Herb Riddle's photos with the keyword: Huddersfield_canal

Another walk along my local canal between Greenfield and Mossley. Its always a very pleasant walk and in the right lighting gives us many attractive reflections. Enjoy the weekend.

As we approach this part of our Mossley canal (really called the Huddersfield Narrow) we encounter a fallen tree bridging the canal, brought down by the recent storm Claudia. A tree surgeon looks on as his colleague cuts pieces from the right hand side. A canal barge lies just beyond the tree presumably enabling the felling work. To me though, this was not about a fallen tree but the magnificent lighting. See last photo for closer view and slightly different lighting. You choose your favourite! Enjoy full screen.

As we approach this part of our Mossley canal (really called the Huddersfield Narrow) we encounter a fallen tree bridging the canal, brought down by the recent storm Claudia. A tree surgeon looks on as his colleague cuts pieces from the right hand side. A canal barge lies just beyond the tree presumably enabling the felling work. To me though, this was not about a fallen tree but the magnificent lighting. See next photo for more distant view and slightly different lighting. You choose your favourite! Enjoy full screen.

A walk down our canal system is always worthwhile at this time of year as it is one of the few green paths that is relatively dry underfoot. As can be seen most of our autumnal golden leaves have already gone from here after recent storms but this curved walled part and its reflections can still bring a smile to our faces. Enjoy the day.

An autumnal view of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal near the Saddleworth village of Diggle. We are approaching bridge No.68 with its lock just behind it and a little further the very popular Grandpa Greene's canal side café. Some few hundred yards beyond that, the long deep Standedge Tunnel. Yes Autumn has arrived -this morning we have our first frost. Nice full screen.

I have not seen such a ‘Hotel’ boat on our canals before and so this was quite a surprise. Seen on my local stretch of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal at Uppermill, on its way towards the long ‘Standedge’ canal tunnel in the village of Diggle (just the next village up). These locks are quit narrow and it was in the next lock up that we once saw a canal boat ‘high & dry’ and being rescued by a big crane in 2014. See last photo or PiP Enjoy full screen.

A catastrophe on our Hudderfield Narrow Canal at Uppermill.. This narrow boat had not gone forward enough before letting out all the water in the lock and so the stern (back-end) was left sat on the narrow 'sill' as the front went down with the water level. A very near thing for the boat itself as water could have got into the front here. Some minutes after taking this a 'crane' arrived to lift the boat up/out . The date: Oct 5, 2014

A view of our Hudderfield Canal at the small town of Mossley. A canal path that my wife and I often walk as it is quite wonderful and mostly dry too. Love the light and reflections here. A good place to sit and ponder on that bench but I don’t think we ever have sat there. The PiP shows an Autumn view of the same scene. Enjoy full screen. Have a great day.

A summer view from the Huddersfield canal at Friezland in the village of Greenfield towards Pots & Pans and Alderman’s Hill. The cygnets make a nice foreground subject but usually there is the odd canal barge moored around here too. Enjoy full size.

Here at Uppermill railway viaduct again watching Isabella on its way towards Manchester for its next halt at Stalybridge before Ashton Basin. Nice full screen.

A rather nice sight as we walk along the canal side at Greenfield. They are joined by their friends Canada Goose and pigeon. The one on the left is giving me ‘The eye’. Enjoy full size! HFF, enjoy the weekend. ps something funny here -not sure what :)

A shot taken at the Uppermill railway viaduct over the canal. A rather unusual site in seeing a moving canal boat. I shake my head at this as it was not even done by me, but my wife Eileen by my side as I stood with the telephoto -she using my Iphone. Why do I shake my head? It’s because at first glance this can hardly be differentiated from my own Nikon SLR photos that I took here. This was in fact a wider angle photo that I could not have taken as I did not have my wide lens with me. I always thought that when phone photos were as good (or nearly as good) as quality SLR+Raw –it will be time to retire my hobby. But….. Enjoy full screen.

A very rare event nowadays to witness a canal barge travelling through this long and somewhat daunting tunnel. It is only open 2-3 days per week and one has to pre-book and have a special pilot on board to help navigate it. The pilot here is the man on the right hand side. Before entry, all high objects such as chimney, aerials etc have to be removed. In the old days of horse pulled barges, the craft had to be ‘legged’ by people lying on their backs, on the roof of the craft and then pushing along with leg power using the tunnel roof and sides. As can be seen there is very little clearance between the barge and stone walls/roof. On some special days, an electric pleasure barge takes visitors through here. A trip that I remember well, some years back now, passing through much dripping water and low rocks at some places.. The tunnel opened in 1811. It is the the longest at 4984m – (just over 3 miles) as well as the highest, and deepest canal tunnel in the United Kingdom. Having been closed to all traffic in 1943, the canal tunnel was re-opened in May 2001. NB the blue plaque says: "Thomas Telford 1757-1834, whose skills ensured the completion of the Diggle Flight and the Standedge Tunnel"…. Thomas Telford, of course was one of Britain’s most famous civil engineers and the ‘Flight’ mentioned here refers to the numerous flights of canal locks. Enjoy full screen.

Autumn, at just a short ride from my home can be most rewarding, for here at the Huddersfield canal we see some gorgeous Autumnal lighting giving the whole scene a look of the old masters. The narrow-boat takes a rest before a possible trip towards the Ashton Basin and two other canal systems. If it went up towards the hills here, it would shortly reach Diggle and the famous Standedge Tunnel under the moors to Marsden in Yorkshire. Another from my Panoramio collection. Enjoy full screen. ps Greenfield is the name of the big village here.

A nice Autumnal bench, a nice reflection but I know only too well that the centre of attraction here will be the cat. Taken along the Huddersfield canal in Mossley just twelve months ago, Enjoy full screen and have a good week.

A mural over-washed with reflections from the canal waters below, in this canal tunnel at the village of Diggle near my home. The canal being the 'Huddersfield Narrow'. Enjoy full size

A Winter's view of this popular canal at the Saddleworth village of Uppermill looking west. In front of us is the aptly named Saddleworth Viaduct carying the Transpennine Railway line to Yorkshire. more info PiP shows view from opposite side

As autumn turns to winter we see here the classic results of cold ground temperatures alongside warmer air. Who cannot resist a run around with one's camera to try and capture such scenes as this. Taken on the Huddersfield canal at my local village of Greenfield in what promised to be the start of a wondrous morning of light and mist for me.