Leeds Liverpool - Shipley to Skipton questions

[HenryFreeman]

Hey all,

 

Looking for some advice on my cruise this weekend to Skipton. It looks like I'll be able to do it over the course of the weekend but wondering where might be the best place to stop at on Saturday night?

 

I'm hopefully going to get a move on around 9-10ish (but no later, all being well). So I think I might be hard pushed the do the entire cruise in one day and probably don't want to anyway.

 

Is Shipley to Silsden possible? If not, are there moorings at Riddlesden and is there much there?

 

Any tips would be very welcome! It's been nice to get out cruising again after the past 18 months. Boat is behaving itself very well too!

 

Cheers!

[Ken X]

I'm sure you are aware, but the Bingley Three and Five Rise Locks have times of operation in each direction.  May make a difference in where you stop for the night.

[Midnight]

If you get up the five rise and like good pubs the White Lion at Kildwick.

[David Mack]

10 hours ago, HenryFreeman said:

If not, are there moorings at Riddlesden and is there much there?

There's a towpath all the way. You can moor pretty much anywhere.

[HenryFreeman]

10 hours ago, Ken X said:

I'm sure you are aware, but the Bingley Three and Five Rise Locks have times of operation in each direction.  May make a difference in where you stop for the night.

I'm vaguely aware but struggling to find info on the CRT website that is current. I can see that past summer periods it's something like 8 to 12 going down and 1 to 3 going up but can't see anything for this year.

8 minutes ago, David Mack said:

There's a towpath all the way. You can moor pretty much anywhere.

I tend to prefer to moor up around something resembling civilisation! Ie. where there's a pub and a co-op 🙂 But I suppose anywhere along that stretch isn't going to be too far from a town or village.

[David Mack]

21 minutes ago, HenryFreeman said:

I'm vaguely aware but struggling to find info on the CRT website that is current. I can see that past summer periods it's something like 8 to 12 going down and 1 to 3 going up but can't see anything for this year.

Yorkshire & North East:

• Bingley 3 & 5 Rise locks.

Morning                                

• Passages down the lock flights 8am until 10am, last entry at 9am.  
• Passages up the lock flights 10am until 12pm, last entry at 11am.

Afternoon                                 

• Passages down the lock flight 1pm until 3pm, last entry at 2pm.  
• Passages up the lock flight 3pm until 5pm, last entry at 4pm.

From

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/24512-leeds-and-liverpool-canal-lock-flight-operating-times-2023

22 minutes ago, HenryFreeman said:

 

I tend to prefer to moor up around something resembling civilisation! Ie. where there's a pub and a co-op 🙂 But I suppose anywhere along that stretch isn't going to be too far from a town or village.

I wasn't sure if you were one of those newbies who thinks you are only allowed to stop at designated moorings.

[HenryFreeman]

4 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Yorkshire & North East:

• Bingley 3 & 5 Rise locks.

Morning                                

• Passages down the lock flights 8am until 10am, last entry at 9am.  
• Passages up the lock flights 10am until 12pm, last entry at 11am.

Afternoon                                 

• Passages down the lock flight 1pm until 3pm, last entry at 2pm.  
• Passages up the lock flight 3pm until 5pm, last entry at 4pm.

From

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/24512-leeds-and-liverpool-canal-lock-flight-operating-times-2023

I wasn't sure if you were one of those newbies who thinks you are only allowed to stop at designated moorings.

 

Thanks very much! That's a big help, not sure why my search for bingley 5 rise didn't show up. Going to have to aim for the morning passage I think otherwise I'll be sat twiddling my thumbs/finding a pub in Bingley and drinking all afternoon.

