Holiday Guide - Sowerby Bridge start

WHAT TO BRING

You will need to bring warm & waterproof clothing and soft-soled shoes as well as books and games – and a torch. Storage is well planned but space is limited so please ask your crew to bring only what they really need, preferably in soft bags – large suitcases can be put back in your car, or in our store if you came by train. You need only bring initial supplies of food as you should be able to shop most days, and discovering local shops is part of the fun. We do not supply steerer’s waterproofs, as most people have their own. Please bring only basic soft toilet paper – see below.

Towels: If you are coming from overseas, we will provide towels. Otherwise, please bring your own. Or you can order towels at £5 a set.

INVENTORY

Your boat has a comprehensive inventory. Items vary from time to time and between small and large boats. The crockery and cutlery are provided for the maximum number on each boat plus one or two. There’s a list for your boat on its specific online Information Pack page.

Outside:  3 gas bottles, hose, anchor, 3 windlasses, C&H handspike, 3 mooring stakes, mallet, pole, boat hook, plank, mop, and lifebuoy.
General: 1 set of boat keys on red or blue fob, engine key (stays in ignition), 2 CRT keys for Sanitary Stations and our car park on cork floats, 3 handcuff keys for security locks, pumpout key, spare fuses as required. Fire extinguishers, fire blanket, first aid kit. TV/DVD player, radio CD, hair dryer. Stool(s), coat-hangers. The Boater’s Handbook, Boat Manual and cruising guides. Broom, dust pan & 2 brushes, bucket, toilet brush(es), junior hacksaw.
Kitchen: 3 or 4 saucepans, one each of: tray, fruit bowl, bread bin, bread board, chopping board, waste bin, washing up bowl, kettle, tea pot, cafétière, milk jug, sugar bowl, water jug, toast rack, butter dish, measuring jug, pudding basin, pie dish, casserole with lid, frying pan, sieve, roasting dish, tin opener, peeler, bread/carving knife, carving fork, kitchen knife, wooden spoon, tea strainer, cheese grater, corkscrew, slice, masher, draining spoon, scissors, whisk, ash tray; plus a quantity, as above, of dinner and side plates, cereal bowls, egg cups, cups & saucers, mugs, tumblers, wine glasses, knives, forks, dessert, soup and tea spoons, two table spoons and a cutlery tray. We supply small quantities of pepper & salt in sachets.
Consumables: we provide two tea towels, one oven glove, 'J' cloth, washing up liquid, matches, bin liners, toilet roll(s), floor cloth and Brasso and cloth.
Bedding is supplied: see below and please order on the Yellow Form.
Towels: not included. £5 a set (free to overseas customers) - please order on Yellow Form. 
Bedguards for babies only can be provided for some berths. Please order on Yellow Form.
Lifejackets: see below.
Fuel: enough diesel fuel and gas for your holiday (except by arrangement for very long trips).

PETS

Please keep them off the beds and seats. If they use the best chairs at home, please bring a blanket. For more advice, see our pet page.

BICYCLES AND CANOES

These can be great fun, but be realistic. They have to live on the roof (no room on front or back deck), so please bring something to protect our paintwork. You will need to ensure your mat does not obscure the roof vents, so bring a knife. They will somewhat obstruct the steerer’s view, and can be attacked by trees.  However valuable the bike, you may not put it in the cabin.

Canoe licences are included in Canoe England membership, or available from Canal & River Trust 03030 404040 or canalrivertrust.org.uk.

Cycling is permitted except where signed otherwise. Please cycle with care and follow the Towpath Code.  Note that the towpath is not continuous on some of the river sections.

BARBECUES

Gas powered barbecues are forbidden. Charcoal ones may only be used on the towpath, never on the boat.

FISHING

All the fishing is let to clubs, some of which may issue day tickets.  See the Canal & River Trust site and search for ‘fishery list’.

When fishing with a club’s permission, you will also need a National Rod Licence (from Post Offices). There is no close season on the canals — rivers 15 March to 15 June.  Please keep bait outside the boat.

Please take care to slow down when passing fishermen, and keep to the middle.

