January
Saturday Jan 19
The 12th anniversary of the Horseboating Society, which was founded on 19 Jan 2001. A day for everyone to shout out, Hussah! and Hurrah!
March
Tuesday March 12
between 3 – 6pm:
Studio visit to see the boathorse sculpture by Faith Bebbington in progress. Sculpture commissioned for The National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port.
http://www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/art-and-the-canal-and-river-trust/in-celebration-of-horseboating
Click on the 2 links, to “horseboating” and the sculptor’s “blog”.
Also see http://www.facebook.com/faith.bebbington
http://horsedrawnbarge.blogspot.co.uk
The studio address is 101 Prescot Street, Liverpool L7 8UL
http://www.bridewellstudios.co.uk/page7.htm
Google Map Location
Come to the back door, call Sue’s mobile 07711-121-056, to gain access at back gate.
Fri, Sat, Sun March 15 – 17
Shire Horse Society Spring Show, East of England Showground, Peterborough. An indoor show with many horse classes: in-hand, driven, and ridden. Plenty of tradestands, indoors and outdoors.
Friday: an auction day of harness, equipment as well as some horse show classes. Details: http://www.shire-horse.org.uk/
Wed March 20
Horseboating by SUFBRS with horseboat Saturn and boathorse Cracker on the Montgomery Canal. Further details: Stephen Rees-Jones, 07971-303416
Saturday March 23
2pm onwards:
Celebration of the life of Maureen Shaw who passed away in 2012. She drove a boathorse over hundreds of miles when she was about 7-14 years old, 1941-48/9. The event includes the unveiling of an interpretation board and there will be a marquee with an exhibition, both about Maureen’s working life on the canals.
All welcome. Wear boating clothing or HBS sweatshirts. Gather at Wardle Lock, Wardle Canal, Middlewich, Cheshire.
Friday March 29 to Monday April 1 at Easter
Easter – Sat, Sun, Mon
The annual Easter Historic Boats Gathering at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. A permanent display collection includes narrow and wide beam horseboats.
http://www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/national-waterways-museum
Easter Sunday March 31
The Horseboating Society AGM
at 2.30 – 3.30pm
Hazel’s Room, next to the Tom Rolt Centre at the National Waterways Museum.
Busy Easter with activities. Boathorse sculpture is likely to have been installed.
http://www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/national-waterways-museum
http://www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/art-and-the-canal-and-river-trust/in-celebration-of-horseboating – Click on the 2 links, to “horseboating” and the sculptor’s “blog”.
April
Tues April 2
Talk “Horseboating into the 21st Century” by Sue Day, for the Pole Moor Riding Club, Rose and Crown pub, above Slaithwaite, Huddersfield
April 10 – 28
Horseboat Elland on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
• Wed April 10: Leeds to Armley Mills Museum
• Thurs April 11: Armley Mills Museum to Rodley (near Pudsey)
• Friday April 12: Rodley (near Pudsey) to Saltaire
• Sat April 13 and Sun April 14: boat at Saltaire World Heritage Site Celebrations
• Sun April 14: harnessing and horseboating demos (Sat April 13, no demos.)
• Sun April 28: Saltaire to Bingley via the Bingley 3 Rise and Bingley 5 Rise Locks (one of the 7 Wonders of the Waterways)
Horseboat Maria on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal
• Tues April 16: Guidebridge to Heyrod, 5 miles and 8 locks
• Wed April 17: Heyrod to Uppermill, 4 miles and 13 locks
• Sun April 21: Uppermill to Diggle, 2 miles and 11 locks then at approximately 1.00 – 3.30 pm crew will leg Standedge Tunnel (3.25 miles), followed by the annual HBS St.George and the Dragon play at the Standedge Visitor Centre.
See http://www.standedge.co.uk
The dragon boat will emerge from the tunnel. Can St.George and his horse save the trembling villagers from the dragon? Beer and cake for all who survive!
Followed by The Leggers Supper (anybody is welcome – more details later).
Other dates tba: horseboating to Huddersfield, and return to Standedge then Ashton and Guidebridge.
May
May 1 – 12
Horseboat Elland on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
• Wed May 1: Bingley to Kildwick
• Thurs May 2: Kildwick to Skipton
• May 4 – 6: Skipton Waterways Festival, horseboat Elland on display
Further dates so far undecided – to travel on? And if so, how far?
Horseboat Maria on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal
• Sun May 12: HBS Event Day, “Horses at Work at Standedge, C18th to C21st”.
