Leeds & Liverpool Canal....
From Skipton to Leeds 6.7.14 - 11.7.14
We're stopping here in Skipton until Sunday 6th
July, when we leave for Leeds, so join us on our adventures for the final
installment of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal...
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| The sign by the canal.... we'll be heading to the right, Bingley 5 Rise and eventually Leeds |
We had a lovely time in Skipton. Saturday 5th July was Paul's birthday.
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| Skipton gets ready for the Tour de France... bunting and bikes out in force |
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| The crowds come out in force for the 2 minute cycle through.... |
Leaving the
boat at 9am we went into town to get our space so we could watch the cyclists in
the Tour de France whizz by. We must have found the coldest spot in Skipton, windy
and in the shade all morning!
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| Even the church went 'yellow shirt' crazy high up on the tower |
But we were near the front and had a pretty good
view. Hoards of people filled the main street, ten deep in some spots, more in
others, most waving flags and blowing horns and whistles. We waited ages,
eventually the parade of sponsors cars came ahead of the riders, few and far between,
but pretty good all the same.
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| One of the few sponsor cars... they call this the 'calendar' for some reason! |
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| There is a car under that somewhere! |
Then we waited even longer and eventually a gaggle
(what do you call a collection of police vehicles?) of police motorbikes led
the riders around the 90 degree bend of the high street, and within seconds
they had gone past, then all the back up vehicles and finally more police cars.
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| A hoard of cyclists come bombing past... |
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| .... and within about 2 minutes they'd all gone past! Over! |
It was all over in about 2 minutes, and it was already 1 pm! We'd been there
for 4 hours! But we were there!
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| People everywhere, we made our way back to our little Jack eager to see us again! |
We made our way out of town through hundreds of
thousands of people feeling a little deflated. All that waiting for that? But
we had to go, we were in Skipton and cycle fever had got to us! Everyone was
buzzing, but everyone couldn't believe how quickly it was over! The big screen
in the canal basin was showing the rest of the race, selling extortionate
priced burgers, chips, donuts and ice creams.
But we went back to our little dog waiting patiently
for us to come home, full of excitement when the key turned in the door.
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| Way over the fields on our walk we could see the 'yellow shirt' displayed proudly on the church tower |
After lunch we took Jack for a lovely extra long walk,
and back home we all felt exhausted.
But our day wasn't over yet. It was Paul's birthday
and we had managed to get a table booked in a Thai restaurant for our evening
meal. Most eateries weren't taking bookings but we spotted the Thai Basil in a
back street in Skipton and we were lucky!
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| Starter.... |
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| .... and main! So delicious! |
And what a great find! It was out of this world,
certainly one to recommend, great service and the food was certainly the best
Thai food I've ever had, and one of the best Paul's had (he's eaten out in the
best places in Germany so hard to get any better!). We enjoyed every single bit,
except for the duck skin, that went home for a treat for Jack! That meal certainly
finished our stay in Skipton off on a high!
On Sunday 6th July we were ready to leave. It was a
lovely day, the sun was shining and we wanted to see what was around the next
corner.
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| Our final visit to Skipton Castle Woods.... |
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| .... it surely was a lovely place to be! |
After another great walk to the Castle Woods we set
off for the first of 11 swing bridges in 6 miles that we had got planned for
the day.
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| As we left Skipton, plans for more jollies as the next leg of the Tour de France were showing on the big screen |
After a top up with water in Skipton we were on our
way, the jollies of the bike racing was still going on in the canal basin, the
big screen scheduled to show the second day leaving Harrowgate. People still
milled about, getting their positions for the days entertainment.
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| Leaving the town of Skipton |
We cruised out of Skipton, the countryside once again
hilly and green, lovely views all around, woodland all about us.
