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Crowds flocked to the 25th Anniversary celebrations at the weekend, 1st & 2nd August. There were many stalls offering a selection of food including pizzas and jacket potatoes. Mike Bull, in a spectacular shirt, entertained the kids with Hook-a-duck. Another stall showed the craft of rope making.

There was circus skills available and axe throwing. Visitors enjoyed music at the Watersedge Cafe and at the North of England Centre for Music and Arts (NECMA).

A highlight of the day was the attendance of canal boat celebrity Robbie Cumming, famous as the presenter of Canal Boat Diaries. Robbie steered the electric boat and took the CRT boat into the tunnel. At the end of the tunnel trip he cut the ribbon to echo Prince now King Charles doing the same thing 25 years previously. In the evening Robbie entertained a packed house at the NECMA.

Draw 47             1^st – John Donnelly   £68.80

                                2^nd – Sylvia Womersley   £34.40

Draw 48             1^st – Yvonne Woulds   £67.20

                                2^nd – Heather Harden   £33.60

Draw 49             1^st – David Barnwell   £67.20

                                2^nd – Andrew Shepher £33.60

Congratulations to all our winners

Cheers

Alan

1 & 2 August 2026 – our major event

Two days of exciting entertainment for all the family. On both days there will be boat trips, music, food and craft stalls, bars and lots of interesting side shows. On Saturday there will be a brass band and a major re-enactment of the re-opening of the canal featuring Robbie Cumming of TV fame. Robbie will also be performing his show ‘Canal Boat Stories Live’ on the Saturday evening in the on-site North of England Centre for Music & Arts (NECMA).

26 April 2026 Morris Minor Owners Club at NEMCA

24 & 25 May 2026 – Pirates take over the boats in Marsden

30 & 31 May 2026 – Community Spirit 2 narrowboat visit

A visit by the all-electric Community Spirit 2 and members of the East Manchester Community Boat Project to Marsden. Both societies will have a celebratory feast in the NECMA garden. Everybody is welcome from 12:00 to 16:00 on the 31st!

24 to 28 June 2026 – historical boats in Stalybridge

A Russell Newbery boat rally for their members.

11 to 16 September – Wilderness Boat Club visit to Dobcross

A gathering of trail boats to join in our celebrations.

WATCH THIS SPACE! MORE TO FOLLOW.

Events are being organised jointly by ourselves, the Canal & River Trust, the North of England Centre for Music & Arts  and the Friends of Standedge.

We are now running our regular trips once again! Every weekend & bank holidays to the end of October subject to the weather & availability of volunteers. This Easter weekend we hope to have both boats out from Good Friday to Easter Monday. During the local school holidays later in the year we hope to run daily.

We keep the times on Google up to date so please check we are running before making a special trip.

Marsden Shuttle boat trips

Please follow this link to our Google maps site to see what time the boat is running and for directions on where to find us.

Trips on our little blue boat in Uppermill

Please follow this link to our Google maps site to see what time the boat is running and for directions on where to find us.

Robbie Cumming is returning! Look at crowds that came to our boat launch when he last came.

Two days of exciting entertainment for all the family. On both days there will be boat trips, music, food and craft stalls, bars and lots of interesting side shows. On Saturday there will be a brass band and a major re-enactment of the re-opening of the canal featuring Robbie Cumming of TV fame. Robbie will also be performing his show ‘Canal Boat Stories Live’ on the Saturday evening in the on-site North of England Centre for Music & Arts.  

There will be free parking in the car park by Marsden Station. It is only a 15 minute walk up the towpath to the Standedge visitor centre or you can get there on our boats that will be running throught the event from the lock by the station.

Marsden e-Shuttle, The Launch, Robbie Cumming

NOW SOLD OUT! Book tickets to his show now to avoid disappointment. All his other shows this year are already sold out!

Tickets are available on the venue’s website https://standedge.org/whats-on-event-guide/. 

Wilderness boats are compact trailerable canal boats.

The Wilderness Boat Owners’ Club will be visiting the Huddersfield Narrow Canal from 11th – 16th September as part of our 25th Anniversary of reopening the canal.

The programme will be 
Friday 11th September
From 11am launching at Wool Road, Dobcross, slip way, off A670 1 mile west of Uppermill – postcode    OL3 5QR
Streetmap  
Streetview

7pm – Talk on the “The Impossible Dream”, the restoration of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal by Alan Stopher, project manager prior to the 2001 re-opening and now chairman of our canal society. At Uppermill Civic Hall

Saturday 12th September
The boats will cruise south and west 2 miles down 6 locks into Tameside to the Roaches turning area. Returning in the afternoon to Uppermill or Wool Road, Dobcross for an overnight stay.
Lunch available at Roaches Lock public house.

Sunday 13th September

Ascending the “Diggle Flight” of  9 locks over 1 1/2 miles to the western portal of Standedge Tunnel for overnight.
Late afternoon – Talk on “The Standedge Tunnels” by Trevor Ellis, author of a book on the subject and deputy chairman, Huddersfield Canal Society

Monday 14th September
10.30am Escorted trip through Standedge Tunnel from Diggle to Marsden – 2 hours – provided by Huddersfield Canal Society.

Lunch available in Standedge Visitor Centre at the North of England Centre for Music and Arts. 

Afternoon walk through historic Marsden to catch double decker bus for exhilarating ride over Standedge Summit, seeing the tops of the tunnel shafts, and back to Diggle for overnight.

Tuesday 15th September
Return down Diggle Flight to Wool Road moorings and slipway. 

Two public houses in area – one the Swan Inn at Dobcross, 1/2 mile away, has now got an upstairs tea room in its 18th century building.

Wednesday 16th September

Recover trailers and boats for onward home journey.