From Cooper Bridge to Brighouse on the Calder & Hebble

 The Calder & Hebble Navigation isn't just a stretch of water; it's a living timeline, carving its way through the heart of West Yorkshire's industrial landscape. My recent walk, capturing the route from Cooper Bridge towards Brighouse, offered a profound look at how centuries of industry and modern engineering coexist with the quiet, reflective beauty of a working waterway.

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Cooper Bridge: Where Industry Meets the River

The walk begins near Cooper Bridge, a historically important junction on the old road network. Here, the immediate scenery is dominated by the ghosts of industry and the hard lines of modern infrastructure.

• The Mill and the Chimney: One of the most striking initial views is the reflection of the large Victorian mill building and its towering chimney in the water . This classic image encapsulates the Industrial Revolution's legacy in the Calder Valley—textiles, coal, and transport, all powered by the river and the canal. The water, calm and dark, acts as a perfect mirror, doubling the building's impressive scale.

• The Sunlit Cut: Moving away from the heavier industrial backdrop, the canal narrows and the banks become greener, though remnants of manufacturing are still visible. The sunlight catches the water, giving a brief glimpse of the navigation’s serene side.

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The Overheads: Bridging Eras of Transport

As you progress through Kirklees, the landscape dramatically changes, showcasing the monumental clash between 18th-century canal engineering and 20th-century road building.

Kirklees Railway Bridge: A Relic of Rail

The Kirklees Railway Bridge is a magnificent, brooding structure. Its heavy wrought-iron lattice girders, now deeply rusted and framed by winter-bare branches, speak of the great age of Victorian railway expansion. The massive, weathered stone piers of the older arches below suggest the scale of the challenge faced when spanning both the river and the navigation. This bridge is a powerful reminder that once, rail was the dominant competitor to the canal for transporting goods across the Pennines.

The M62 Viaduct: The Modern Giant

Further on, the landscape is utterly dwarfed by the immense presence of Bridge 20, carrying the M62 Motorway across the valley.

• Engineering Scale: The sheer size of the concrete columns, standing like a legion of modern giants, is breath taking. Underneath the viaduct, the view is starkly different—an echoing, shadowed space that highlights the difference between human-scale canal transport and high-speed vehicular transit. The contrast is palpable: the tranquillity of the water below the thrum of thousands of cars above.

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The Workings of the Waterway: Lock 14

One of the most essential features of any navigation is its locks, and your photo of Lock 14, Kirklees Low Lock, captures the functional beauty of canal architecture. Framed by the surrounding trees and green fields, the lock is a hub of activity (or potential activity). The white-painted gates and machinery stand out against the greenery, ready to lift or lower boats. It's here that you truly appreciate the system engineered by figures like John Smeaton to make the River Calder navigable for long-distance trade.

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Approaching Brighouse

The final leg of the journey takes us into the immediate vicinity of Brighouse, where the canal again meets the modern industrial fringe.

• Blakeborough Bridge: Bridge 19, the Blakeborough Bridge, is a distinctive concrete arch structure, likely replacing an older crossing. Its smooth, utilitarian lines stand in sharp contrast to the rusty rail bridge encountered earlier.

• A Modern Mix: The final views are a blend of the wide, straight canal cut, lined by contemporary industrial units and tall power line pylons. The calm water reflecting the vast sky and the flanking hedgerows is sandwiched between the necessities of twenty-first-century life—warehouses and electricity transmission.

This stretch of the Calder & Hebble is a superb example of a working canal that has adapted and endured. It has moved from being the lifeblood of the Industrial Revolution to a recreational and ecological corridor, all while serving as a silent museum of transport history.

The pictures were taken with a Nikon d3300 on the 23rd January 2016, clicking any of them should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

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Tunnel to Lock: A Walk along the Huddersfield Narrow Canal

 Date of Adventure: July 25, 2020 Camera: Nikon D3300

The Huddersfield Narrow Canal is a true gem of the North, a testament to the grit and engineering prowess of the Industrial Revolution, and a stunning place for a walk. This particular summer's day took me along a picturesque stretch from the Standedge Tunnel entrance near Marsden to Lock 42 close to Marsden Railway Station. The weather was classic Yorkshire—a bit cloudy, but the lush greenery made everything pop.