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| We spotted this pedal powered rafty thingy! |
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| Beautiful hills once again as we leave for the countryside once more... |
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| Love the name of this wide beam boat! |
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| Beautiful woodland and tree lined canals.... |
We did several
more swingbridges and cruised on through the busy village of Kildwick and out
into open countryside once again, high hills to one side of us and deep valleys
to the other.
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| Moored up on the bollards of the permanently open swingbridge near Silsden, what a lovely setting! |
We went on a few miles, tackled a few really tough
swingbridges and pulled over on the moorings of a permanently open swingbridge
near to Silsden.
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| Just down the river valley there was something going on... more cycling! |
Over the valley there were marquees and people, cars
parked up and five helicopters flying about. Turns out the Tour de France was
on its way to Silsden and just as we got there we could see the cyclists in the
distance!
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| The next swingbridge up from us is used to get the cattle from one side of the canal to the milking sheds... |
The towpath got very busy after that with all the
onlookers making their way home, but soon we were on our own again, sheep and
cattle for our neighbours once again.
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| Our view out the front of the boat... and the open swingbridge |
We found a lovely walk along the river valley on
Sunday and another lovely one on Monday morning too!
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| Clambering over one of the many stone style to go on our walks |
We leave on Monday pretty late for us as we wait
inside till the rain has eased off.
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| Most of the bridges were tough, but this kind pedestrian offered to help Paul with this one |
At 11 am we set off, we've got 12 swingbridges
to do today, the first one being open for us. They were all pretty tough, Paul
heaved and shoved and I cruised the boat through.
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| Heading through one of the many villages on our route to Leeds |
Onwards we went through the
villages of Keighley, Stockbridge and Riddlesden, yet more swingbridges, some
only a quarter of a mile apart.
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| It's still raining at the moment, but the sun does eventually come out |
The sun has come out and there's not many boats on the
move, there's a couple of electric swingbridges too, both on busy roads but
both push button controls.
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| I just can't get enough of these Yorkshire views! |
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| Here's where we stopped for the night, at the top of the 5 Rise Locks |
At the top there's pretty good moorings, a few boats
are here moored up so we pull over and tie up. The suns out good n proper now, it's
a beautiful day, we'd gone through 12 swingbridges and cruised on 7 miles and
it was 2pm, time for lunch and our Jack walk.
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| Up in the hills we had great views down into Bingley.... |
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| Then we sat and rested alongside this old man! |
We walked down the locks, through Bingley and headed up
the huge hills to beautiful woodland and lovely grassy meadows. we were gone
for a couple of hours and rewarded ourselves with an ice cream from the cafe
beside the locks.
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| Milestones along the way say we've only got 16 and a quarter miles to Leeds! |
After a chat with the lock keeper we get our time slot
to go down the locks, we've got to be ready tomorrow by 8am! That's including
taking Jack out for his walk!
So on Tuesday 8th July we were ready to leave at the
allocated time. We were going down with another boat, a hire boat from Sowerby
Bridge called Cambridge. We were all ready and by 8.15am the locks had been set
for us, and in we went.
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| We soon got round the corner to our next set, the Bingley 3 Rise |
Just around the corner were another set of staircase
locks, the Bingley 3 Rise. Guesses as to how many locks in this flight on a postcard!
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| Paul and Jack lend a hand at the lock |
There was a lock keeper waiting for us as we
approached the lock, we were soon in the top lock and down the 3 locks in no time
at all.
We'd just done 8 locks in an hour! That normally takes
you two hours! After picking Paul up from the bottom we were on our way again.
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| Leaving the Bingley 3 Rise locks, the Damart factory to the right of the picture |
Next came Dowley Gap 2 locks, yep, you guessed it, 2
locks in a staircase! No lock keeper this time so Paul operated the locks while
I looked after the boat.
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| Waiting with nb Cambridge for the lock to be ready |
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| Leaving the lock a single handed boater makes his way in, weir current hard from the right |
We were still with nb Cambridge who went ahead and
opened up the next swingbridge, Hirst Mill Swingbridge, while Paul set the next
lock, Hirst lock, straight after the bridge.