ACCESSIBILITY

If you are bringing anyone who cannot easily look after him/herself, you must make sure you have provided adequately for his or her safety. Our boats have steep steps; check suitability for anyone with impaired mobility. See Accessibiity.

YOUR CREW

Be realistic about the type of boating holiday your crew members want. On routes with more locks, it is obviously preferable that they like lock working. A crew of two may find it much easier if the shorter or weaker partner will steer the boat, so that the stronger one can work the locks. Think this out before you come. A crew of three or four active members can cover greater distances as someone can go ahead to set the next lock.

You must not have on the boat more than the number shown on the label on the back door.

SAFETY

Like anything worth doing, one can go on improving one’s skill as a boatman throughout life. But boating is also quite straightforward for beginners, given common sense and some training. So we have a system for making sure that every crew knows enough to have both a safe and an enjoyable holiday. Accidents are rare on the waterways, but with enough care there need be none, so we try to show you how to avoid them. There’s a lot to take in, but we make it as enjoyable as we can, and it’s well worth the effort you make.

Our responsibility is to provide you with a boat that’s safe to use, to give written information on the safe use of locks etc., to instruct each crew, and to assess that each crew is safe to proceed. Whilst we take account of the differing experience levels of different crews, you will appreciate that we have to ensure that every crew is given full information, particularly about the many features of the northern waterways with which those used to the midland canals may be unfamiliar.

Your responsibility is to nominate a Skipper, who will be responsible for the entire crew, and should attend every stage of the Handover. The Skipper should be supported by a Mate, who also attends all stages of the Handover. The Hirer may act as Skipper or Mate, or nominate another party member (this can be done on arrival, or by email in advance). Other Active crew members may also attend. The Skipper is responsible for taking heed of the Information Pack and Handover training, and for operating the boat in accordance with our advice and instructions. You must also follow advice or instructions from staff and volunteers of Canal & River Trust. You are responsible for keeping within the Maximum Crew Limit , and for keeping within Crew Areas displayed on the boat. The Skipper must ensure that all members of your party are aware of the action they need to take to preserve their own and other people’s safety, including wearing lifejackets as recommended. The skipper and mate should be, as far as possible, free of child or dog care, or interruption from others, during instruction. Where the Skipper is not the Hirer, we need to know (see below).

Common sense says that not everyone needs to know everything: see The Boater’s Handbook for guidance on the different needs of Skipper, Active Crew and Passengers. Young people must be supervised – and helped to learn new skills and independence. Under-18s may not be left in charge of the boat or locks.

We are very pleased that our experienced customers often bring newcomers, whether friends or children. Thus, many crews have a mixture of experienced and inexperienced boaters. Bear this in mind when you decide who will come to the briefing.

LIFEJACKETS

We issue them free to all children (under 18), adult non-swimmers and persons with restricted mobility, who should wear them when the boat is under way or at locks. We also issue them to any others who request them. As a minimum, we provide two per boat, which should be worn by those in charge on rivers and in long tunnels. Each individual (or responsible adult) must decide when to wear them. Our lifejackets either self-inflate when immersed, or have natural buoyancy. They must be properly done up, with belt if supplied. Self-inflating ones must not have any clothing worn over them.

Please make sure we receive in good time:

1. The money due 6 weeks before your holiday
2. Our Yellow Form 1-2 weeks before your holiday

The money due can be paid in several ways:
By bank transfer — a/c name Shire Cruisers, a/c no. 37174460, sort code 60-14-55, NatWest Milton Keynes, using your name and Booking ID as reference. Please also email to say that you have paid.
From overseas: BIC NWBK GB 2L; IBAN GB05 NWBK  6014 5537 1744 60.
By internet using a card  — follow the link on your email Booking Confirmation.
By telephone  - you can give card details over the phone.
For any new extras, please email or ring.

