leeds to apperley bridge

[b0atman]

According to Waterways world article Leeds to Apperley bridge is bandit country and advises call CRT for assistance ??

What is truth ?

Who would you ring at CRT ?

I am doing this single handed travelling Leeds to possibly Liverpool trip is to no time plan so cannot pre book Liverpool.

 

[8 Hairy Feet]

There is assisted passage between 8am-5pm

at Forge and (I think) Newlay so you shouldn't have to ring.

Mostly C&RT seem to think that "bandits" come in the

guise of children swimming in the locks during warmer weather.

You will be fine.

[cotswoldsman]

According to Waterways world article Leeds to Apperley bridge is bandit country and advises call CRT for assistance ??

What is truth ?

Who would you ring at CRT ?

I am doing this single handed travelling Leeds to possibly Liverpool trip is to no time plan so cannot pre book Liverpool.

 

Don't worry I have done it twice single handed you will be fine. I would however advise pairing with another boat wherever possible as some of the locks are hard work on your own

[b0atman]

I thought that might be the case after having done Leicester a few times I have come to doubt these scaremongers .

Thanks for your advice Hopefully I will be at peak 65 year old fitness when I get up there starting off with these soft southern locks on the Oxford.

I leave next week and will probably be there May June ish.

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

From Kirkstall Abbey to Newley the locks used to be chained by bwb with a crew sitting at Newley what the system is now you will have to enquire. Pray for rain and go early in the morning. Visit the abbey the BBC did a fantastic showing of frankenstein there

[cotswoldsman]

I thought that might be the case after having done Leicester a few times I have come to doubt these scaremongers .

Thanks for your advice Hopefully I will be at peak 65 year old fitness when I get up there starting off with these soft southern locks on the Oxford.

I leave next week and will probably be there May June ish.

I agree with you about Leicester moored there myself a few tines. Depending on timings we might cross paths as I am heading south

[b0atman]

I am doing Marple Mum in care home there so will do the 14 days then in may Huddersfield Narrow boat has previously been through so hopefully ok.

We should have an Observers book of " I spy CWDF members boats "

[Titus]

I don't think you'll have any problems, my only advice is to set off in the morning and you'll be through that area before they even get up.

Enjoy the L & L

 

Dave

[bizzard]

You'll get to Apperley single handed quite apperly.

[Naughty Cal]

I thought that might be the case after having done Leicester a few times I have come to doubt these scaremongers .

Thanks for your advice Hopefully I will be at peak 65 year old fitness when I get up there starting off with these soft southern locks on the Oxford.

I leave next week and will probably be there May June ish.

We always ask "so have you been" when people start telling tales and scaremongering.

 

99.9% of the time the answer is no

[Mac of Cygnet]

We always ask "so have you been" when people start telling tales and scaremongering.

 

99.9% of the time the answer is no

 

Just to redress the balance a little, one of the few times I have felt intimidated while boating was when we in all innocence set off up from Leeds in the afternoon and had to ask a large group of all ages to vacate Spring Garden Lock (what a misnomer!). They crowded round us pretending to help, but Mrs Mac later found several cigarette burns in her fleece. Suddenly a policeman appeared on the bridge below the lock and stayed until we were away - whether this was coincidence I don't know, but it was only when we got to the top flight that we discovered that it was 'assisted passage' and we were being monitored.

 

But this was 15 years ago! I've done it twice since then, once single handed, with no trouble, although while waiting at Newlay last time while a body was recovered down at Kirkstall, I did notice that the BW hut at the top of the locks had been recently torched.

 

So it's not all sweetness and light. But I wasn't put off, and neither should you be.

[RichardH]

I have a feeling that the CRT resource has been cut to hit and miss attendance other than the 3 rises as stated above. My advice would be to hang around on the moorings above Office Lock for a willing partner to make the journey easier.

[JeffB]

How long is your boat, and what route are you planning to take into Leeds? Anything over 56 feet and you'll start to struggle on the Hudds Broad.

 

If you need a hand at any point, you're welcome to get in touch, as either myself or my regular boating buddy may be able to help out. If you're on Facebook, there is a Wigan Flight Crew group, where you can either ask for assistance, or try to pair up with another boat.

[Circe]

We've done it a few times and never had any bother. It was busiest in the summer holidays, as you'd expect. The kids at Kirkstall were a bit 'oooh woman driver', but quickly got over it!

 

We tended to do the run from Leeds to Rodley in one hop, if that helps.

[b0atman]

We always ask "so have you been" when people start telling tales and scaremongering.

 

99.9% of the time the answer is no

Am I reading my bit wrong I am disputing the scaremongering by stating that I have done the Leicester ring twice and have moored in Leicester at Castle gardens on the pontoons with no problems .

Bit worried about going to Lincoln as have heard about speeding boats or is that another myth.

[NickF]

I have done it just the once, we didn't even realise it was meant to be a dodgy area until we were already through, no problem at all, and a really interesting piece of canal with all those staircases. As others have said it is probably hard work single handed but I guess as a single hander you are used to hard work! Have a great trip.

[John P]

I did this stretch single handed last year with no problems and I'm of a similar age to B0atman. Did the same stretch lat week (April 8th : this time with a crew). both Forge and Newlay Locks are manned. The Lockie for Newlay cycled past as we left Leeds basin at 8am and advised us not to stop till we reached Forge because of gangs of children on their school holidays. I fact the only kids we saw were with their parents and mainly interested in feeding the duckies. Speeding Lycra louts seemed to be the only problem. The improved towpath appears to have encouraged them. One lock keeper at Forge says he parks his car across the towpath to slow them down.

If you need to stop on this stretch, I recommend the mooring at Rodley, by the Rodley Barge (bridge 217).

One other thing. It is logistically impossible for a single hander to operate the electric swing bridge (214) at Apperly. You will either need to wait for another boat or enlist the help of a friendly and reliable passer by!

[leeco]

I have done it loads of times without any trouble but I live round here and you do get kids swimming in the locks but they are building a very big development kirkstall forge right near the 2 locks so this area should improve quite a lot.

[stevemc]

Don't like the stretch from Rodley back to Leeds (East) which is peppered with locks and the closer to Leeds Centre you are so the chances of trouble increase. From Rodley to Apperley Bridge (West) is fine - my little boat is at Rodley Marina and I've never seen any trouble. From Rodley to Apperley Bridge is semi rural with no locks and a nice run in a boat - enjoy!

[by'eck]

No issues a month or so back travelling the other way s/handed - took the advice to continue non-stop to Leeds centre after overnight at Rodley though.