I’m betting you’re thinking “You”re a little out of synch Sandra!” from the title of this post – and you’d be right!
We’re actually currently moored in marvellous Marple, and Barry’s trading here opposite the services for a couple of days.
We’d like to say a HUGE thank you to Melina (hope the spelling’s correct?) who read my previous post, took the initiative and called Barry up to see if he wanted a hand up the 16 locks of the Marple flight. Initially he said he would be ok I believe, but he was very thankful that he accepted as they’re a bugger to do as a solo boater he soon discovered!
The reason for the disjointedness of places and posts is I haven’t had chance to publish Barry’s photos from much of this latest journey yet. So here’s a start – and expect the remainder, with a bit of luck, before we set off for Cornwall at the weekend!
The very jovial Jim, from what used to be Starcross and his wife, are coming to boat sit while we’re away. So don’t be surprised if you see AreandAre with people on board you don’t recognise.
Brighouse and the calder and Hebble
We stayed a couple of nights in Brighouse, where the ‘Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band’ originate. It’s an interesting little town, not as affluent-seeming as Hebden Bridge or Todmorden, but has a lovely comfortable ‘vibe’ to it.
Having said that, we experienced for only the second time in five years of narrowboating, a challenge with some local youngsters. They’d been hanging around by the side of the moorings at the back of Tesco late into the night, and Barry suddenly jumped up in the early hours and shouted ‘OY‘, as he’d felt them pull the mooring pin out at the back of the boat. They ran off swiftly, just a silly spur of the moment harmless prank.
Barry sees beauty in old and crumbling buildings
A stunning building in Brighouse – probably an old grain silo
Our mooring, opposite an old Mill building converted into apartments
The basin at Brighouse
Lots of old mill buildings around Cooper Bridge – this is a reflection of the building in the water
And another beautiful building and its reflection
Here’s the proof!
Breathtaking bridge – and yes, another reflection!
On the River Calder now
A lunchtime stop in Mirfield
Shepley Bridge Marina on the River Calder
Watch out for the weir! Mr heron takes a break and a look around
Back onto the Calder and Hebble towards the Huddersfield Broad Canal
A last look at the river
The Huddersfield Broad Canal
On our way to Huddersfield – a scenic and serene journey
Lots of floating greenery here
Looks like plenty of water
A colourful canal boat passes us by
Viaduct across the canal
Looks like the ivy has taken over this ancient Mill building
A huge recycling plant along the journey – doing a great job but goodness, what an eyesore!
Once again, Barry finds the beauty in the mundane
Magnificent Mill chimney and lift bridge on the approach to the moorings in Huddersfield
Working out how each one functions is always fascinating
A veritable feat of engineering
Aspley Basin, Huddersfield
Not finished with the reflecting yet!
What a wonderful sight – a timeless shot
A stunning vista from the basin
The black and white makes it an even more timeless shot
You can just see AreandAre in the distance
The view from our mooring – not bad aye?
Breathtaking
We did leave the marina too – there’ll be a few images of our meander around Huddersfield, the town of my father’s birth, in the next post.
On the subject of reflections, we have a photo of Barrys’ on Pinterest of Little Venice in London, with amazing reflections of trees and boats, that’s been re-pinned countless times. What a shame we don’t get any income from re-pinnings lol!