Yellow Form: we need this information to prepare your boat as you want it. Please fill in online (part way down your Information Pack page), or print the pdf and return by email or post. Please give these details and send to us at least 10 days before your holiday if possible:

Mobile phones: so we or Canal & River Trust can contact you. Arrival time: please confirm 1pm, see below. Which direction?: to help us plan our lock instruction (if you change your mind please let us know when you check in).  Previous boating experience: please tell us whether you have been boating before and, if so, whether it involved lock operation. Bedding: we need this information because the boats have so many combinations of double and single beds, and we want to get yours right for you. Bedding is bulky so please order only what you really need, especially for one-way trips. Towels: say how many sets you want (£5 each for UK customers).
Under ‘anything else’ please say if, for instance, you would like some extra pillows (they are reasonably substantial), are bringing your own sleeping bags but want our pillows and blankets, would like a baby’s bed guard, have an infirm member of your party and need the boat next to the bank when you arrive, or want the TV removing from the boat.
If you don’t make your bedding requirements clear, or order duplicates, we shall use our discretion and may not be able to alter it on your arrival.

DAMAGE WAIVER and FUEL CHARGE

The Damage Waiver is included in your hire fee and is non-returnable. It covers you for any accidental damage or loss to the boat, its equipment, or third party claims, other than wilful damage (see Condition 9).  Fuel is also included, so there is no uncertainty about what you might be charged for damage, loss or fuel, and no deposit to return.

HOW TO FIND US

Sowerby Bridge is a small town on the A58 halfway between Manchester and Leeds. Our base is just off the main street.  Turn off the A58 opposite the Village Restaurant, just at the bottom of the long, steep hill from Halifax at the eastern end of the town centre.  Look out for brown tourist signs ‘Sowerby Bridge Wharf’ and a sculpture of two figures against a lock gate, and turn in there.  Go down a slope and carry straight on with The Moorings pub on your left, bearing left at the end. We are in the big building after the arch. Some satnav systems send people to Old Causey. Ignore this, and follow our map.
If you come by train, Sowerby Bridge station on the Leeds-Manchester Victoria line is under 10 minutes walk away. There are two trains an hour. Go north down the ramp and steps, cross the road, and take the path almost opposite signed ‘Town Centre’. Turn right when you have crossed the river, and find your way to the towpath. Turn right and go down the canal. Cross the second lock and you're at the Wharf. Go under the arch and we are in the next building.

For more information on travel from airports or by train, and suggested places to stay, see how to find us.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARRIVE

Your takeover time is 1300, and our reception will open for everyone then. Your start day is a full day for us all. While you are busy packing and travelling to Sowerby Bridge, we are busy servicing and cleaning your boat to ensure that all is ready for your arrival. Our very thorough turn-round routine takes time and the full concentration of all our staff.  Since the same team sends the boats out as prepares them, we cannot release any one boat until all are ready.  Please do not ask for your boat early, but if you are with us promptly at 1300, shopped, lunched and ready, we will get you on your way as quickly as we can. 

If you arrive early, please drive through the arch and we will show you where to put your car until your boat is ready. We will of course be pleased to see you, but will not have time to discuss anything with you if we are to have everyone’s boats ready for 1300.

There are three lunch places on the Wharf: The Moorings, Temujin and Roast & Toast. These are often busy and may be very slow, particularly for large groups. So if you're having lunch in one of these places, please meet at least by 1130 so that you can all be with us at 1pm. Bear in mind that no-one should drink more alcohol than they would if they were about to drive a car — you may prefer to bring a packed lunch and leave your main celebrations and drinking to the evening. If pressed for time, try the Temujin half-hour special or takeaway, or the Larder and other sandwich shops and cafés nearby.

Please do not arrange for friends to meet you as you are picking up your boat, as this can be a major distraction when you need to be fully concentrating on our briefing.

LATE ARRIVAL

It’s not always possible for everyone to get here for 1300, particularly on a Friday. It takes 2-3 hours from the moment you arrive until we leave you after the locks, and all instruction must be completed in daylight - and before the lockkeepers finish, and within reasonable working hours for our staff. If you’re all here by 1500, we can generally get you away and through the locks. Parties arriving after 1500 and heading for Hebden Bridge will be unable to enter Tuel Tunnel Lock (Sowerby Bridge deep lock) before its closing time, 1600. 
If some of you have to be late, but others can be here to take the boat over at 1300, then it’s quite straightforward to get late arrivals caught up with the boat. If you’re going towards Hebden Bridge, stop at the top of the third lock, which is 1 minute by car, 5 minutes on foot, and 1 hour by boat! They can meet the boat, load things on, park and walk back. If going the other way, you will be a couple of miles away, but we can give them a lift down or organise a taxi. Alternatively, you can keep in touch by phone, meet up wherever the boat is, and the late crew can drive back to the yard and then get a taxi back to the boat. You have the key to our car park so late cars can be locked away.

