Ripon Canal Archives - Page 2 of 2

The rivers beckon for paddlers from the Harrogate district

Covid lockdowns put a two-year hold on the outdoor activities of the Dales Canoe Club, but members of all ages will soon be taking to the water once more.

The multi-generational, family-focused club has 40 paddlers aged from 11-year-olds to people in their mid-70s, who come from across the Harrogate district..

They keenly await April 28, when they will head for the River Nidd in Knaresborough for their first meet of the season.

Between then and September, the Thursday evening gatherings will be held on rivers and canals throughout the Yorkshire Dales and further afield.

Winter practice at Starbeck Baths.

Fundraiser Jeremy Dunford has been involved with the club since 2015, when his son Reuben started as a novice.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“We had a boost with a successful application to the National Lottery, which brought nearly £10,000 and we have also received financial support from North Yorkshire County Council.

“The money has ensured that we are able to take all the new paddlers on the river at the same time over the summer.

“A key principle of the club is to ensure that paddling is affordable to all and the equipment can be expensive.

“We keep a certain amount of stock but this ages quickly as well as getting damaged. All our new paddlers have access to club kit for as long as they need (including kayaks and paddles).”

The club caters for people of all ages, from children to grandparents

Through the winter, members have been practicing at Starbeck Baths, but with the warmer weather and lighter nights they will be back on river banks across the region and ready to go immediately after the Easter holiday.

Educational and enjoyable

Mr Dunford said:

“Paddlers often use their involvement with the club as a springboard to academic progression elsewhere. One is currently studying outdoor adventure sports at uni having done, as my son did, a BTec in outdoor adventure sports at Askham Bryan and this in turn has enabled them to get places on camp in Canada.

“Some members also use the club as part of BTec course evidence, GCSE Sports Science and D of E awards evidence.

“We welcome, paddlers with conditions such as epilepsy, autism and ADHD, all of whom have had their paddling experience adjusted to ensure their needs are met.”

Members enjoy the social, as well as the sporting activities of the club.

Long-term members

The club started in 1976. and Maurice Young, a retired GP now in his 80s who took his sons along from day one, has been chairperson since 1978..

Dave Titchmarsh, who is the second in command, is a paddler in his 70s and has been with the club for many years as well.

One of the club’s senior members, Ted Walton, started as a teenager and is now in his 50s and leads a lot of activities.

The club, which adheres to all safety standards, currently has a full complement of members but opportunities for more people to join in September will open up as some move on to university.

Further details are available by clicking here.

Ripon Canal to feature on BBC TV tonight

The historic Ripon Canal will be featured on BBC Four this evening when Robbie Cumming completes the last leg of a 170-mile journey aboard his boat, Naughty Lass.

On Monday, viewers of Canal Boat Diaries saw the YouTube vlogger and TV presenter set off from Wigan in the first episode of the new series.

In tonight’s final episode, which starts at 730pm, he takes in the sights along the route from Knottingley to the Ripon Canal basin at the outer reaches of the English inland waterways network.

The water-borne journey, via a navigable section of the River Ouse, also features Boroughbridge Canal

Almost 250 years of history

At the time of its opening in 1773, Ripon boasted the most northerly canal basin in England at the city end of its 2.5 mile stretch.

But that claim to fame came to an end in 2002, with the opening of the Ribble Link section of the Lancaster Canal.

Just 71 years after its opening, Ripon Canal became virtually redundant overnight with the arrival of the Great Northern Railway in 1841.

Ripon provides the final entry in Robbie Cumming’s Canal Boat Diaries. Picture BBC

Barges could not compete with the new rapid delivery service for coal and other goods and with the loss of trade, the canal’s fate as a commercial enterprise was sealed.

The railways that caused the canal’s demise soon became its owner, as the waterway was purchased by the Leeds and Thirsk Railway in 1844, which subsequently become part of the North Eastern Railway in 1855.

Decades of dereliction followed and at one stage Ripon City Council mooted the idea of filling in the canal to create an extension for the Dallamires Lane Industrial estate.

Prior to this suggestion, the British Transport Commission had obtained Royal Assent for the abandonment of the Ripon Canal in 1956.

Calls for the canal’s regeneration

However, growing calls to regenerate the canal to realise its potential as a leisure and tourist asset for local residents and visitors proved successful, gaining momentum through the formation of the Ripon Canal Society.

It reopened for navigation as far as Littlethorpe Road Bridge in 1986 and was officially reopened right into the centre of Ripon in September 1996, with the assistance of the society and local authorities and with funding from English Partnerships.