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| Hirst Swingbridge in the distance, Hirst Lock in the foreground |
Below the lock was the town of Saltaire, wooded on
either side with a huge sports field and parklands behind.
We had been told that the town moorings were only 6hr
moorings and as the residents in the new apartments that overlooked the canal didn't
like boats staying overnight we pulled over towards the bank just before the
town and managed, third time lucky, to find a spot deep enough to get the boat
in.
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| We managed to get the boat in near enough to be able to get off, very shallow canal at the edges |
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| N.B Cambridge on their way back to Sowerby Bridge |
With a wave goodbye nb Cambridge were on their way but
we were stopping here the night.
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| This ice cream boat was doing a roaring trade... even sold bacon butties! |
Our Jack walk was lovely, we walked around Hirst
Woods, lovely open woodlands that ran alongside both the river Aire and the
canal.
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| Only problem on our walk was which way to go? |
The evening quietened down once all the Lycra clad cyclists
bombing up and down the towpath had gone home, it was dark and peaceful.
Wednesday was quite an eventful day as days go! It
started of with our Jack walk, walking along the towpath to the woods Jack
spotted some geese that he thought he might like to scare into the water ....
only he forgot to stop when he got to the edge of the canal and tumbled in
himself! High concrete sides meant he couldn't get out easily, but he soon got
his footing and scrambled out, looked totally shocked and probably wondering
what on earth had happened!
When we were about to set the boat off the ropes Paul
found a fresh lump of dog poo right by our front door that some inconsiderate
b*****d had failed to pick up! Luckily he didn't step in it, warned me and
nothing got covered in poo, gross!
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| Leaving our last nights mooring spot, and the lump of dog poo left by our front door! |
It was early when we set off, and we cruised on out of
Saltaire and through Shipley.
It wasn't a pretty area, bit rough really. Roads and
rail tracks ran alongside the canal, high sided buildings and rough wasteland
surrounded the canal.
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| Leaving Saltaire and Shipley it became rather built up, tall chimneys still remain from the 'good old days' |
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| Not too pleasant round here, but its part of the journey |
Suggesting we swap over locks half way, they turned us
down and wanted to come up on their own. So we had to sit and wait half an
hour! When they had left the locks another boat came up from the bottom and they
suggested this time we swap locks half way!
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| Swapping over half way is pretty cool! |
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| As long as you get it right! Luckily we did! |
We didn't mind, so through we all went, us down three
and them up three! I got soaked again from the leaky back gates, the water
cascading out from under the huge gates right down onto the back deck of the
boat, into the engine room, and on me!
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| Looking back at the Field 3 Locks... quite a hill up there! |
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| Paul pushes hard on the bridge so it doesn't swing back out to the boat |
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| We still have beautiful open fields as our views all around us |
Never mind, off we went again through a couple of
swing bridges till we got to Dobsons 2 Locks, again another staircase lock.
Before we could get in Paul had to pull out a home made raft that somebody had
discarded into the canal and it had got lodged behind the lock gates so they wouldn't
open properly.
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| The jumbled up mess of an old home made raft.... string and all |
So there he was, on his hands and knees, hoinking out great
lumps of wood and string!
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| Another swap over mid lock flight .... |
As we were ready to go down the two locks a boat came
up from the bottom, again asked if they could swap locks half way and that's
what we did, again!
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| We didn't know the previous lock users had left the top paddles open, hence the overflow all around the bottom lock |
No problems except the last people who had left the locks
had forgotten to close down the top ground paddles. This resulted in my lock
not going down, but filling the bottom lock to overflowing, with the other boat
in it! Action stations and all was soon sorted, and after I got soaked again
from a leaky top gate, we swapped over locks, I went down, they went up!