If you all have to be very late, we can serve you better if we have agreed what to do in advance. So that we could give instruction properly, it would be necessary for you to spend the night in the basin, and set off the next morning. This would lose you a lot of independent holiday time and would only be possible if we had staff available. We reserve the right to make an extra charge.

Late arrival is not available on holidays starting at Barnoldswick.

CAR PARKING

We have enough space for all our visitors' cars. We can accommodate trailers and large vehicles if required. There is no undercover parking space. The yard is locked at night. There is a key to the gate on your boat, so any of your crew who need to arrive late or leave early can do so. If your car alarm is at all sensitive, our resident moorers would prefer you not to leave it on. Electric cars can be charged by prior arrangement, price about 30p per kWh. Vehicles are parked at owners’ risk.

OUR HANDOVER PROCEDURE

Come to Reception at 1300 and check in with us. If the Hirer (the person who made the booking) is not also the Skipper, he or she will be asked to name the Skipper and sign the Handover Certificate to this effect. The Hirer or Skipper will nominate the Mate.

You can then drive near to your boat. When you first get on board, be aware of steep steps, mind your head on the tiller if getting on at the back, take care that the sliding hatch is open before coming up the back steps, and use handholds provided. Don't carry more than you can manage. When you have unloaded your car, we will show you to your permanent parking space.

There are six stages to our Handover and training procedure: the Skipper and Mate must attend each stage, and both will take responsibility for the Handover and sign the Handover Certificate at the end.

1. We will tell you about our procedures, the local waterways, choices of route, lock working and canal etiquette. This briefing is given to you in Reception with other crews. The Skipper must attend, with the Mate and other members of the Active Crew who wish to. We recommend you bring all first-timers.
2. We will issue lifejackets in accordance with our policy – see earlier. This is done in Reception. For one-way crews starting from Barnoldswick, any extra lifejackets will be issued before the minibus leaves Sowerby Bridge.
3. On your boat, one of our experienced instructors will show you round, explain how it works and tell you about the daily checks to be made.
4. You then set off with your instructor.
5. If you are starting from Sowerby Bridge, one of our instructors will meet you at the first lock. He or she will explain locking procedure and some of the unusual features of our local locks, and help you through two more.
6. We will ask the Skipper and Mate to sign the Handover Certificate to confirm that all is in order and that they have understood our briefing. Please look at the sample so that you can see the material we shall cover.

Unless you feel you need more help, you're then on your own. Expect this whole procedure to take up to three hours from your arrival with us to when you leave the third lock.

Obviously, many of you will be old hands but we still ask that at least two crew members attend the briefing as there are many differences between the Yorkshire waterways and those of the Midlands, and our boats and procedures are different from others you may have experienced. We cannot show you all variations at the first locks we do with you, so we cover these in our briefing, your Route Companion and the Boat Manual.

SHOPPING

If you want to shop locally before picking up the boat, please arrive in good time to do so before checking in at 1300. Although you won’t be able to get on board, you’re welcome to leave some crew or luggage with us while you do this.

Before departure

Sowerby Bridge has a variety of shops for fresh food, as well as an off-licence, chemists, hardware, Lidl and a post office within 5 minutes walk. There is a Tesco half a mile away.

After departure

Whichever way you set out, you will pass a handy supermarket or convenience store no later than the following morning. All are open 7 days. Up the Rochdale, there is Lidl above Tuel Tunnel Lock and Sainsburys and Asda in Mytholmroyd (next morning). Going east, there is Morrisons in Elland (up a steep hill) and Sainsburys in Brighouse (next morning).

Before you take over your boat, we will show you how everything works, and this is also set out in detail in the Boat Manual which is kept on board.

