Half-term trip on the Leeds Liverpool

[steven wilkinson]

I have just noticed this section - so I thought I might add my/our bit to it!

 

This weekend is the first chilly weekend of the year, and we are due to pick up our hire boat from Bearboating at lunchtime tomorrow. (I think the hand-over man wants a lie in!)

 

Cameras are charged, sunglasses packed, Pearson guide opened at the right page!

 

(Now all I have to do is remember to fill in the details on here as we go! )

[tillergirl]

Only one piece of advise.............Go West ..............as the song says. Apart from that have a belter of a time

[JessicaBOO]

Have a great time Steve - we are looking forward to reading about your trip!

[steven wilkinson]

This is the weather we woke up to at home! What great weather to hire a boat!

 

 

Two hours later and BearBoating had JessicaBOO ready and waiting for us! What a fantastic boat - brilliantly fitted out and full of little holiday touches thanks to Janette - even halloween cakes and sweeties (plus sensible stuff like a selection of groceries!)

 

 

Fizz the crew dog was ready for the off straight away!

 

 

Then, after some first class instruction and very thourough handover (thanks Andy) we were off into the autumn afternoon!

 

 

Mrs W working a ground paddle on one of the little staircase locks of the first day! (There wasnt much chat from the lock-keeper man - must have been us turning up at 3.30 and he finished at 4!)

 

 

Now this is where I have been instructed to delete the photos of Mrs W - she happened to throw hersef in to the canal rather than just step off the boat to open a swing bridge!

 

Then we came upon jessicaBOO's twin - mollyMOO - tied up for the night! It was getting dusk, so this is a good place for us to stop too!

 

 

Friendly Yorkshire folk on what must be the busiest towpath in the world. Friendly Yorkshire fisherman! A good first day!

[Darren72]

Saltaire for Saturday night??? Where are you now. Weve been east and back again this weekend. Hope Mrs W has dried out.

[steven wilkinson]

After a steady day - with wind, rain, snow and a little sun - we are a few miles West of Bingley, East Riddlestone?!

We have only seen one other boat. He was trying to moor it and ended up across the canal, stuck!

 

Pictorial update to follow after X-Factor!

[JessicaBOO]

You will be pleased to hear that the forecast is dry but cool for the next few days! Looking forward to your post x factor update - we do hope that Mrs W is ok after her dip! (Did she really)?

[steven wilkinson]

she really did! Shhh! No-one is supposed to know!

[Matthew Dowson]

Riddlesden is where you are, perhaps you're moored near Puffer Parts chandlery? You'll be cruising through Kildwick (lovely spot) and then the nice run into Skipton, have fun.

[steven wilkinson]

I am very near Puffer Parts indeed! I might even have used their steps to find my way to the co-op! (I had run out of whiskey!)

[steven wilkinson]

I don't know why I bother watching the X-Factor! I always end up shouting at the telly! Those judges have NO clue!

 

Anyway!

 

So - (see what I did there?) - we were woken up by the other twin, MollyMOO, leaving very early!

 

After a very tasty sausage sarnie breakfast - we set off towards Bingley - a 3 rise first, then a 5 rise! It was going to be a good day!

 

 

Before we got to Bingley, there was another 2 rise - these must be the most leaky lock gates in the world!

 

 

MASSIVE gaps would be more appropriate

 

then it was on towards Bingley!

 

 

those gates are massive

 

 

however - we got to the top. took on water, and paid a visit to the cafe at the top. I can recommend the chilli!

 

 

The day has taken it out of Fizz the crewdog!

 

Edited October 28, 2012 by steven wilkinson

[Darren72]

We went to the White Lion at Kildwick last night for the first time. Some good beer, but food very expensive for what you get. The swing bridge at the Polish Airmens memorial has a bust handcuff chain. Be very careful mooring at the swing bridges from where you are upto Skipton, you will scrap the boat on the concrete jutting out under the water line. Dont get too close to the towpath side passing Snaygill as its very shallow.

[cheshire~rose]

Enjoying your updates and photo's - I hope Mrs W is none the worse for wear after her misshap. I wish we could get up on that bit of canal soon. It seems so far away when him indoors still have to go to work!

[JessicaBOO]

Great photos Steve! You will be in Skipton by now so if you fancy Gargrave for lunch you will easily get there and back in a day - winding just after Higherland Lock no.32. Rather than stay a second night in Skipton go past to Bradley - the Slaters Arms is a great pub with great food and they give you more chips than the White Lion!