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| Leaving the Dobson 2 Locks, beautiful Yorkshire views |
Onwards we travelled, more swing bridges and we got to
Apperly Bridge marina where we filled up with diesel. Most expensive diesel yet
at 99p per litre! But we were getting desperate and there were no work boats on
this section of the canal so needs must.
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| Moored up at Apperly Bridge, for our marathon walk up a steep hill to Asda |
After our diesel stop we went to the other side of the
canal and tied the boat up on the towpath. Here we made the mile long walk up
the hill to Asda and filled up with shopping. When we went to pay we discovered
it was a self payment scanner thing, there were no checkout people! We were
getting more and more frustrated, about ready to chuck it back down and leave
when some kind lady who works there came to help, well in fact they ended up
doing it for us!
Stressed out we spotted a KFC, well it would have been
rude not to stop here for lunch, and with bellies now full we did the mile long
walk back down the hill to the boat.
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| Reflections of Happy Daze in a very shiney boat along the way |
The sun has been shining all day, it's real hot here.
We get going again after walking Jack up the towpath for a leg stretch, it's
now 2pm and we want to find somewhere to stop for the night. The wind had got
up really strong now and it was making cruising the boat really difficult.
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| How many people.....???? |
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| We were drifting about in the wind while the boat ahead tried to make a turn around... using their pole |
After drifting about in the wind waiting for a narrow
boat to turn round and having to pole off from the shallow bank we were on our
way to Rodley where we stopped (we'd been advised not to stop overnight any
nearer to Leeds) for the night.
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| Not the best mooring we've had, but it's safe and secure enough for us to be happy |
It wasn't a great mooring, we couldn't get very near
to the bank because of sloping concrete banks, there was a busy road and
trainline nearby, bikes whizzed past us and there was nowhere to sit outside
safely in the beautiful sun, but it was free from thugs and there were several
other boats there; safety in numbers etc....
We get our little Jack out for his walk, not great but
he has a lovely swim in the river Aire, and a good run around in a cow meadow.
Were knackered from our days cruise today, we've done
5 locks, 7 swingbridges and 7 miles, and we've got a lot to do tomorrow. It's a
long run into Leeds with plenty of locks on the way.
After a quiet night we wake up early and set off at
6.20am.
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| Early morning peace and quiet as we set off before most people are awake |
We've been advised to get through the Leeds locks
early as uncouth youths hang around misbehaving in the afternoons.
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| It's another tough swingbridge, from the other end Paul pushes with all his might |
We do the 4
swingbridges and a couple of miles and arrive at the top of the Newlay 3 Locks
by 7.20am. The lock keeper didn't arrive till 8am so we had time to explore the
locks, have our breakfast and a cuppa before the long run into Leeds.
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| Waiting at the top of the locks for the lock keeper to arrive |
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| .... and here he is, surveying his locks |
By 8.15am the lock keeper had got the locks ready for
us, opened the top gates and in we went.
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| Some people chat.... some people are working! |
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| And a cheery wave from the lock keepers as we leave the flight |
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| Looking back at the 3 locks... the lock keepers can now have a rest! |
With his help we got down the 3 locks
in half an hour and were on our way the half mile to the next set of 3, the Forge
3 Locks.
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| The jolly old lock keeper with his tales of blood and death in the canal! |
Another lock keeper in attendance (because of more
unsavoury people) and after waiting for a boat to come up, we made our way down.
While we were waiting we were told numerous stories about terrible things that
had happened here, buildings getting set alight, rocks being thrown at boats,
dead dogs and cats chucked in the canal, dogs drowning in the lock paddles.... he
was a jolly sort of bloke!
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| Leaving the 3 Forge locks.... |
We left the 3 locks and entered beautiful woodland and
the river valley, and a fast trainline right next to the canal too!
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| Into Kirkstall Lock, seems okay to us! But it's still early, all the hoodies are tucked up in bed still |
Onto Kirkstall, a bad area again, and through the lock
in no time. Onwards another couple of miles through lovely tree lined canal, we
caught glimpses of the industrial part of Leeds through gaps in the trees, tall
high rise flats in the distance.