The Standedge Tunnel Experience

Our walk started at the eastern portal of the incredible Standedge Tunnel. At over three miles long, it's the longest canal tunnel in Britain! The sheer scale of the operation is evident at the Standedge Tunnel Visitor Centre . The imposing stone building, with its distinctive red doors, sits right on the water's edge, offering a fascinating glimpse into the canal's history. Tour boats moored here add to the scene, ready to take visitors a short distance into the tunnel's mouth.

Looking directly down the canal, the tunnel entrance is a dark, mysterious arch carved into the hillside . Flanking the canal are traditional stone buildings, including the waterside café —a perfect spot for a pre-walk brew and a moment to reflect on the incredible journey narrowboats make through the Pennines.

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Following the Towpath South

From the tunnel, we set off along the towpath. The canal here is a ribbon of deep, dark water, beautifully framed by dense trees, ferns, and the steep slopes of the Pennine hills. The path itself is a mix of gravel and mud, especially after a typical summer shower, adding to the rustic, immersive feel .

The walk is incredibly scenic, with stone bridges like Bridge 62 crossing the water . These historic structures, along with the surrounding well-kept cottages, are a reminder that the canal runs right through the heart of the community. Along this section near Marsden, you see the juxtaposition of nature and industry, with a brightly painted narrowboat moored quietly against a background of green ferns .

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The Descent through Marsden Locks

As we continued, the canal started its descent through the flight of locks leading toward the centre of Marsden. The section features several locks, including Lock 43 and Lock 42 . These are classic examples of narrow canal architecture, with their heavy, black-painted gates, sluice mechanisms, and stone-lined chambers.

It's always a pleasure to stop and watch the lock mechanisms in action, though today it was more about appreciating the structures themselves. Lock 42, our final destination for this section, stands close to modern road and rail bridges, highlighting how this historic waterway coexists with modern infrastructure.

This particular stretch of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal offers a beautiful blend of engineering history, peaceful nature, and local charm. It's a fantastic route for an afternoon's walk, whether you're a canal enthusiast or just looking for a peaceful escape into the Yorkshire countryside. Highly recommended!

Clicking any of the images below should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

Please take a moment to share this post, follow me on social media, and explore my work on Clickasnap and Photo4Me using the links below. Your support means a lot!

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Walking the Waters of Industry: A Scenic Stroll on the Rochdale Canal near Littleborough

The Rochdale Canal is more than just a waterway; it’s a living museum that threads through the history and landscape of the North West. The walk along the stretch between Bridge 49 and Lock 47 near Littleborough offered a beautiful blend of industrial heritage, tranquil nature, and the undeniable charm of a canal in its prime.

This particular section, where Greater Manchester meets West Yorkshire, captures the canal at its most picturesque. It’s a route that invites reflection on the engineering ambition of the past and the serene beauty of the present.

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The Path Less Travelled: Greenery and Grandeur

The towpath itself, a wide and well-maintained track of gravel, is an absolute delight for walkers, cyclists, and runners. It’s a corridor of green, often bordered by lush ferns and a thick canopy of trees that dapples the water with shifting patterns of light and shadow.

In several spots, the canal feels completely remote, surrounded only by tall grasses and dense foliage . The only sound is the gentle ripple of the water and the occasional bird call. The contrast between this peaceful, overgrown environment and the canal’s original purpose—a bustling highway for the Industrial Revolution—is striking. You might even spot some local wildlife, like a Canada goose serenely gliding across the dark water, reminding you that nature has well and truly reclaimed this corridor.

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Engineering Echoes: Bridges and Locks

The journey between Bridge 49 and Lock 47 is punctuated by powerful examples of Victorian canal architecture.

Bridge 49: The Archway of Light

Passing under Bridge 49 offers one of the most atmospheric views of the walk. The classic, low-slung stone arch frames the water perfectly, creating a dark, cool passage before you emerge into the bright, open canal view on the other side. The stonework, weathered and marked by moss, speaks to centuries of resilience.