[Janet S]

^{Nice to hear your updates and see the photos Steve! My very favourite canal.}

 

^{Cheshire~Rose, if you ever need any help moving Carrie~Lou "oop north", then give us a shout!}

 

^Janet

Edited October 29, 2012 by Janet S

[Darren72]

I was in Saltaire this morning at 8-45. I didnt think you would appreciate a big daft Yorkshireman knocking on your door. I will try and catch up with you before end of your trip. Where who knows!! SURPRISE SURPRISE

[steven wilkinson]

we are nicelyly tied up in Skipton for the night! A jaunt past Skipton for a couple of hours in the morning, then a spin round, and back to Skipton for lunch, then head East until we feel like another stop for the night - perhaps Kildwick? Photobucket is being fed - update in a few minutes!

[steven wilkinson]

Well - after an encounter with some killer swans that demanded breakfast

 

 

we headed West fortified with coffee and cake!

 

 

I got all excited when I saw a Kingfisher

 

 

but during today I saw another 5!

 

It got a bit windy, which made picking the crew up after a swing bridge a bit tricky!

 

 

We spotted some well protected critter ladders to help little animals get out of the canal (I think!)

 

 

Fizz had her beady eye on these critters

 

 

Some nice Autumnal colours alongside the canal here!

 

 

Fizz is looking from the back of the boat as we drove along

 

 

And by nightfall we were nicely tied up in Skipton!

 

 

And to anyone who things the water quality here is poor - balls

 

 

Time for some seasonal chocolate

 

 

Tomorrow we are off for a spin, and back for lunch in Skipton, and then heading back towards base!

 

Thats all for today!

[Darren72]

Well - after an encounter with some killer swans that demanded breakfast

 

 

we headed West fortified with coffee and cake!

 

 

I got all excited when I saw a Kingfisher

 

 

but during today I saw another 5!

 

It got a bit windy, which made picking the crew up after a swing bridge a bit tricky!

 

 

We spotted some well protected critter ladders to help little animals get out of the canal (I think!)

 

 

Fizz had her beady eye on these critters

 

 

Some nice Autumnal colours alongside the canal here!

 

 

Fizz is looking from the back of the boat as we drove along

 

 

And by nightfall we were nicely tied up in Skipton!

 

 

And to anyone who things the water quality here is poor - balls

 

 

Time for some seasonal chocolate

 

 

Tomorrow we are off for a spin, and back for lunch in Skipton, and then heading back towards base!

 

Thats all for today!

[theres a winding hole just past last moorings at Niffany. Take a photo of the last boat moored, with the little butty attached to bow.

[cheshire~rose]

wonderful photo's and that looks a rather nice boat too. enjoy yourselves tomorrow

[bowten]

I believe you went past me this afternoon in Skipton.I have the widebeam a short distance from the stern of your boat in the photo.I have nice holiday! Regards Ian.

[Albion]

Pretty sure I spotted the stern of your boat from our kitchen window as you passed the trip boats in the centre of Skipton yesterday but it was only a fleeting glimpse. Have a good trip.

Roger

Edited October 30, 2012 by Albion

[steven wilkinson]

That would be us then! Yes - I have just taken our crewdog down past your boat Ian - but it started to rain, so I legged it back to the warm dry boat!

 

There is our boats twin moored in the arm (?) ready for a homeward journey too! Identical - apart from an extra porthole on their boat!

 

And - the ducks here are a bit violent towards each other!

[steven wilkinson]

Today has been a tad grey and damp! I am not getting rain in my camera for anyone!

 

However it hasn't been a bad day all day!

 

So we set off from Skipton towards Gargrave for an hour or so's cruise before heading back to Skipton for lunch! The Narrowboat had been recommended, so thats what the lunchtime plan was!

 

We headed off under a grey sky

 

 

But then it got sunny

 

 

It was fine enough for Fizz the crew dog to have a run along the towpath

 

 

We winded just East of Gargrave (after a fashion - I am very pleased no-one was there to see me make a mess of it!

 

 

We got back to Skipton in time for lunch - however!

 

 

a queue for the swing bridge? surely not! Yes! A crew just before us had snapped their key in the bridge lock and done a runner! Bridge stuck in a locked position!

 

So - nothing else for it - time to give the boat a wash!

 

 

Then it started lashing down again - so the camera got put away!

 

We did give Bowten a wave as we eventually passed through Skipton on our way to our overnight halt!

 

Its a nice mooring! I don't know why no-one else is here! Oh wait - maybe its the church bells that ring every 15 minutes that have put people off! Its dark now, so we are staying put!

Edited October 30, 2012 by steven wilkinson

[cheshire~rose]

stunning scenery - well almost, apart from the last photo