The Rochdale Canal

It's been a long time since I came onto this blog!  Just over a year in fact.  I was going to write up about my 3rd charity ride to Germany and back but never quite got around to it.  I have no idea why.

A few weeks ago I got the chance to cycle the whole of the Rochdale Canal on my own.  I parked my car and my end of the canal ie in Sowerby Bridge near Halifax.  My partner, Peter, was working in Manchester so he dropped me off at the other end.  Well actually it was further than the other end.  He actually dropped me off on The Bridgewater Canal.

Me - at the start of the ride

It was a very gorgeous sunny day.  I set off with instructions to take the left hand fork when the canal splits in to two different directions.  When I got to this fork I found there was a 'towpath closed' sign. Hmmm, I took a little track off and waded, head height, in nettles and brambles only to find a dead end so had to wade back again.  By this time another cyclist had arrived at this fork.  He had no idea about a detour either but a fisherman said that he had seen various cyclists still using the towpath and he thought we wouldn't have a problem.

This seemed to be the case until we came across another 'towpath closed' sign.  I thought this must be the other end of the closure so thought no more about it and carried on.  About a mile or so on we were on the other side of the canal from Old Trafford, Manchester United's football ground!  A little further and the towpath really was closed.  The other cyclist wasn't at all talkative but we both seemed to be in this together.

So we rode back to the last closed sign.  We came off the canal and so began a little tour of an industrial area.  After weaving around a few trucks we concluded we had to go back to where we came off the canal and then I spotted a detour sign.  I waved the other cyclist over and pointed it out.  After following several of these signs there was one that pointed left and into Old Trafford's car park!!!  Okay, if that's where we have to go.

Riding round the car park I couldn't work out where the flipping canal was at all.  The other guy seemed to just follow me, so I rode up to a flag seller and enquired if he knew.  He was actually really helpful and pointed us in the right direction.

After riding on the wrong side of the road and on pavements (both things I hate to do) we eventually found the canal and an open towpath again.  So off we went again.  I still hadn't got to the start of the Rochdale Canal by this stage.  Not very long after this we came into a canal basin and I had to check the map to see which branch I needed.  I was dismayed to find that the one I needed disappeared under a building.  The other cyclist also disappeared without a word!

Right, off I went again searching for the canal again.  I asked two people but they didn't know and I rode up and down car parks, round hotels and offices until I remembered my map printouts.  Standing on a fairly busy road I worked out where I was on the map and thankfully relocated the canal.  At this point I had done about 6 miles in 90 minutes.

I was re-assured to find a sign that said 'The Rochdale Canal' and set off along the towpath to be greeted by big, bumpy and uneven cobbles.  For the next mile or two I was constantly slowed down, stopped or chucked off the path by steep rises or dead ends!  It wasn't easy by any means.  Thanks Manchester for 'helpfully' not putting any signage up to help towpath users find their way.

I was also dismayed to see the amount of rubbish in the water in the town.  Very ugly!!!

Long after I should have been on my way I really got going.  I had only brought one bottle of water with me as I thought I would be able to find burger vans or shops along the way that I could easily get some at.  My water ran out quite soon with it being warm.

As with most canals, there were some fabulous buildings along the way.  One very impressive mill conversion caught my eye in particular.  I love the changing scenery, industrial, urban, rural, old cottages, modern suburbs etc.  I was amazed at the amount of fish I saw in a couple of places.  No idea what sort they were but they ranged from a couple of inches to about 10 inches long.

There were quite a few babies on the water with their parents too.

After some time I came to a point called 'Summit' to which I had walked from the other end of the canal, in different sections, whenever I had a free day.  It was around this point I started chatting to a fellow cyclist who was much more interesting than my previous companion.  We compared cycling stories etc and it took my mind off the fact that I was getting quite dehydrated and hungry by this time.

Arriving at Todmorden I decided I had to go in search of refreshment.  I said goodbye to the other cyclist and wandered into the town.  After squeezing some brass out of a cash machine I found a bakery that was still open.  I ordered a cheese and ham toastie and a coffee and then meekly asked if she minded filling my water bottle from the tap.  She was happy to oblige and while my toastie was cooking I drank a full bottle and she kindly topped me up again.  I took my goodies with me back to the canal side and thoroughly enjoyed them.