GETTING ON AND OFF, MOVING AROUND YOUR BOAT

Depending where you are moored, it can be a bit of a climb onto the boat - use the handholds. From the decks into the cabin, there are steps (see individual boat pictures). When coming up the back steps, make sure the sliding hatch is open, to avoid banging your head. If getting on from the stern, mind your head on the swan's neck (steering arm).

BEDS

On many boats, the beds can be arranged in different ways to suit different parties.  ‘Fixed doubles’ are what they say. Some beds are described as ‘fixed double or 2 fixed single’. This means that we arrange the heavy bed bases as you choose. ‘Optional top bunk’ means that we will put in a fixed top bunk if you want it; or leave it out so that you have a normal single berth. The top bunk is a rigid base with a foam cushion, narrower than the one beneath but not a ’pipe cot’. There are pictures of all these arrangements on our website. Saloon settees and dinettes convert to beds: see Yellow Form. All berths are at least 6’ 3” long, though of course narrower than in a house; all part of the charm of a narrow boat.

BEDDING

We provide duvet sets as you require, which means double or single duvet with cover, fitted sheet and underblanket with one hollofibre pillow and case per person.  We don’t normally expect to provide double duvet sets for single people except where using a fixed double bed. None of the bedding contains feathers. See your Yellow Form for layout and bedding details and please be very specific when ordering.

TOWELS

Towels are not included. We will provide towels if required at £5 per set. There is no charge to overseas customers. A towel set is a bath towel plus a hand towel. Please indicate on your Yellow Form, and any charges will be added to your account.

GALLEY

This is equipped with everything you’ll need but is necessarily compact.

As the boat will often be moving and is not connected to the mains, you’ll need to use the kitchen a bit differently. The cooker has four burners, oven and grill. It has flame failure devices and runs on Calor Gas which burns more fiercely than natural gas.

For safety, please do not fry chips on board.

Fill the kettle, which will go on the hob, with only slightly more water than you need and stay nearby to turn it off when it boils.

Do not leave the cooker unattended when anything is boiling on top, or under the grill. Don't use the hob while the boat is moving - a bump could spill things and scald you.
Please wash up as you go and put everything away when the boat is moving. You’re bound to have a jolt from time to time and this can send crockery flying if it’s left on the draining board. Bread and cutting boards are provided so please use these and do not cut onto the worktop, or put hot pans on it.

The fridge is a standard under-worktop size, with a small freezer. It won’t hold vast pop bottles or 4pt milk containers – these will break the door fittings.

TELEVISION & AUDIO

Colour television is provided, but reception is difficult. Most of our routes pass through hilly areas, with the canal in the bottom of the valley. Although there are many booster transmitters, there are a number of blank areas where boat TV doesn’t work. Your boat has an omni-directional aerial to give you the best chance of getting a picture. If a programme is particularly important, we suggest you make sure of it by recording it at home or using catch-up on your return. Big matches are best watched in a pub...

All boats have DVD players. Bring your own DVDs, and don't forget to take them out after watching.

If you would prefer not to have TV, please indicate on your Yellow Form. 

Radio CD players are fitted on all boats.

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

All the equipment on your boat uses power from the batteries. Lighting, pumps and so on work at 12 volts DC.

There is also an inverter producing 230 volts AC, from which you can run any appliance up to 1500 watts. There are a number of ordinary 3-pin power points.

The 230 volt system is protected with a 'trip' similar to what you have at home. You should take the same precautions round the 230 volt service as you would at home.

We provide a mains hairdryer. You may bring your own chargers, hair straighteners, etc. Microwaves are provided on all boats.

There is adequate battery capacity on your boat for normal use, assuming that the engine is run for at least 5 hours every day. If you have a day out from the boat you will therefore need to charge the batteries on your return. Please remember that everything is powered by batteries and be careful not to flatten the batteries by insufficient running of the engine.

If you are moored near a house or another occupied boat, you must not run your engine to charge batteries or make hot water between the hours of 2000 and 0800.

If you do run your domestic batteries down, the starter has a separate battery so you can run the engine to recharge the domestic batteries.