[Psychalist]

Riddlesden is quiet enough but, if you walk a bit, most things are in reach. Closest pub would be the Marquis of Granby and there is a good fish and chip shop too, but Keighley and its delights are only a 1.5 mile walk away. At Kildwick, as well as the already mentioned excellent White Lion (book ahead if you are eating), there is a co-op and brewery tap at Crosshills. After that you've got Skipton and all you need but anywhere between is fine for mooring. It's worth noting, Silsden is good but can be tricky to moor because of the hire base and there is nothing in the centre. If you stop there, it will probably be on the towpath side (left) as you are leaving. Mooring before the centre is possible but the verge is thin and towpath close. Silsden has co-op, Aldi and number of pubs eateries and chip shop. Good luck with Grange swing bridge.

[Ken X]

Can't remember Grange Swing Bridge,  but one just coming into Silsden from the East, I think it was Brunthwaite or Holden was an absolute pig. 

 

The only one to defeat OC Domestic and not much gets the better of her.  Took three of us to bounce and heave it enough to slide a Narrowboat through the gap.  Twas a year or so back so may have been sorted.

 

If you're single handing it's going to be a character building trip. 🙂

[Moke]

We went through the 3 and 5 in December last year and despite the crt site saying “you may book assistance at these locks” much as it did for the kirkstall and Newley locks when we arrived we found out that from October to March you had to book 72 hours in advance!  So that was three days sat at the bottom of the flight watching the canal freeze round us. 
  I notice you have to book kirkstall and Newley at the moment but there’s no mention of bingley,  perhaps a phone call might be wise. 

[HenryFreeman]

3 hours ago, Psychalist said:

Riddlesden is quiet enough but, if you walk a bit, most things are in reach. Closest pub would be the Marquis of Granby and there is a good fish and chip shop too, but Keighley and its delights are only a 1.5 mile walk away. At Kildwick, as well as the already mentioned excellent White Lion (book ahead if you are eating), there is a co-op and brewery tap at Crosshills. After that you've got Skipton and all you need but anywhere between is fine for mooring. It's worth noting, Silsden is good but can be tricky to moor because of the hire base and there is nothing in the centre. If you stop there, it will probably be on the towpath side (left) as you are leaving. Mooring before the centre is possible but the verge is thin and towpath close. Silsden has co-op, Aldi and number of pubs eateries and chip shop. Good luck with Grange swing bridge.

 

Cheers! Some useful tips there.

 

I've done the Moss Swing Bridge at Rodley, which is an absolute joke of an over engineered bridge if I ever did see one, so I'm well prepared for any swing bridge that comes my way.

10 minutes ago, Moke said:

We went through the 3 and 5 in December last year and despite the crt site saying “you may book assistance at these locks” much as it did for the kirkstall and Newley locks when we arrived we found out that from October to March you had to book 72 hours in advance!  So that was three days sat at the bottom of the flight watching the canal freeze round us. 
  I notice you have to book kirkstall and Newley at the moment but there’s no mention of bingley,  perhaps a phone call might be wise. 

 

No booking needed at Kirkstall and Newlay, unless it's changed in the last few days. But I might give CRT a ring all the same, just to double check.

[Moke]

Oops, that was a typo on my part. It should have read  “no booking WAS required at kirkstall/Newley”.  You have to book them this year. 

[Psychalist]

18 minutes ago, HenryFreeman said:

I've done the Moss Swing Bridge at Rodley, which is an absolute joke of an over engineered bridge if I ever did see one

Certainly a joke but not very funny. The locals that get held up complain bitterly. Apparently all because there's talk of a new housing estate - not sure if it's true but it won't work unless automated. Someone told us 80 turns of the various wheels, we lost count. As for the on-site 'safety crew', that's pitiful. A woman who sits in a van all day with the engine running and is only able to advise (reluctantly) and not actually touch anything. Blood and boil come to mind.

 

No booking for Newlay or Kirkstall (August). Newlay lockie turns up early (07:30) and closes early (before 4pm) but provides harrowing tales of county-lines and other such criminal activity. We did see a electric motorbikes ridden by hoodies after dark. Abbey Inn is worth a look, Kirkstall Ales and other local brews.