Long Distance Journeys - The Horseboating Society

The Horseboating Society

Long-distance journeys

Sue Day of Horsedrawn Enterprises has undertaken a number of long distance horsedrawn journeys over the waterways network, including arriving with horsedrawn boats at IWA National Waterways Festivals.

After attending the National Festival in Chester in 1995, Sue went on to the Boat Museumat Ellesmere Port. For 1998, she went to the National Festival at Salford Quays, continuing on around the Cheshire Ring and Upper Peak Forest Canal - a distance of over 100 miles. In 1999 she journeyed from Manchester to Worcester, including a run up the Caldon Canal to Froghall and back - a distance of about 200 miles.

In 2000 Sue undertook her most ambitious journey - from Manchester to London and on to the National Waterways Festival at Waltham Abbey. This journey was with the 1854 "Maria", believed to be the oldest surviving wooden narrowboat, which belongs to the Ashton Packet Boat Company. The journey won the award for the most enterprising and meritorious journey to the Festival. This time, 310 miles and 298 locks were undertaken.

The voyage raised over £7000 for Sue's chosen cancer charities and involved over forty crew members, whose ages ranged from 18 to 73.

This voyage gained much coverage in local papers and in the waterways magazines and, as a result of the interest created, Sue was moved to set up The Horseboating Society early in 2001. The Society has around 100 members so far, many of whom have joined Sue as crew on these journeys.

Horseboating on canals owned by British Waterways is only allowed with their permission, so the journeys take a lot of discussion with waterway managers as well as careful planning and investigating possible hazards such as motor-cycle barriers.

Long distance journeys, as well as raising the profile of horseboating, give a benefit to the communities through which they pass. Many people in these places have never seen horsedrawn boats although they are part of their heritage.

Some older people are reminded of seeing them in their childhood.

These journeys are part of an active campaign aiming to keep the whole canal network available for horsedrawn boats. It's a case of "use it or lose it".

Getting the towline around an ill-placed lamp-post in Stalybridge

In 2001, Sue took "Maria" for a return trip along the newly re-opened Huddersfield Narrow Canal. "Maria" had the distinction of being the first boat to complete the passage along the canal after its re-opening.

Maria on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal at Mossley

In 2002, the wrought iron boat "Elland", built around 1840, was taken the whole way around the new South Pennine Ring, comprising the Ashton Canal, the Huddersfield Narrow and Broad Canals, the Calder and Hebble, where "Elland" only just fitted its Salterhebble Locks, and the newly-restored Rochdale Canal.

She posed for photographs at Elland, the town from which she took her current name. "Elland" then took part in the opening ceremony at Littleborough, with Fred Dibnah cutting the tape from her bow!

Also in 2002, Sue took two boats - "Maria" and "Elland", horsedrawn to the IWA National Festival at Huddersfield.

"Maria" has been horseboated to Huddersfield and back several times, including being legged through Standedge Tunnel in 2006.

"Maria" has also been horseboated to Marple and Manchester regularly, and in 2007 has been horseboated to Liverpool.

Horseboating Society members have also taken part in horseboating other boats in various parts of the country, including "Saturn" on the Shropshire Union Canal, "Gifford" at Ellesmere Port and "Sunny Valley" at Blisworth.

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