Not all outdoor activities are included in the Olympic Games so the Horseboating Society (HBS) decided to mark the special year of the Olympics and Diamond Jubilee with a special journey of their own making. Hot on the heels, chasing after the last Olympic events, the horse-drawn boat which set out from Leeds is due to arrive in Liverpool on Tuesday August 14.

The project is well on track, having arrived on time to attend events en route. The start date was World Heritage Day on April 18. The first port of call was at the World Heritage Site celebrations at Saltaire. Working up the Bingley Five Rise locks, the boat was negotiating one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways. On next to the canal festival at Skipton. Crowds turned out to see the horse-drawn boat pass over the Burnley Embankment, another of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways.

Then to Burscough for the Canal Heritage Weekend. By this point the journey had passed the 100 mile mile-post. Still the rough length of a marathon to complete, to achieve the goal of Liverpool with its World Heritage Site at Pier Head. If the journey is completed, it will be a Diamond Jubilee triumph, as the horse-drawn boat will be the first to arrive in Liverpool from Leeds during the reign of our Queen.

No bronze, silver or gold medals await the horse-drawn boat. So instead the Horseboating Society is celebrating with the shine of horse brasses and boat brasses! The boathorse harness is decorated with Diamond Jubilee and Olympic Games brasses commissioned for this year. The boat chimney chain is adorned with brass diamonds. The red, white and blue paintwork on the horse harness matches the livery of the blue boat. Textile bunting of wool and cotton in red, white and blue is a reminder of the importance of textile trade on the Leeds and Liverpool canal.

The World Heritage Officer of Liverpool wrote to the Horseboating Society –

One of the horse brasses shows the logo of the 5 rings of the Olympic Games. It is so appropriate that the horse making this journey from Leeds is called Bilbo Baggins, of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. He deserves his medals of his brasses! At Pier Head, Liverpool, there is no towpath as such but Bilbo will attempt a horse pull of the boat here – the first ever. Then he will go to meet the Carters’ Horse, a statue erected in honour of the horses which worked to and from the Liverpool docks.

Team GB won gold medals on the water and with horses. Let the HBS win their goal!

On Thursday 21st June, a landmark was achieved when horseboat Elland reached Wigan Junction, being the first horsedrawn boat to make the journey from Leeds to Wigan in more than 60 years! For the rest of the journey to Liverpool Elland will be following in the wake of the journey made by Maria in 2007.

Leaving the bottom lock at Wigan. First horsedrawn boat from Leeds to Wigan in more than 60 years. Photo: Philip Dowe

See more photos of the Elland on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal here in our Photo Gallery.

On Monday, June 11th, we crossed the halfway point of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal marked on the ground just before Church Kirk Changeline Bridge 112.

Since Burnley, we are struggling en route with trees between the towpath and the water which have not been removed as promised by BW. They are 10 – 20 feet tall, some needing a chainsaw to remove them. One crew member goes ahead clearing what he can with ratchet cutters and we are having to disconnect the line regularly where trees are too large to remove ahead of the boat. Our progress is slowed down and crew do not enjoy this lack of care of the towpath and lack of support and preparation by BW for our journey. They had two years notice, and especially in the year before we set out!

Safely arrived at Blackburn on Tues June 12th. Boat moored at Eanam Wharf. Bilbo stabled for the first time on this journey, tonight at the Thwaites Brewery Stables for their Shire horses.

Elland was towed by Bilbo along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal from Reedley Marina through Burnley.

Video by Nigel Taylor, Burnley Filmmakers

Elland was legged through Foulridge Tunnel on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal’s summit level. The passage was completed in a time of 40 minutes.<
Video by Nigel Taylor, Burnley Filmmakers

NB Elland is making a journey along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal during 2012, taking part in various events along the way.

After a start from Leeds in torrential rain, demonstrations of horseboating were given at Saltaire to link with the World Heritage Site Celebrations there. It worked very well, with good audiences at the harnessing demos, especially in the afternoon when we had a sizeable crowd. The towpath was never too busy so we could operate with a horsedrawn boat fine. It was much appreciated by many people.

One person who saw the boat at Saltaire wrote:

Photo: Andrée Freeman/”jennyfreckles” 2012

Photo: Andrée Freeman/”jennyfreckles” 2012

More photos of the Elland on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal are here in our Photo Gallery.

Elland returned to Apperley Bridge for safe mooring, returning horsedrawn to Saltaire on April 20th and on to Bingley Five Rise on April 21st for more photo and filming opportunities.

We have been passing the b(o)aton (baton) from one community to another. At each travel day, we get a representative to hold the baton, which is a weaving shuttle. British Waterways in Leeds, Armley Mills Museum staff, Rodley resident boater etc. We are collecting a mixed cargo. Anything goes as they say!

•   Leeds – horse’s jousting caparison (rug) with Tudor Rose symbols, worn in Royal Armouries tiltyard.
•   Armley – leaflets to give out of Thwaite Mills and Armley Mills Museums as we represent them on our journey
•   Rodley – beer glasses with logos of owl (local brewery) and music symbols on them
•   Apperley Bridge – ?
•   Saltaire – ?
•   Bingley?

Elland will be towed by Bilbo from Bingley to Kildwick on May 2nd, Kildwick to Skipton on May 4th and will be present at the Skipton Waterways Festival from 4th to 7th May.

Maria has been travelling along the Huddersfield Narrow Canal again this month. Maria was legged through on Sunday April 22nd, with an all female team of leggers – six of them, presumably the first time in the 201 year history of the tunnel!

One at Tunnel End, St George with Bilbo slayed the dragon again this year to ensure safe passage for all boaters this season! We hope a dragon does not take up residence next winter but if he does, St George will be called on once again to slay it!

Photo: Martin Clark

Photo: Martin Clark

Boat horse Gypsy Queen had the chance to pull the tug “Alder” at the Over Canal and Beer Festival at the Gloucester end of the Hereford and Gloucester Canal.

The journey was only about 150 yards, but that’s all there is there, at the moment! Still, that was the first horsedrawn boat on the H&G since 1881 (when the canal was closed and turned into the Gloucester to Ledbury Railway). There is a report of the event and pictures of Gypsy Queen pulling “Alder” here: Over Canal and Beer Festival.

At the Over Canal and Beer Festival. Photo: Rick Muir