There is a 12 volt cigar lighter socket from which you can run car phone chargers — but not coolboxes.

MEDICAL DEVICES

If you need to bring a sleep apnoea device, that's fine. It's worth bringing an extension lead, and maybe a small stool or table to stand the device on. Take extra care to run the engine for 5 or 6 hours a day, and we recommend turning the fridge to 0 overnight, to conserve battery power (counter-intuitively, this is especially important in hot weather). Your device must work at 230-240 V, 50 Hz. If you are travelling from overseas, you will need an adaptor to a UK three-pin plug. Please mention on your Yellow Form that you are bringing a device, and discuss it with your instructor.

If your device is safety-critical, please discuss this before you come, as the power supply on your boat is inherently less reliable than mains supply.

GAS SYSTEM, HEATING AND HOT WATER

The cooker is fuelled by propane gas from cylinders stored in the bow.

A gas or diesel boiler provides radiator central heating.

Domestic hot water is stored in a cylinder like a domestic one, but smaller. This is heated by the engine, and may also be heated by the boiler if more hot water is needed at night, when you should not disturb others by running the engine.

Detailed instructions for gas safety are on board. It is important never to block the ventilators, which are there to ensure enough oxygen for the gas to be burnt properly and not produce carbon monoxide. All burners have an automatic device to turn off the gas supply if the flame goes out. Do not leave the heating on overnight. You will normally be self-sufficient for gas, and we reimburse you for any you need to buy.

Do NOT use the cooker as a space heater - it could use too much air, and produce carbon monoxide.

ENGINE AND CONTROLS

You have a reliable diesel engine. There is electric start, and a single lever control combining throttle and forward/reverse gears. Tiller steering gives you good control of the boat - once you are used to pushing the tiller to the right when you want to go left! You will be shown the brief daily checks we ask you to make. You will have plenty of free diesel fuel. You may need to pay to top up on exceptionally long trips.

TOILETS

Because a moving boat cannot be connected to the drains, you cannot have a normal domestic toilet. The toilet discharges into a large holding tank, containing chemical. This is of course prepared for you before you arrive. The toilet has a china bowl and is flushed by fresh water. Please use only the special toilet cleaner provided, as household ones stop the chemical from working. Please bring only cheap, basic toilet paper – good quality paper does not break up and causes blockages. It is absolutely crucial that you do not put wipes, tampons, sanitary towels, or nappies – or anything other than soft paper – down the toilet, or it will block. Clearing such blockages can take hours and is very unpleasant for our staff. You will be shown how to use the toilet on your boat, and how to avoid problems. If you need a pumpout (normally only if you are out for more than a week), this is only possible at designated points. We will reimburse the charge.
Sink, basins and shower discharge overside.

DRINKING WATER

There is a separate tap for filtered drinking water (very slow). Your tank holds about 100 gallons (450 l) and should be topped up daily at the frequent free water points (see cruising guides on board).

RECYCLING AND RUBBISH DISPOSAL

Over the next year or so, the rules will become much more demanding, under the Newspeak term 'Simpler Recycling'. Canal & River Trust, as a large organisation, has to go first. We expect to follow next year. CRT looks after numerous disposal sites, listed in your cruising guides. As these convert to the new system, you will find four types of bin: food waste; glass; tins/paper/cardboard/plastic; and anything else. At other sites you will find something different. The Trust would appreciate your sorting things correctly - otherwise they will be fined. Please be patient and adaptable. Please don't use small wayside bins for big bags. You’ll also find recycling points at supermarkets. We have recycling facilities at our yard, but the categories are different - the bins are marked. Our red bins are on the left as you go into the compound. The one with a blue lid is for paper, cardboard, tins and plastic food containers. Everything else including food and glass goes in the red bins with green lids.

Put nothing, even food waste, in the canal. Some of our local waterways have very sensitive ecologies, and are officially protected by SSSI or other designations.

