulled the boats) walked over the hills via the packhorse routes and met up with the boats at the other end of the tunnel. One man undertook this journey four times per day!! The Visitor Centre was a little disappointing - geared more to young children who were pressing and pulling most of the levers (doubt if they will work for long!)

The following Thursday we had a wonderful trip on the Manchester Ship Canal. Started from the very swish Salford Quays at 9AM (New Lowry Centre etc) arrived Pier Head Liverpool 3PM.

Wonderful trip so much to see on route - swing bridges, aqueducts, turn bridges, and lift bridges.

Marvellous birdlife along the banks. So glad I made the trip.

Websites: www.penninewaterways.co.uk
www.standedge.co.uk
www.merseyferries.co.uk

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