Last leg now (not on my last legs though).  I knew my whereabouts now so knew how far I had to go.  I enjoyed this part as I was no longer hungry or thirsty.  I arrived in Sowerby Bridge and back at my car, after a 40 mile ride.  Having done it in 4 hours 45 minutes actual riding time.  Should have been a lot less than that but I spent so much time trying to locate the flipping canal at the start.  I was tired but not exhausted.  What a wonderful ride it had been.





Some of the later photos were taken on a previous occasion when I was walking the canal from my end of it with my two dogs.  Evie can be seen in one of the photos.

No Photos (but a quick catch up)

Thursday 31st May


Last night I got a text from a team-mate Helen who said she wanted to get out on a little training ride.  Nothing too taxing but we were going to meet on the Spen Valley Greenway.  She was going to take the car about 2.5 miles down to the Tesco Supermarket car park.

I set off from home and rode to the Greenway.  I had been feeling there was something wrong with the bike but  no-one could spot the problem.  As I was sailing down the long hill towards the Greenway it felt like I was riding on cobbles.

Anyway, got on the Greenway and pedalled down to Cleckheaton to meet Helen as the sky was looking very threatening and I wondered if this had been sensible!  Thankfully I had my waterproof on so wasn't too worried.

Helen was nearly ready when I got there and off we went.  It was drizzling a little bit but never mind.  We headed up the Greenway first to the top, turned around and were soon at the bottom end of the Greenway and decided to be civilised and go and have a coffee somewhere.

Coming off the Greenway we were a bit further down than I thought we were but as luck would have it there was a cafe.  A nice cup of coffee for me and a coffee and toasted teacake for Helen and we were about to set off when I realised how wet and mucky I was!  The seat, thankfully, was wipe clean so I warned the cafe staff that they would need to wipe it down.

Anyway back on the Greenway and we were chatting and pedalling at a good speed but I couldn't get out of my mind the wobble on the bike.  We were soon back at Cleckheaton where Helen bade me farewell and I carried on up a bit further.  By this time the rain had been coming down a fair bit so I was feeling a bit soggy.

Hunsworth Lane is a long road, sometimes a bit steep but finishes right in the heart of my village so I set off with determination up it.  This is nothing for those riders who fly up hills at 20 miles an hour but I HATE hills.    I have now decided to see them as a challenge rather than a hindrance.

I was chuffed to bits to make it up without getting off (although some Octagenarian with a zimmer frame could have walked past me at times as I was going so slow).  Twenty four miles done and dusted.  When I got home I realised how wet I actually was.

I rang the bike shop who told me to go straight down (Firth Cycles at Queensbury, Bradford) even though they were very busy Barry didn't want to leave me in the lurch knowing I was doing the Germany ride very soon.  Turns out there was two wheel tapes in my front wheel and one had slipped and so the tyre wasn't properly in the rim.  Also the back brake block had been chafing my back tyre so I needed a new one.  All done and sorted.  BARRY, YOU ARE A STAR!

Tuesday 6th June    Jubilee Day


I got up at 6am and went out for a walk with the dogs.  Half way round the walk I looked at my watch and was amazed to see it was only 5.35am!!!  WHAT!

Home again I got my breakfast and we went to a car boot sale.  Didn't buy much but it was a pleasant morning out anyway.

After lunch I nearly talked myself out of a bike ride but decided to go for it.  I set off to do the same ride as last Thursday just to keep my legs turning.

Whenever I have done the Greenway I have usually struggled to keep up the momentum on the return journey so my aim today was not to drop below 10 mph apart from any obstacles (gates, dogs, people).  Charging off at a good pace I kept a check on the speed and even up the little hills I actually managed to not drop below 12 mph!  Very well pleased with myself.

Once I got to the top I turned round and went back down to where I had dropped off last time and then faced Hunsworth Lane again.  Even that didn't daunt me today.

I arrived home dripping in sweat but so pleased with my endeavours today.

If anyone would like to sponsor me the money is going to a local charity called Bradford Disability Sport and Leisure   You can go to http://www.justgiving.com/HelenaRom and give via the page or by text.  Thank you so much.  Any money is much appreciated.