2.00 pm: Harnessing demo explaining the packhorses, wagon horses, and boathorses followed at 4 – 7pm by horseboating to Marsden then to West Slaithwaite as a horseboating demonstration and photo opportunity over 3 miles and 11 locks.
See http://www.standedge.co.uk
• Friday May 17, West Slaithwaite to Slaithwaite, 2 miles, about 10 locks
• Sunday May 19, Slaithwaite to Huddersfield, 5 miles, about 20 locks
• Wednesday May 22, Huddersfield to Linthwaite, 4 miles, about 16 locks
• Thursday May 23, Linthwaite to West Slaithwaite, 3 miles, about 14 locks
Horseboat Gifford on the Shropshire Union Canal
• Saturday May 18, National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port Horseboating demo – after the unveiling of the boathorse sculpture and speeches at 11.00 am – 2 miles
Horseboat Elland on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
• Wednesday May 29, Skipton to Gargrave
Boat to be at Gargrave for the Autoharp Festival, May 31 to June 2. Backcabin and hold accommodation available on Elland.
Horseboat Vixen on the Rochdale Canal
• Friday May 31, Sowerby Bridge to Hebden Bridge (Stubbing Wharf), 5 miles, 12 locks
Can you find fare-paying passengers for her? Up to 12. (Passengers to board at 11.00 am.)
June
Horseboat Elland on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
• Monday June 3, Skipton to Kildwick
about 4 miles, 0 locks, several swing bridges, crew required
Elland did not move last week from Skipton due to a swing-bridge stoppage. New plans now cause a change in direction! HBS has had an enquiry about filming between Bingley and Saltaire, so we will work Elland back in that direction.
Horseboat Maria on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal
• Wednesday June 5: Slaithwaite to West Slaithwaite
about 2 miles, 8 locks. Crew required. Morning start.
• Thursday June 6, West Slaithwaite to Standedge
about 1.5 miles, 11 locks. Crew required. Afternoon start.
Trent and Mersey Canal
• Saturday June 8: Wheelock boat-horse stables to be open during a community day? No confirmation yet.
Horseboat Elland on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
• Sunday June 9, Kildwick to Bingley
about 8 miles, 0 locks, several swing bridges, crew required
Please check for confirmation of travel.
Horseboat Kildare on the Grand Union Canal
Celebrating the centenary of horseboat Kildare, built 1913, usually butty to President
Crew provided by Friends of President.
• Thursay June 13: Kildare – Braunston to Weedon
• Friday June 14: Kildare – Weedon to Stoke Bruerne
• Saturay June 15: Kildare on display at Stoke Bruerne Gala Weekend.
• Monday June 17: Kildare – Stoke Bruerne to Weedon
• Tuesday June 18: Kildare – Weedon to Braunston
• Sat, Sun June 29, 30: Braunston Historic Boat Gathering esp. FMC boats
• Sat, Sun June 29, 30: boathorse harnessing demos in BW Stophouse Garden
See http://www.nb-president.org.uk
Horseboat Vixen on the Rochdale Canal
• Thursday June 20: Hebden Bridge (Stubbing Wharf) to Todmorden, 4 miles, 6 locks
Passenger trip. Crew required.
Horseboat Maria on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal
• Wednesday June 26: Maria legged through Standedge Tunnel, then to Uppermill.
Leggers and crew (even if not legging) required.
Into tunnel at 12.00 noon. In tunnel approx 12.00 noon – 3.00 pm. Boating will finish about 7.00 pm.
• Thursday June 27: Uppermill to Mossley.
• Friday June 28: Mossley to Ashton or Guide Bridge.
Horseboat Maria on the Lower Peak Forest Canal
• Saturday June 29: Ashton or Guide Bridge to Marple.
10 miles, 16 locks or possibly just the locks.
• Sunday June 30: Horseboat Maria at the Marple Locks Festival.
Marple to Guidebridge, 10 miles, 16 locks or possibly just the locks. Crew required.
Sunday June 30
Marple Locks Heritage Society Festival
10.00 am horseboating demo from Top Lock, down locks 16-13
1.30 pm boathorse harnessing demo at festival site in the park
2.00 pm horseboating demo from park, down locks 12 – 1, then boating back to Ashton and Guidebridge via aqueducts, tunnels, turnover bridges etc. Finish 7.00 pm?
Crew required.