Further improvements have been brought about through a programme of work carried out by Ripon Motor Boat Club, which has its marina and clubhouse on a section of the canal near Littlethorpe.

The waterway is now managed by the Canal and River Trust, which is the charity that succeeded British Waterways. It was awarded a Green Flag for its water quality in July 2018 and the improvements have brought more wildlife to its banks. Otters are regularly spotted hunting for fish.

Previous episodes of Canal Boat Diaries can be seen on BBC iPlayer.

Ripon’s winter beauty captured on camera

Ripon photographer Mike Smith has shot a series of photos showing some of the city’s most beautiful winter scenes.

Mr Smith, who moved to the city from West Yorkshire in 2018, is a keen photographer who has sold numerous images over the years.

The main image here shows blue skies over Ripon canal basin last weekend.

This swan below was photographed passing below Rentons Bridge at Littlethorpe.

Rentons Bridge Ripon Pic Mike Smith

Ripon’s famous cathedral celebrates its 1,350th anniversary this year and, as this photo shot at sunrise shows, it remains perhaps the most striking and beautiful building in the Harrogate district.

Ripon Cathedral by Mike Smith

Mr Smith said:

“I have combined my passion for photography with my enjoyment for walking and exploring the area around our new home.

“I share a lot of my photos on local social media as there are a good number of elderly Riponians far and wide who either cannot get out into the countryside any longer or who have moved away from the area.

“They enjoy seeing my photos. Local folk asked me to produce a calendar each year and to date I have sold around 1,000.”

Local charities have benefited through part of the proceeds of sales.

Mr Smith, who used to work in financial services, has given talks to local groups and had work published magazines.

Have you taken any great photos of the Harrogate district? We love receiving readers’ images and occasionally publish them alongside the name of the photographer. Send them to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Ripon students learn how to save a life

Students at Ripon Grammar School are being taught vital skills that could help them save a life one day.

Nine sixth formers and five Year 11 students are working towards National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ), the most widely recognised lifeguard qualification in the UK & Ireland and a requirement for most lifeguarding jobs.

Trainee lifeguard Neive Zenner encourages others to consider the course:

She said:

“My advice would be, don’t be scared of throwing yourself into everything. You may feel embarrassed to shout across a pool, however the confidence you gain is worth it.”

Course tutor Myles Strudwick, who has been involved in lifeguarding and lifesaving for 20 years, both nationally and internationally, agrees:

He said:

“I am passionate about the development of skills in this area for anyone at any age, and nobody is too young or too old to start taking part.

“Even if it’s not something you use every day, the skills covered might just be enough to save a life one day. And it’s a strange – but thankful – feeling when that happens.”

Henry Grice-Holt, plans to work at Camp America during his gap year, where he hopes the qualification will help him get a lifeguard role.

The 17-year-old, who aims to study medicine after RGS, inspired him to apply.

Henry, who plans a career in medicine after RGS, pointed out that the most important thing he had learnt was how to perform CPR with the use of a defibrillator:

“I have also been taught how to safely get someone who is unconscious out of the water and get them in the recovery position.”

Neive, 17, said she was taking the course to help her get an interesting part-time job while at university. The accomplished swimmer added:

“Practical lessons allow you to have hands-on experience and basic first aid training, while theory provides you with the information you need to apply to lessons and even life situations.

“The most important skill I have learnt is communication, I found myself speaking out and answering questions in theory lessons, this then transferred to our pool sessions where we worked in teams relying on verbal skills.”

Henry and Neive use their Wednesday afternoon enrichment period – when sixth formers can take a break from studies to enjoy a range of other activities – to gain their qualification, which involves lessons for two hours a week at the school’s swimming pool, with additional home study.

Year 11 pupils have been taking their lifeguarding classes after school.

As well as being qualified in pool lifeguarding and supervision, with integrated defibrillation and anaphylaxis training, there is the option for the students to gain a First Aid at Work qualification and students, who began the course in November, will gain their qualifications at the beginning of April.

Image gallery: Knaresborough Camera Club showcases its work

Some of the Harrogate district’s most famous scenes and landmarks have been captured by members of Knaresborough Camera Club.

The club, which meets weekly and welcomes new members, sent us a selection of photos to showcase to a wider audience.

They capture everything from an aerial view of Oakdale Golf Club in Harrogate to Ripon Canal to sculptures at the Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park at Grewelthorpe.

We love showing great photos of the Harrogate district. If you would like us to consider yours for publication, please email details to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.