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| Entering Leeds is not so bad, there's two police men up ahead with two youths....and it's still early! |
There were drunks on the towpath shouting for a lift,
kids on bikes whizzing past people walking, one lad slapped an old man on his
back as he shouted at him "hi five". Little shit!
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| Under the low railway bridge we go.... |
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| Spring Gardens Lock up ahead, and a view of Leeds too! |
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| The old and the modern, Spring Gardens Lock and Leeds city scape |
Through the Spring Gardens lock, that was such a tough
one it took us both all our strength to shut the gate up, the drunks catching
us up all the time.
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| Strange name, but the sign says so! |
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| Leaving the delapadated old Oddy Locks, they've seen better days I think |
Next was the Oddy 2 Locks, our last staircase lock on this
canal. There was a boat in the top lock filling up with water (stupid place to
put a water tap) so he went down the lock and back up again as we went down and
into the bottom lock.
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| Entering Leeds good 'n' proper now, the huge rail terminal up ahead.... |
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| .... aaarrghh, maybe I should have kept to the right hand side? But nothing comes towards us so its all okay |
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| There were a small set of steps at the bottom of the lock where Paul had to do a leap of faith to get on the boat! |
The Aire & Calder navigation is a mixture of the
two rivers, the River Aire and the River Calder. The channel has been made so
the rivers are navigable, but the rivers flow in and out of the navigation, the
parts that are not rivers are the lock cuts, meaning where the weirs and rocky
rapids are, there is a lock cut.
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| Leaving the River Lock, on our way to find somewhere to stop... we'd had a long day |
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| Heading through Leeds on the river we couldn't see anywhere to stop off... |
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| .... so we followed the signs that led us to Clarence Dock, or the next lock! |
It wasn't a pretty part of Leeds but the river was
deep and wide. We followed a sign that led us round a tight right hand bend and
the second of two recommended mooring spots in Leeds, Clarence Dock by the
Armouries Museum.
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| Entering Clarence Dock, hopefully our resting place for the night |
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| All visitor spaces taken in Clarence Dock.... but an empty Commercial Boats area! |
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| Well, nowhere to moor here then, so we turned around and head back out through the small entrance in the distance |
We entered the Dock, but that was full too. All of the room for three narrow boats was taken in the Dock, the rest of the space was
taken up by permanent moorers and a huge empty section was for commercial boats
only. So we had to turn around, in the wind, and go back out of the Dock.
We then did a sharp right and immediatly came up to
our first river lock, Leeds Lock.
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| We'd come to our first Lock on the Aire & Calder Navigation |
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| Heading into our first River Lock, Leeds Lock, all push button controls. Amber traffic light means no lock keeper! |
Traffic lights on orange meant it was not
manned and Paul went off to work out what to do! It was key operated, so he pushed
a few buttons and the gates opened, in I went and a few more buttons let the
water out and opened the bottom gates.
We were desparately looking for somewhere to stop now,
both recommended places were full, so we went to just below the lock where
there was a 48 hr mooring. Not secure, didn't feel good, but our only other
option was to keep going out of Leeds not knowing if and where and when we
would find somewhere to stop.
There was nowhere but the towpath to walk Jack but we
went and had a look around Clarence Dock, went up and down the river on the
towpath and Jack seemed happy.
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| Happy Daze moored up in amongst the tall buildings of Leeds |
Surprisingly we had a quiet night. There were no pubs
about this area, a few people came and sat by the boat watching the river, we
had a huge apartment building on the other side of the river to us, and like I
say, it was actually quiet and felt fairly safe....
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| As the sun set over Leeds it wasn't such a bad place after all! |
Until 7.15am on Friday 11th July when we had loud
bangs on the boat....
last updated 19th July 2014
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