Fri, Sat, Sun June 28 – 30
Leeds Waterfront Festival
IWA West Riding Boat Gathering, Thwaite Mills Museum, Aire and Calder Navigation.
Sat, Sun June 29, 30: possibly boathorse harnessing demos (no horseboat)
NOTE CLASH OF EVENTS JUNE 28 – 30: BRAUNSTON, LEEDS, MARPLE
July
Horseboat Elland on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Horseboating Society has been invited to be filmed on Saturday July 6th on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal for a documentary TV programme. We will be filmed going from the World Heritage site of Saltaire, over the Dowley Gap aqueduct, and through locks including the Bingley Three Rise and Bingley Five Rise, the latter being one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways.
We need crew on the following dates:
• Thursday July 6, Kildwick to Bingley. No locks; many swing bridges.
• Friday July 6, Bingley to Saltaire. 12 locks; 2 swing bridges
• Saturday July 6, Saltaire to Bingley. TV filmwork.
• Sunday July 6, Bingley to Kildwick.
• Tuesday July 23, Kildwick to Skipton. 8 miles, 0 locks, 4 swing bridges, crew required
• Wednesday July 24, Skipton to Gargrave. 5 miles, 3 locks, 5 swing bridges, crew required
Horseboat Vixen on the Rochdale Canal
• Friday July 26: Callis Lock to Hebden Wharf, 2 miles, 5 locks – to get the boat into position for the Rochdale Canal Festival
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as part of the Rochdale Canal Festival
Passengers welcome any day but please book
• Monday July 29: Hebden Bridge to Mytholmroyd and return x 2 trips 4 miles, 4 locks, legging Fallingroyd Tunnel x 4
• Tuesday July 30: Hebden Bridge to Mytholmroyd and return x 2 trips 4 miles, 4 locks, legging Fallingroyd Tunnel x 4. Poetry on board. Then to Stubbing Wharf, Hebden Bridge. 1 mile, 3 locks.
• Wednesday July 31: Stubbing Wharf, Hebden Bridge, to Todmorden 4 miles, about 10 locks. Boat to be moored at Fielding Wharf for towpath lantern procession finale that evening.
Grand Union Canal
Dates t.b.a. Horseboating on Grand Union Canal to IWA National eg 2 days,
• Fri, Sat, Sun July 19-21: IWA National Festival at Cassiobury Park, Watford
July/August
Sat July 27-Sun Aug 4
South Pennine Ring Canal Festival
Horseboat Vixen on the Rochdale Canal, passenger trips and poetry workshops
• Aug 3 and 4 Horseboat Maria on the Huddersfield Narrow, Stalybridge canal event.
August / September
Horseboat Gifford on the Trent and Mersey Canal
• Sunday August 11: National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port
Horses at Work annual event, 10.00 am – 5.00 pm.
HBS works with NWM and the Boat Museum Society (BMS) which owns Gifford and provides the crew.
A harnessing demo will be followed by a horseboating demo to the winding hole and return. Twice in the day. Again some young crew will be involved, like last year and this May.
11.00 am: Harnessing demo
11.30 am – 12.30 pm: Horseboating demo
2.00 pm: Harnessing demo
2.30 – 3.30 pm: Horseboating demo
There will be other activities during the day including carriage rides, pony rides for children, a farrier, trade vehicles on display, etc.
All are welcome – to a good day out. Museum admission applies.
For Museum information, see http://www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/national-waterways-museum
Horseboat Vixen on the Rochdale Canal
• Monday August 12: Todmorden to Walsden, 2 miles, 11 locks
• Tuesday August 13: Walsden to and over the Summit 2 miles, 8 locks.
Horseboat Elland on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
* * * Dates changed * * *
• Friday August 16: Skipton (Niffany Swing Bridge area) to Gargrave (Anchor Inn) 4 miles, 4 locks, 2 or 3 swing bridges.
• Saturday August 17: Gargrave (Anchor Inn) to East Marton 4 miles, 8 locks, stunning scenery
Horseboat Vixen on the Rochdale Canal
• Wednesday August 28: Summit to Walsden, (Gandma Pollard’s) 2 miles, 8 locks
• Thursday August 29: Walsden to Todmorden 2 miles, 11 locks
• Friday August 30 or Tuesday September 3: Todmorden to Hebden Bridge, Stubbing Wharf 4 miles, about 10 locks
• Wednesday September 4: Hebden Bridge area, filming with Timothy West and Prunella Scales
• Friday September 6: Hebden Bridge to Sowerby Bridge 5.5 miles, 8 locks
Sowerby Bridge Rushbearing Festival Fri Sept 6 – Sun Sept 8.
