However, the day after the rain we set off up the river to River Lock, the first lock of the Leeds and Liverpool canal and also the entrance to Granary Wharf now dominated by new development near the railway station -
The section from Leeds to a place called Newlay which passes Kirkstall is one that, it is recommended, one should pass through early and without delay. As I was told by one of the lock keepers it is a bad area. I have never had a problem and once broke down in the height of summer at a weekend in Kirkstall so I had to spend the night there. Tales of the troubles in that area experienced by lock keepers who always have a good tale of woe, kept me on edge but it was a tranquil uneventful experience. I have to say from what I have heard things have got worse as villains and vandals emerge from an estate somewhere to make the lives of some a misery. But so far I cannot confirm this from personal experience. Yet that section to Newlay is quite beautiful so maybe it is just around the locks where the trouble starts. Fortunately the two short three lock staircases, the Kirkstall Forge staircase and Newlay staircase, are manned by the usual very helpful waterways staff who are attentive to everyone, helping boats through. But then they lock the flights up in late afternoon when trouble gets out of bed.
This boat below was hoping to go up Newlay flight one morning before anyone else was able to use it. Unfortunately it seems to have no name. We were waiting to come down at the time having been there for 9am along with two other boats. The lock keeper was running water through the flight to get a big mass of weed down the cut as it drifted to the gates so he could get it out and had the top lock filled ready for us. For reasons unknown a wild woman from this boat appeared at the top lock demanding to be let through there and then and shouting profanities and waving her windlass. The poor lock keeper had to endure her endless abusive tirade, not least as she then threatened to report HIM! It is bad enough having to put up with intimidating yobs without boaters getting in on the act. Her boat is an old Dutch vessel known as a Tjalk, and one sees a few of these about, usually piled with the detritus of long term living aboard and often with a hippy type occupancy. Originally they were sailing boats with lee boards but this one looks very well maintained.
So eventually we got to Saltaire having stopped in between etc as this is no diary of daily events
Saltaire
Saltaire is the product of a philanthropic entrepreneurial textile genius, Sir Titus Salt, in the mid 19C. Best look him up if you don't know - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titus_Salt
He built absolutely magnificent stone beautifully proportioned mills on a grand scale, now used for other purposes, not least a David Hockney gallery. Again, look it up if you don't know about it - http://www.saltsmill.org.uk/
Being a real philanthropist, maybe unlike many of those loaded with significant wealth today, he had an ethical concern for others and whilst he needed workers he provided them with a secure attractive healthy environment to live in his model village that surrounded the mills there.
Having had previously endured a good dose, more than once, of culture in the Hockney exhibition I chose to walk around the terrace houses, particularly the back of them. As in Skipton and elsewhere, these solid well built terrace houses have a small back yard, walled and gated with a service alleyway running between. Of these terraced houses, more later on when I get to Skipton. Sufficient to say I find them really interesting but they are now cluttered with the ghastly plastic wheelie bins that are the norm today. But they did provide a good standard of housing with the countryside nearby and are probably better even now than some of the modern stuff. I like them.
I don't know why this octopus is at the base of the bridge wall over the canal.
Some ladies performing to a violin. Timing looks a bit off.
The back of the terraces
These back alleys are ideal for cats and several scurried away
Snap time. Many of the back yards have had their little outdoor privy, coal place and wash kitchen etc demolished or altered over the years to make a bigger open space.
Not far from Saltaire is the flight of the Bingley Five Rise locks. For many years, well over twenty, nearer thirty, Barry Whitelock MBE was the lock keeper. He got his well deserved MBE for services to the waterways and was one of the icons of the Leeds and Liverpool waterway. British Waterways, when divesting itself of property, divested Barry of his house that traditionally went with the job. I heard on the way that the new lot, the Trust, have divested him of his job as lock keeper there and put him on jobbing maintenance, rubbish clearance and filling in where needed. In other words a dogsbody from the sound of things. So his years of tremendous dedication and care to ensure a safe and swift passage of boats is apparently no longer what the new broom appreciates. They have their reasons I suppose as I only see one side of it, mine, and I am sad he isn't there anymore.
We got to the Five Rise just after 11:30 and this photo taken at 11:57 shows a couple of boats that were half way down when I went up to see the chaps doing the work and I was told it was not possible to pass half way, despite three chaps operating the locks and anyway they were going for their lunch break next and so I would have to wait. OK so I waited only to find the boat would not start and I had to be towed in by another boat while I fixed a disconnected wire to the starter solenoid on the way up.
Before Skipton there is lovely and touching memorial, if memorials can be called lovely, to seven Polish aircrew who died when their Wellington had a catastrophic main spar failure of the port wing, losing the wing and engine in 1943 while on a training flight.
I don't suppose the war came much closer to Skipton given its location and at that time probably a pretty sleepy small market town
Next will be Skipton.