Lock 47: The Heart of the Waterway

Further on, the presence of Lock 47 announces the shift in elevation that makes this canal such an engineering feat. The Rochdale Canal is known as the highest canal in the country, and its 92 locks are the mechanism that allows it to cross the Pennines.

Approaching the lock, you’re often greeted by the charming sight of traditional narrowboats moored nearby, their bright colours providing a splash of contrast against the green banks . The lock chamber itself is a fascinating, moss-covered chamber of stone and wood, showcasing the immense wooden gates that hold back the water.

In the background, solid, historic stone buildings stand watch, often converted from their original industrial uses, giving a glimpse into the thriving communities that grew up around these vital transport links.

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A Moment of History in Littleborough

This stretch, near the Greater Manchester town of Littleborough, is particularly significant as it sits on the Pennine summit section of the canal.

Commissioned in 1794, the Rochdale Canal was the first of the three trans-Pennine canals to be completed, acting as a crucial link between the manufacturing heartlands of Manchester and the port of Sowerby Bridge (where it connected to the Calder and Hebble Navigation). Its success was pivotal, allowing raw materials like cotton and wool to be transported efficiently.

Today, after a long period of decline and an incredible restoration effort in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the canal is fully navigable again, allowing leisure boats to make the famous journey over the backbone of England.

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Ready for Your Own Walk?

If you’re looking for a peaceful escape that combines easy walking with stunning historic scenery, the Rochdale Canal near Littleborough is highly recommended. The accessible towpaths make it perfect for a leisurely afternoon ramble, offering endless photographic opportunities of its rugged stone structures and beautiful waterscapes. Pack your camera and your walking shoes, and step back into a forgotten age of industrial majesty.

I took this set of pictures on the 26th May 2014 with a Polaroid is2132, clicking any of them should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

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The Rochdale Canal from Mytholmroyd to Moderna

There's a special kind of magic to be found along the old towpaths of England's canals. On a quiet July day, a walk along a short stretch of the Rochdale Canal in West Yorkshire offers a journey back in time, connecting the bustling village of Mytholmroyd to the tranquil stretch toward Moderna.

Starting near Bridge 10 in Mytholmroyd, you immediately feel the canal's rich history. The stone arches, weathered by centuries of rain and traffic, frame the waterway perfectly. Here, you're surrounded by a mix of old stone buildings and lush greenery, a testament to how nature and industry have coexisted for generations. The cool, damp air under the bridge is a sensory experience, a brief and refreshing escape from the open sky.

As you emerge from the tunnel of the bridge, the path opens up. The gentle ripples on the water reflect the cloudy sky and the towering green hills that hug the valley. The path itself is a mix of packed earth and gravel, worn smooth by the countless feet of boatmen, walkers, and cyclists over the years. You'll pass industrial buildings that stand as silent reminders of the canal's working past, their reflections shimmering on the water’s surface. Yet, the scene feels far from industrial. The constant, soft sound of the water, the rustling of leaves, and the occasional bird call create a soothing soundtrack for your walk.

The route from Mytholmroyd is a testament to the canal's blend of rural and urban landscapes. One moment you're passing modern buildings, and the next you're enveloped in a tunnel of trees, where the light dapples through the leaves onto the path. This is especially true as you approach Moderna Bridge 9. The path narrows, and the greenery becomes more dense, almost reclaiming the land. This part of the canal is particularly peaceful, with the water often still enough to provide a perfect mirror image of the trees and sky. It's a place to pause, to breathe in the quiet, and to appreciate the simplicity of a world moving at a slower pace.

Whether you're looking for a peaceful stroll, a bit of local history, or just a beautiful backdrop for a morning walk, the section of the Rochdale Canal between Mytholmroyd and Moderna is a perfect choice. It’s more than just a path; it’s a living piece of history that invites you to be a part of its story.

I took these pictures with a Nikon d3300 on the 21st July 2018, clicking any of them should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

Please take a moment to share this post, follow me on social media, and explore my work on Clickasnap and Photo4Me using the links below. Your support means a lot!

All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.