Shire Cruisers

Watch 'Building Britain's Canals' in which Dan Jones explains how and why the canal were built. Starts this Friday at 8pm on Channel 5. Look out for Norfolk (with Sam and Geoff) in Episode 2 next week (22 June), on the Burnley Mile. Sorry this picture is not on our boat...

Come along to the Drifters Open Day on Sunday 15 April (not yet 'this Sunday'). We'll be at Sowerby Bridge, not',sadly, in London... We'll be open from 11 to 4 - look at the boats, talk about routes, or take a free short trip. See you there.

First weekend of the season, and here we are back in Hebden Bridge. Thanks very much to Andrew Smith of The Smithery B&B for this very clever picture. Spring is on the way...

The rush maiden leans back to clear the arch - yes, it's Rushbearing and they've had a glorious day for it today.

Complete with Elvis....

It's the Classic Bike Show again on Sowerby Bridge Wharf, more crowded than ever, everyone having a good time and talking bikes.

And we're off... here's our first boat through the new Elland Bridge. Well done CRT for getting all our local waterways open on time after a huge amount of work over the winter.

And here's the winner, from Andy Cripps. The judge really liked this tranquil scene on the Leeds & Liverpool. Thanks to everyone for their splendid entries. You can see more entries on http://www.shirecruisers.co.uk/…/photog raphic-competition.p… .The 2017 competition starts soon....

Here's the runner-up from our 2016 Photographic Competition, submitted by Jordanna Farrimond of Sheffield. A lovely evening scene, the judge specially liked the placing of the swan at a diagonal, leading the eye to the boat. Thanks very much, Jordanna.

It's official! The Rochdale is open. As you can see, the landslide has been replaced by a full-width channel with shiny new puddled bottom and strongly-built waterway wall. Further up, the breach is repaired. Well done to everyone at CRT, Kier and CPC.

Nearly there: the landslide has a beautiful piled wall (left) and strong new washwall (right), and the canal has nearly been dug out. Now they are puddling the bottom. Should be open next week!

This heron is contemplating the repairs at Cutting 17 (you might know it better as Shaw Plains). Building sites are always interesting....

We're off! Work has started on the landslip at the romantically-named Cutting 17. The piled wall is going in, so CRT's contractors can dig out the canal and restore navigation. Roll on the end of September!

Here's the same place now - the brown is not a sea of mud, but beautiful topsoil put to reinstate the allotments. How's that for attention to detail? Hope the allotment holders get back soon.

Remember this? It's where the bank was washed away above Lock 16, destroying the allotments below. Well... see next picture.

Elland Bridge is open for boats! Now the boats on the rest of the system are not cut off from the Rochdale Canal. Well done CRT and Kier.