Page updated 1 July 2002
Introduction to this Guide
The Huddersfield Narrow Canal was re-opened to traffic on the 1 May 2001, a year after the publication of the 2000 edition of Nicholson's Guide. (The official opening ceremonies took place on Friday 25 May 2001.) As the 2000 editions were themselves only a re-vision of the 1997 edition, there weren't even maps showing the route. However, the canal was clearly going to be of great interest to canal enthusiasts and, hopefully, users of this site too. I was not surprised when I received the first submission covering the HNC a fortnight after the first boats passed through Standedge Tunnel.
Deciding how to present the submissions was a problem. For waterways not covered by Nicholson, my approach has been to find an alternative "definitive" guide and accept updates to those. There have been a number of worthwhile books published on the canal, but most have the disadvantage of not being widely available or being out of date. The obvious choice was British Waterways own, newly published, guide which may be obtained on request, at no charge, from BW's Manchester office (Tel: 0161 819 5847 or enquires.spring@britishwaterways.co.uk). However, in anticipation of a flood of submissions, I decided it was time for the site to create its very own canal guide.
The first problem was quickly solved. Canal Boat and Inland Waterways Magazine have kindly supplied the map files used on these pages. While they do not have the detail of the Ordnance Survey maps found in Nicholson Guides, they do have the advantage, for web use, that they will download much faster than such maps would.
Next all there was to do was seed the site with some outline details gleaned from various sources and wait for my users to correct and update my work.
So whether you have cruised, walked or cycled the length of the canal, or only part of it, if you discover something you think worth sharing with others, then please submit the details and they will appear on these pages in due course.
Navigating a canal, of course, includes having to cope with the necessities of daily life aboard, so it's not just the waterside features that will be of interest. Where are the best supermarkets? Which ales are served at which pub? Is there a launderette nearby? What does that sculpture commemorate?
Thanks, in anticipation of many updates!
(For the curious, my initial sources were actually: Canal Boat & Inland Waterways Magazine (April 2001), British Waterway's "A Guide to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal", much of which was itself quoted directly from http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk, the BBC2 programme, "The Impossible Dream" broadcast only from northern area transmitters on Friday 18 May 2001 and postings to news:uk.rec.waterways)
[Link to the Huddersfield Broad Canal guide updates]
[Link to the Ashton Canal guide updates]
Greg Chapman
Webmaster