FIRE AND CARBON MONOXIDE PRECAUTIONS

You should take the same fire precautions as you would at home. Do not bring any candles or night lights, or anything powered by gas. If there were to be a fire, a smoke alarm is fitted. If you hear it, evacuate the boat and call 999, unless it's very obviously a false alarm. The exit doors at either end of the boat can be unlocked from inside without the key. If there is a small fire and it's safe to do so, you may use the fire extinguisers - pull out the pin, point at the base of the fire and pull the trigger. The fire blanket is for smothering a fire on the cooker - unwrap it and throw over the hob. Call us for advice.

You also have a carbon monoxide alarm. Production of carbon monoxide is highly unlikely (for example, using the cooker to heat the boat full blast with all windows shut and all vents blocked by snow), but onset of CO poisoning is insidious. If in doubt, remove the casualty to fresh air and dial 999, then turn off the appliances and call us.

ARE ALL ROUTES ALWAYS AVAILABLE?

The Canal & River Trust is committed to keeping the waterways open during the cruising season. However, a waterway may sometimes need to be temporarily closed for repair. In periods of dry weather CRT may need to conserve water by limiting hours of lock use - this could be at short notice, and for a short time while levels recover; or it might be part of a longer-term plan to save water for use later in the year. And in very wet weather, CRT may need to shut river navigations when the stream is too fast for safe navigation.

We are responsible for your boat, but not for the waterways on which you plan to travel. Therefore we do not guarantee that any suggested route or waterway will be open for navigation during your holiday. In the event of temporary closure, CRT would work very hard to reopen as quickly as possible. You might be subject to a short delay; or have to change your itinerary. You must make every effort to return the boat on time to the agreed base.

It’s a good idea to have a Plan B in mind before you travel. We will do our best to keep you informed about any closures or restrictions likely to affect your holiday. We recommend you to check for yourself on the CRT stoppage page - scroll right down, then pick your waterway. It's more practical to sign up to CRT’s email stoppage alerts — go to the same page and scroll down to ‘Sign up for updates’. This same system also tells you if navigation needs to be stopped on rivers when heavy rain has made them run too fast. There may be a timelag in getting information out, so always rely on the physical markers at river locks.
Any changed hours of lock use would be shown on the Opening Times sheet on the Information Pack web page for your boat, and kept up to date in your Boat Manual. We will advise you on route conditions when you arrive.

If you are affected by any closures or restrictions, we will do our best to make sure you still have a great holiday.

EATING OUT

Sowerby Bridge is exceptionally well-supplied with eating places for all budgets and most tastes (at least 7 different national cuisines), and can provide a memorable meal. 

Along the way there are many pubs. Most do lunches, but not all do evening meals – or may stop serving earlier than you’d expect. If in doubt, book ahead. The cruising guides cannot be up to date. We try to keep our own list correct, on our pubs pages. Take-aways abound.

If you plan to book a meal at a particular place, then don't stress if you are delayed on your boat. It's easy to get a taxi. Drivers don't seem to know lock and bridge numbers, but you're likely only a short walk from a main road, and can give them a reference such as where two named roads meet.

MEETING FRIENDS

If you plan to meet friends part way for a meal, then the easiest thing is to tell them where you are by phone at the last minute. If instead you arrange an exact place beforehand, it puts an unnecessary strain on you — an hour behind could put you three miles away! Or if you've booked to meet for a meal in a particular place, see about taxis under 'Eating out'.

CONSIDERATION FOR OTHER PEOPLE

Please be as considerate to others as you would wish them to be to you.  In particular: slow down to tickover when passing moored boats and anglers or when meeting another boat (pass on the right); never let your wash break as it meets the bank; share locks whenever you can (saving water and time).

It is never acceptable, still less funny, to hit someone else's boat - think how aggrieved you would be if someone ran into your car.

Don't navigate after dark - 'we must get to the pub' is a poor excuse for an accident.

Don't fill or empty a lock too fast if someone is fishing nearby. If you meet a fishing match, just keep going dead slow in the middle to make the effects of your passage equal for all competitors – and don’t moor up in the middle of it!

Don’t let your dog foul the towpath. Never throw anything in the water.

Please don’t moor overnight by houses or flats. Engine noise, and even conversation, is intensely disturbing. Remember that noise travels a long way over water, and people may be trying to get to sleep. It is forbidden to run engines on moorings between 2000 and 0800, except in isolated locations away from houses and other boats.

