Wakey Wakey

This morning we made the short journey into Wakefield from Stanley Ferry, where the Aire & Calder navigation becomes the Calder & Hebble.  The first lock on the C&H is probably the worst one ever!  The gates are huge and heavy and the top paddles very, very stiff. But eventually we got in and then up and then out and moored up ready for the walk in to the town city.

On the way we passed The Hepworth art gallery, a very modern building on the banks of the river. It holds exhibitions of contemporary artists as well as housing a large collection of Wakefield sculptor, Barbara Hepworth’s work. We didn’t visit today, we have been in before, art is not Ian’s favourite thing!
Opposite is some of the old waterfront warehouses, making a good contrast.

 

 
Last year when we visited the builders were in, in the Cathedral that is.  The work of restoration of the nave is now complete and we were able to have a proper look around.
 
The new altar table and pulpit were particularly stunning. The cathedral is situated right in the centre with shops, cafes, pubs, shopping centres and markets all around.

The Trinity Walk centre is good, as a rule I don’t like shopping centres, too claustrophobic but with the glass roof here, it feels as though you are still outside, a really nice design.

 

 

 

 
 
The Chantry Chapel of St Mary the Virgin has survived from the medieval ages.  Built on the stone bridge across the river Calder in the 1340s, the claim is that only 4 remain in the UK.  We saw another in St. Ives on the bridge over the Great Ouse.
 

 

 

 

 

Leaving Wakefield we turned onto the river proper and very soon we were out into countryside again, just another short journey to……………

where we walked again into the town, noting a more Yorkshire feel, with the stone houses, the climb up to the town, and the hills to be seen between the rows of houses.
  

Cluntergate is thought to come from viking words, klunter, meaning logs or blocks and gata, meaning a path or road.
The Yorkshire dialect word clunter is either a big lump or a clattering noise. I guess any carts being pulled up the hill would have cluntered over the cobbled road.
 

 

Stanley Ferry – Horbury Bridge, 6.5 miles, 4 locks