Between Tuesday September 10th and Saturday September 14th, Bilbo pulled Elland on the Leeds and Liverpool canal, setting off from East Marton with Countryside Audio and Visual in attendance, for their second visit to the HBS. They had filmed Maria in April and had returned for another historic boat. Elland was kept sheeted up to provide a contrast to Maria with her sheets down.
After Salterforth the uncut trees between the towpath and the water channel were very hard work for the crew who had to lift the towline over them for about a mile. All year the trees have been growing taller until some cutting was started in late August. There is two summers’ growth as this area was cut before we travelled on it in 2012.
On Saturday Sept 14th, Elland was horse-drawn over the Burnley Embankment, on one of the Open Heritage Days held nationally that weekend, highlighting access to special architecture. The Burnley Embankment is one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways. Bilbo and Elland thus arrived at the Burnley Canal Festival, mooring opposite the historic Slater’s Terrace.