Don’t disturb others with music and partying. Large groups at weekends can be rather boisterous and excited, particularly if a reunion is involved.

Please don’t be the group which attracts complaints about noise, inconsiderate behaviour, speeding or damage to others’ property. Please remember that it is not acceptable, and is very dangerous, for the crew of a moving boat not to be sober and in control.

DRINK

Alcohol causes accidents. You must ensure that all involved in the handling of the boat are sober. Drink no more than if you were driving a car. Don’t have too much to drink before you arrive with us – you will soon be in charge of your boat, and we need your full attention for the handover.

Drunken behaviour is unacceptable, and we  may refuse to hand over the boat, or repossess it, if you behave irresponsibly.

SMOKING

Smoking is prohibited inside your boat.

HELPLINE

We do all we can to prepare your boat and to give you the information you need for a great holiday, but sometimes things can go wrong. If you need advice, our helpline is open from 8am to 5pm. Many problems can be solved over the phone, but if not we will come quickly to put things right. We can be at most places within 3 hours – but we may be delayed by our responsibilities to other customers (e.g. sending out other boats).
We are on call 24 hours a day for emergencies. 

If something goes wrong, please don’t leave it all day and then ask us to come out in the evening; we can’t fix it till we know about it. Ring after 8am and we’ll get straight on to it. Please don’t ask us to catch you up; we cannot find a boat on the move.

DAMAGE

If you need help following a minor accident or mistake on your part, we will give it as quickly as we can, consistent with our duties to other customers, and at reasonable hours. We may be unable to repair the boat until it gets back to the yard, in which case we will advise on suitable temporary measures. Please report by email any damage which doesn’t need immediate attention so that we can be ready to repair it for the next crew.

Please remember that under the Boat Hire Conditions it is your responsibility to clear fouled propellers. If you can’t do it, we will come out, but the only available weapons are usually a junior hacksaw and perseverance. There’s a hacksaw on the boat…..

ACCIDENTS

If you are unlucky enough to have an accident, then: stop and collect yourselves. Deal with any personal injuries first, and ring 999 straight away if someone needs help. Exchange names and addresses with anyone else involved, and any witnesses. Make brief notes of what happened, and take photographs. Do not admit liability – this is a condition of your insurance. Report to us, and we will help as needed. Do not proceed unless we authorise it.

If you collide with another boat, do not make the mistake of assuming that its damage is inconseqential. Stop and talk to its owner, and take notes and pictures. The owner may be very upset, and raise his or her voice. Resist answering back: try to calm things down. We will sort things out with the owner, and you will be financially liable only if your actions were wilful, but you are obliged to make a proper report.

In case of damage to the waterway, call Canal & River Trust’s emergency number 0800 47 999 47.

If your accident is serious, we may need to report it to the authorities, so please be ready to make a clear statement to us - best drafted as soon as possible after it has happened.

Personal injury is not covered by the boat’s insurance if an accident is self-inflicted. We recommend that you arrange your own insurance to cover this.

SECURITY

The canals are generally safe places, but there is no need to invite crime. Take obvious precautions: do not bring valuables you do not need, and keep tempting objects out of sight, particularly on urban stretches. It can be a good idea to keep front doors shut if there is no crew there.

Some urban areas suffer vandalism, particularly in hot weather. Canal & River Trust have good systems in place for keeping things under control, which may include advice to go through certain stretches early in the day. Take their advice, and ignore scare stories – our customers are up and down every week without trouble.

If a mooring site looks safe to you, it probably is, but it can be a good idea to draw the curtains and leave a light on when you go to the pub.

We are conscious that we load you with a lot of information both now and when you have perhaps had a long journey and just want to get away, but our many years' experience has convinced us that it is necessary and is the best way to ensure that all our customers, whether novices or experienced boaters, get the most out of their holiday with Shire Cruisers.

We look forward to welcoming you here,       

Nigel and Susan Stevens, Directors.

This information is believed to be correct. It is partly based on information from others, which is subject to change. Up to date information will be given at your briefing and in the Boat Manual.

Revised March 2025

© 2025 Shire Cruisers