The Famous Five

The view from our window this morning, a bright sunny morning and a field of sheep.

We were at Kildwick on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal after a busy day travelling yesterday.

We left Saltaire, not particularly early, with cloud and slight rain, working through the first lock and swing bridge alone. At the next locks a staircase of two, as we waited for the people in front, another boat caught us up so we locked up with them, didn't catch the name of the boat.

On to Bingley and the two sets of staircases, the 3 and the 5 rise.

Much photographed and commented on, but here's another picture anyway.

Approaching the Famous 5.

 

The rise is just under 60 feet. So each chamber must be about 12 feet rise. They certainly feel quite daunting as you enter at the bottom.  The Lock keepers help you through, keeping a close eye on your boat, (the gates are very leaky) and allowing you to wind paddles only very slowly.

Nearly there, good teamwork.

What a long way down.

Continuing on after using the services at the top of the locks and having some lunch, we passed through some beautiful countryside with fantastic views. There were no more locks but lots of swing bridges, with a record number of 15 vehicles stopped at one of them.

The canal wanders along the side of the hills, sloping up to one side and down on the other.

Looking out over the houses to the hills beyond.

So green and peaceful.

We stopped at Silsden and wandered around the town, bought fish and chips for dinner, then travelled on again as the evening was so nice. Stopping at Kildwick about 8pm.

This morning, we set off with no locks to do today, but more bridges on the way to Skipton.  The weather has been warm and sunny,  making this very attractive stretch of the canal an absolute delight to travel along. The views are amazing.

Skipton is a very attractive waterway town, which makes the most of their part of the canal and encourages you to stop with lots of moorings available.

We had a look around the town, and walked along the Springs Branch to the end. Tacet is too long to take up there.

The start of the Springs Branch from the centre of Skipton.

Just under bridge 2 it disappears under the trees.

A waterfall feeding into the Eller Bick running alongside the canal.

The end of the canal under the walls of Skipton Castle and the lime quarry where they used to drop the rocks into the boats below from the horse tramway running from the quarry to the castle.

The trip boat which operates from the town making its turn at the end.

The Springs Branch was only ever 770 yards long, built by the owner of the castle to carry limestone from his quarry.

Stocked up the food cupboards this evening as Morrisons is very close by and enjoyed an evening walk along the canal out of the town as the sun set. Another lovely day.