Voyages of Gabriel: Barnoldswick almost to Skipton

Thu 4th Aug Barnoldswick to East Marton Zig Zags

The plastic pontoon mooring by the Anchor Inn

Ferns on the wall

Our weather forecast said no rain, but we had heavy rain in the night and to start the morning. At one point we thought it had finished, and we undid the centre line spring, and wrote 1045 departure time in the logbook, at which point it started again. It was 1155 when we finally set off.

Just under the bridge we came to a water point and rubbish bins, where we did the necessary before continuing our journey.

As we were passing the new Lower Park Marina, it started to rain again, so we paused for a few minutes under Cockshott Bridge, hoping the shower would pass. We decided it was going to continue, so we put the hood up again, whereupon the rain stopped!

We had to put it down again at Coate’s bridge, which was too low. A boat had pulled out behind us, so we were likely to have someone to share with in the three locks ahead.

When we arrived at Greenberfield top lock, two hire boats had just come up the locks, and were tied on the lock bollards. We pulled in to the services area, and emptied a cassette. Meanwhile Lancelot, the boat behind us, had arrived and found nowhere to moor and set down crew, so they tied alongside one of the hire boats.

We shared the three locks with Lancelot, and worked very efficiently with them, with one person getting the next lock ready.

Greenberfield Top Lock sharing with Lancelot

We set off first, passing through some beautiful scenery. We met Maggie D and Moonshine coming the other way, last seen on the Wigan locks.

Under the bridge

Twisting through the scenery

We had thought about mooring at East Marton, where there are visitor moorings. When we arrived there, through an unusual double arched bridge, we found that there was one space with rings, occupied, another space for the water point, and a sign saying visitor moorings on a grassy bank with no rings, opposite an ugly view of a horse box.

East Marton Double Arched Bridge

We carried on through the next two bridges, where there were lovely views. We tried to moor in several places but we could not get in to the side. Lancelot came up behind and went slowly past. They told us a place we could moor where it was deeper.

They moored between two right angle bends on the zig zag, and we went on round another bend where there was some piling, deeper water and a lovely view.

Scenic mooring on the zigzags

The view through the porthole

Hugo was very happy, catching mice. There were beautiful flowers everywhere.

3 locks, 6miles

Fri 5th Aug East Marton Zig Zags to Gargrave

Our mooring with a Pennine view

There was some sunshine this morning as we lingered to take in the scenery and flowers before setting off. After a mile we arrived at Bank Newton Locks, where two CRT guys were assisting. The ground paddle gear is unusual on some of these locks, and unique to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

Bank Newton Locks

Bank Newton Top Lock

Ground paddles

Unusual craft of the day

We moored near Gargrave, just after Stegneck Lock, with a little difficulty getting close in to the side. Morgana came the other way. They had been as far as Bingley before turning round.

Moored near Gargrave

Morgana

James went for a walk across meadows by the side of the River Aire, which we had crossed on an aqueduct. It was exciting to see a family of four Mergansers, who didn’t wait for the photo.

The Aire aqueduct

Priestholme Changeline Bridge

The pound seemed to be losing water, especially when another came up the lock ahead, and moored in the same pound.

Sloping boat

Sunset near Gargrave

We watched the opening ceremony from the Rio Olympics

7 locks, 2 miles.

Sat 6th Aug Gargrave to Hoober Hill

Morning mist

Greedy ducks would make a good curry

There was no one else to share with and we wanted to float properly instead of being at an angle, so we negotiated the first two locks on our own.

Scarland Lock

We paused at the facilities block to do everything including fill the water tank. While we were doing this, a boat called Sorceress departed. If they had waited five minutes we could have shared.

As it was, when we were ready to leave, so was hire boat Rachel’s Drum, so we shared two locks with them. They had not been told what the boat pole was for, and were trying to steer the boat with it. When we saw their 12 year old daughter with her back to the front doors and the pole pointing at her middle, trying to stop the boat colliding with a wall we shouted a warning and she thankfully took notice.

Higherland Lock

Using the strange paddle gear

Sharing with Rachel’s Drum

Once again there was lovely scenery. We saw a heron lying down in a field – not a common sight. The hire boat crew were quite slow, and by the time we arrived at Holme Bridge Lock, they were nowhere in sight, and Sorceress were about to enter the lock. We thought it would be impolite not to share with them.

Beautiful Pennines

Heron lying down (or with legs missing!)

That was the last lock for seventeen miles until Bingley 5 rise. There are only 29 locks to Leeds, and 23 of those are in staircases.

Highgate Swing Bridge had two CRT men clearing vegetation, and thankfully they swung the bridge for us. We then swung Thorlby Swing Bridge 174, and Sorceress went on ahead.

Highgate Swing Bridge

Rather than go into the buzz of Skipton, we found a rural mooring by Hoober Hill. There were lovely views, slightly spoilt by two local events going on in the valley. One was a gymkhana, and another was an obstacle course a bit like "It’s a Knockout". We couldn’t see either event, but we heard both tannoy systems.

Moored by Hoober Hill

Hugo caught at least two mice before 2pm. James managed to scramble over a dry stone wall and walk down to the River Aire, hoping to see dippers or mergansers. They were hiding out of sight.