A Local Walk

Friday morning dawned warm and clear. I was out of bed at stupid o'clock and out walking with the dogs by 6.30am.

I thought I would take you on a little tour of my walk.

First I went down through the village past the village green:

The Millenium Sign post

The entire Green

The Stocks

Then I went down a little footpath that comes out into a big field:

Over a stile and down what was an old railway line for the mines. You can just see the dogs in the field on the left:

A feather I found on the path. I thought it looked good against the fencepost

Then cross the road and down another footpath/farmtrack where there were hundreds of bunnies and Bear and Evie went off on a chase (with no chance of catching them I might add):

The track bends to the left and then we are in another big field. Sometimes there are cows or sheep in here so I am always wary with the dogs here but at the moment it is a grass meadow and the grass is about 18 inches high. The dogs went off chasing rabbits again:

Yes that is the footpath ahead of me

That's Bear among the grass and he is a German Shepherd cross!

Can you spot Evie? Top left hand side. She was bounding through the grass like a kangaroo as she is only small.

Over a stream and into another field. At least the footpath is a little clearer here. This photo isn't as sharp, as I was shooting into the sunlight.

At the other side of this field there is a track that goes between some trees and bushes and over a little stream. Then the next field climbs fairly steeply uphill.

Looking back over some of the fields I have crossed. This is the field where we go sledging when there is enough snow to do so.

Bear trotting up the track

No it's not a tombstone in the middle of nowhere. It is a lone gatepost. I would love to to know why or how it comes to be alone in the middle of a field:

Leaving the field I walked up an unmade road known as Furnace Road, past some stables and up to a main road. This looks like a path straight to the house but it is on the other side of the road.

Now a bit of road walking, then through a housing estate, up a steep little hill and through a 'snicket' and I was on the path between the two moors near home. There was a lilac tree in full blossom which smelled divine in the early morning warmth.

I headed back towards and up the top moor as that takes me home:

Comfrey in abundance at the gateway to the moor

A Hot Day of Activity

I was up and about early so I thought I would take the dogs out early before it got too warm.

6.45am I was out of the door. We went across to the moorland that is diagonally opposite our house. I didn't need a jacket as it was already warm enough for just a t-shirt (when I say JUST a t-shirt, I mean on the top half of course). We did a route from there that we often do. Down the moor, on a little road and down the other moor. Cross the road and down a track at the side of the farm where we get our eggs.

It's lovely farm, country round this bit until we get to another track. This could be lovely too but the owner leaves the gate at the far end open and it is used as a fly tip. What a mess!

Anyway back to a fair bit of road walking and back into Birkenshaw village. The dogs know where to cross as much as I do so Bear is very quickly showing me the way. We go back through the churchyard where 'my' grandma and grandad's ashes are buried. I say 'my' as they were no relation except by marriage, they were my ex husband's grandparents but even after we divorced they insisted that I should not stop visiting and they always treated me as a grand-daughter and I was more of a grand-daughter to them than my ex's family were.

Then up the main road, winding our way through an estate and we arrive back at the road between the two moors. It was a pleasure to be out so early and it be so warm. An hours walk done before breakfast.

After breakfast I got into my cycling gear. I was meeting Ady and Helen at 10am. I was to decide on the route we were taking today. So I suggested we do part of the route to Hull that we will be taking on the actual ride.

All in agreement and off we went. A lot of the first part is on quite busy roads but eventually we turned off down a big hill. Wheeeeeeeee! Not looking forward to the return journey up there though. We go through lots of different scenarios from here, fairly built up, suburban, urban, farmland. The smells are wonderful today, Rape flowers and May flowers being the main ones.

Eventually we hit Castleford but we go a little further and there is Junction 32. It is a big outlet centre but not an indoor one. When you are out of the shops you are outdoors. We walked round to Thorntons chocolate shop and cafe and chain the bikes together within sight. Helen got us a table and then moved two tables back into the shade.

When we came to sit down Helen realised that she had put her money down on the original table in a little plastic bag. It was nowhere to be seen. Nobody had sat there but the bag had gone. We still got fed and watered. We chatted for a while and then set off back.

