East Riddlesden to Hirst Lock, Saltaire

Thu 11th Aug  East Riddlesden to Hirst Lock, Saltaire

Moored at East Riddlesden

Granby Swing Bridge

A little rain this morning meant a leisurely departure.  Granby Swing Bridge was automatic. We tooted as we passed Kevin’s house and at Swine Lane Bridge he came to give us a copy of the book he had written. We gave him the card we had planned to post.

At Morton Swing Bridge we kept it open for a small white cruiser coming the other way.  At Micklethwaite Swing Bridge there was a widebeam Silsden hire boat coming the other way but they were coming too slowly and the road traffic was building up so we had to close the bridge.  They were steering very erratically and ended up sideways across the canal.

Micklethwaite Swing Bridge

Hire boat in the bank

Even the small swinging footbridge at Airedale Boat Club had to be swung for us. It is usually fixed open.

When we arrived at the top of Bingley Five Rise we were asked to wait to share with Fern’s Drum, a hire boat, and they needed to fill up with water, so it was 45 minutes before we entered the top lock. 

Bingley Five Rise facts

Bingley Top Lock and Swing Bridge

Locking down the Five Rise with Fern’s Drum

 Halfway down

Some of the gate paddles had an unusual sliding mechanism and the ground paddles were operated by turning a bar.   The locks are designed for 60 ft boats, and at 59ft, Gabriel did not have much room to avoid the water rushing down from the leaking gates. This gave us problems later.

Gate paddles

Doing battle with the water

 Leaking gates

Leaving Bingley Five Rise

We also shared the Three Locks with the hire boat. The mooring below is very noisy from the adjacent road. A little further along, by Maud Bridge, several boats were moored, and the hire boat decided to moor there as well.

Bingley Three Rise

Bottom of the Three Rise

Damart Mill

Using the ground paddles

Leaving Three Rise

Unusual boat of the day

We passed another of the Leeds and Liverpool Short Boats, in a very shabby condition. A project for someone perhaps.

Short Boat Medlock

We carried on to do the Dowley Gap 2 locks, and found JessicaBOO, another hire boat, just about to go in, so we shared with them.

Dowley Gap 2 Locks with JessicaBOO

We moored in a wooded section, on bollards shortly before Hirst Lock. With hindsight this was not a good idea.

Moored above Hirst Lock

We went for a riverside walk by the Aire, and a stroll in the woods opposite. We also found a garden that was being created and looked after by a local primary school.

Ancient tree in the woods

Later James went for another walk into Saltaire.

Saltaire Mills

Next: Boat problems, meeting friends, more boat problems, guests on board, yet more boat problems, Hugo AWOL, two wasted days