Wednesday 12th October
Took the car back up to it's space in Holbeck and walked back via River Lock for a quick reconnaissance mission. Horrid day so plan to move now before it gets any worse and water levels rise.
Looking towards City Centre past the BW Moorings
On arrival the indicator was just over into the red. The current from the arches under the station looked strong but navigable with care. So back to Clarence Dock and I'll make the move. However whilst out on my little wander the lock gates to the Dock were closed and the river level was well above that of the dock. Bugger - I'm stuck! So I spent the rest of the day carving intricate pieces of firewood - which I then obviously destroyed in seconds!
Saturday 15th Oct
Woke this am and found the dock gates open again - Yippee! Straight up to Granary Wharf / Mint Hotel onto the Leeds & Liverpool canal. First hurdle overcome - just the wind and rain to contend with now. Charged £6/night here - pretty quiet and really posh facilities at bottom of the round tower (key only available from the Waterfront Estate Office). Check out the Dark Arches under the station at the Granary Wharf Car Park - Impressive Victorian structure using over 18 million bricks - a record for the time!
Monday 17th Oct
Granary Wharf to Apperley Bridge
So we're away for 9am and straight into office lock. Re-familiarising with the padlock keys required for unlocking the paddles. They're really clumsy and easy to drop straight into the murky depths. St Anne's Ings lock next and then through to our first Staircase on the Leeds & Liverpool.
Oddy Locks
Looking back towards Leeds
Spring Garden Lock
Armley - This is where I nearly saw an otter in the summer!
Rodley for lunchtime but it's after 2pm and every single shop within miles is shut. Do not visit Rodley midweek after 2pm!
Forge and Newlay Locks this afternoon, both three chamber staircases, and plenty of Swingbridges.
Moored just above Newlay at the BW Depot. Romantic meal at Sainsbury's Cafe incorporated with collecting of supplies! Horrendous weather now, heaving it down with rain. At least it held during the day, just a few blustery moments. Entertainment tonight in the form of Ratatouille!
Tuesday
Apperley Bridge to Saltaire
The bad weather has improved and it's another nice if slightly moody couple of miles onto Saltaire. From Rodley, instead of loads of locks it's a swing bridge a mile. A couple are electrically operated but the bulk heavy manual push bars. Beware if you're on your own as not all of these bridges have the chain attached to pull them shut. Luckily this time all I had to do was float in the middle and wait for Katy to do the hard work!
Swingbridges above Dobson Locks at Apperley Bridge.
It's nice and quiet round this corner - Feeling nice and rural even as we skim past N Shipley. Fylde Lock is another staircase. Hoping to see the BW men but no sign of them as we pulled into the lock. A brief lapse in concentration meant we flooded the middle lock as water poured onto the grass! Paddles down - no disaster - only a couple of litres wasted! Obviously at that very moment the BW guys came by so we hopped onto the boat with a coffee to leave it to the pros.
Family of fungi at Fylde Lock - Disappointingly dark photo - wrong lens for this unfortunately.
Strutting Heron
Very quickly we pulled into the familiar picture postcard view of Saltaire. These are huge mill buildings, now without any milling but good to see they've been converted into some rather nice flats and also the HQ of Pace, as well as the posh shops and restaurant in Salt Mill itself. Had a yummy but very expensive burger in the restaurant and then checked out the Salt exhibition.
Leeds & Liverpool meandering past Salt Mill.
Mill and River Aire
Over the river (above) there is a lovely open park, complete with cafe (shut) and statues. We also had a drink in the Boat House and did a lap round town to make sure we didn't miss much. We came across some quite hilarious street names. Most of which were named after Titus' sons and daughters.
Titus Salt seems to have rather liked Al Pacas
We moored at Ashline moorings just 5 mins walk from the mill and stayed here overnight. Very quiet mooring, no passers by.
Ashline Mooring Saltaire
Wednesday
Saltaire - Riddlesden
Dowley Gap Aquaduct (over the Aire)
Dowley Gap Changeline Bridge
Dowley Gap Lock
Bingley 3 Rise
Bingley 5 Rise
Towering gates / Free Boatwash
Top Lock
The View back down from Top Lock
Top Pound - Into the wilderness
Well relatively speaking...
Moored for the night nr Riddlesden
Thursday
Riddlesden to Fylde Locks
Annie and Jam Pudd locking down Bingley 5 Rise
Twilight cruising (because I lost the mallet!)
Friday
Fylde to Rodley
Moored at Fylde Lock
Rodley Ladybirds
Saturday
Rodley day off
Diesel, Gas, Nature Reserve
Sunday 23rd October
Rodley to Granary Wharf
Is it an otter or a dog?!
Empty pound between Spring Garden & Oddy Lock