Ady said he knew a different way back to the original route that would cut off a mile or two so we let him lead. After a couple of miles he asked if I knew where we were. I didn't and nor did Helen or I. So we cycled on. I noted that the road was heading towards Wakefield so if nothing else I knew my way back from there. We asked someone who confirmed Wakefield was straight on.

So we carried on until we got to a t-junction and suddenly I knew exactly where I was. We worked our way through the maelstrom of traffic in the city centre and found that several times at lights we were next to a white Range Rover. We all thought this was quite funny. The driver and passenger were joining in our laughter too.

After leaving the town centre we joined a long straight A road. Not horrible but constantly uphill for several miles. We chugged on until we came round a roundabout. I knew that the road after the roundabout doesn't look like a nasty hill but it is very sneaky and when I first started riding this a few years ago I had to stop twice on this bit.

Helen and I got up it but then a van started hooting and I heard Ady shouting (he is re-knowned for this so I didn't take much notice). When I looked back I couldn't see him so shouted to Helen that he was 'off the back'. We stopped and waited. He eventually caught us up but had fallen off and that's why the van was hooting.

A drink, a breather and we were off again. This was probably one of the harder bits as we were tiring and it was hot. Another long straight slightly uphill road, Drighlington by-pass and we arrived at a Shell Garage where Helen and Ady bought drinks (I was nearly home and my Camelbak had sufficed) and then we did the hill back to where I dropped out and went home.

45 miles done and dusted.

A few hours rest from exercise and then I was off to aquarunning. Amy, our instructor, was on a mission tonight. It was like a bootcamp in water. That's how I like it though, no point in paying to just have a wash after all.

Walking - A Little Hill

Well just for a change I wasn't cycling. I was out walking with the Ramblers. We were on a coach ramble. The coach takes us a little further away than normal and today's treat was Pen-Y-Ghent - one of the Three Peaks of Yorkshire.

The Three Peaks of Yorkshire is a challenge event where you have to complete all three hills, and the walk between them, in less than 12 hours. The total mileage is around 24.5 miles. I've never done it but my partner, Peter has on several occasions.

Anyway, today was one little peak of 691 metres. It was a 9 mile walk in all.

The weather was a little overcast but reasonably mild as we set off from Horton-in-Ribblesdale. We got going as a group.

Through a churchyard and along a lane and then passed through a gate that had the marker on that told us it was 1.5 miles to the peak.

As we started the ascent Isobel and I took it steady but soon found we were getting quite a way ahead of everyone else.

As we got higher up Isobel started slowing a bit but I plodded on at no particular speed. I waited every so often and another lady caught me up. We chatted as we went up. Then the next time we waited her friend caught us up. I could still see Isobel who was way ahead of the main group but now a fair distance from us. I kept checking she was okay.

At about this time a man passed me wearing shorts. As he passed he nodded and said hello and I said 'I know you. You're Councillor Kris whatsit' He smiled and said he used to be. Bummer forgot he probably wasn't a councillor anymore. He didn't stop.

Then we got to the steep climb. This is where I started to slow a bit and a man from our group caught up. So the two ladies and this man, Steve were now ahead of me. I kept waving to Isobel and encouraging her on. In my mind there was a steep climb and then a slope to the top but my mind had obviously played tricks on me. There was a steep climb, a path and then another steep climb. By this time the sweat was pouring into my eyes.

After the last climb there was then an uphill path that felt more like it was flat and there, at last, was the trig point. Isobel was the fifth of our group to arrive at the top and we just waited for the rest while we had our lunch. I was proud of her for doing it especially without any audible complaints.

The view was pretty good but slightly cloudy.

When we had all rested and eaten we set off on the downward route. This was further over to the upward one. We chatted on the way down with various people and when we were on the flat again I looked back at the peak we had just climbed with a sense of satisfaction.

We got back to the coach and got changed. Then did a bit more walking back into the village for a nice cuppa and Isobel had a milkshake. A few of the Ramblers were in there so we had a chat with Mr Dawson, who we also know from canoeing.

The coach came into the village to pick us all up and we ended the day with a carvery meal at The Craven Heifer near Skipton.