Horseboat Elland on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
• Monday September 9: East Marton to Greenberfield 2.5 miles, 3 locks, stunning scenery.
• Tuesday September 10: Greenberfield to Foulridge 4 miles
• Wednesday September 11: Leg Foulridge Tunnel, horse over the top 1 mile
• Thursday September 12: Foulridge Tunnel to Reedley Marina, Burnley 5 miles, 7 locks
• Saturday September 14: Reedley Marina to Weavers’ Triangle – Over Burnley Embankment, one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways. 3 miles
Burnley Canal Festival Fri Sept 13 – Sun Sept 15.
October / November
Horseboat Vixen on the Rochdale Canal
• Friday October 4: Horseboating Vixen from Hebden Bridge to Brearley (Lock 6) .
Horseboating crew needed and welcomed. Approx two hour trip, maybe with passengers. One way trip. Crew to assemble by 1.00 pm, set off 2.00 pm.
Horseboat Elland on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
• Sunday October 6: The CRT has invited HBS to attend their Family Fun Day at the top of the Bingley Five Rise. Harnessing demos with horse and boat present but no horseboating.
Assistants for harnessing demos appreciated. Probably about 12 noon and 3pm
• Wednesday October 9, Thursday October 10: School visits will be made at the Bingley Five Rise. Harnessing demos, no horseboating.
Assistants for harnessing demos appreciated. 30 minute demos. Wednesday, morning only, 10 am – 12 noon. Thursday, morning and afternoon, 10 am – 12 noon and 1 – 3 pn. Travel expenses paid by CRT.
• Saturday October 12: Filming for Channel 4, Bingley towards Shipley.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am currently making a documentary for the series “Walking through History” presented by Tony Robinson (Time Team/Black Adder).
My episode is following Tony on a historic walk along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, from Liverpool to Wigan. Within the documentary I was hoping that we might be able to interview someone with a horse-drawn boat to evoke the age. I was wondering whether you might have any contacts or be aware of any current horse barges that might be able to “meet us” en route.
Thank you very much for your help in advance.
Best wishes,
Nick-Gillam Smith (producer/director)
As a horse-drawn boat cannot be provided between Liverpool and Wigan in October 2013, the film crew will come to Bingley instead, at least on the same canal and to the very horse and boat which travelled from Leeds to Liverpool in 2012.
Horseboating crew needed and welcomed. Filming only between 10-1, then continue to Shipley. Crew to arrive by 9am preferably, to get horse and boat ready.
Horseboat Vixen on the Rochdale Canal
• Thursday Oct 17: Horseboating from Brearley to Hebden Bridge to Stubbing Wharf
Horseboating crew needed and welcomed. Approx two hour trip to Hebden Wharf, maybe with passengers, then continue to Stubbing Wharf. One way trip. Crew to assemble by 1.00 pm, set off 2.00 pm.
Horseboat Vixen on the Rochdale Canal
• Saturday October 26: Apple Day, a fun event at the Stubbing Wharf pub, Hebden Bridge, where apples are pressed to make fresh apple juice. Cider, apple juices, and food made from apples on sale.
Do come and enjoy this event. The hope is to give short return boat trips to the winding hole and back late in the afternoon. So come and enjoy Apple Day then help if you can with trips with Bilbo and Vixen.
Crew required to do short boat trips from 3pm, maybe to 5pm. Arrive early to enjoy Apple Day and help set up the boat and horse for trips. Boat to be left at Charlestown at the finish which is about a ten minute walk from the pub. No locks all day.
• Thursday November 7: Bilbo and Vixen, from Charlesworth, Hebden Bridge to Mytholmroyd winding hole and return back to Butler’s Wharf, Hebden Bridge. Less than 4 miles, 6 lock passages, Fallingroyd Tunnel twice.
Crew and passengers required. Crew to assemble at Stubbing Wharf pub by 11am, walk to boat, boat to set off by 12 noon, passengers to be picked up at pub 12.30. Arrive Butler’s Wharf, Hebden Bridge at finish approx 3.30 pm.
Cost for passengers is £12.00.
Rochdale Canal – More dates?
A winter mooring has yet to be sorted for Vixen so there might be more dates yet. Maria and Elland are on their winter moorings and have ceased horseboating for 2013.