Saturday 29 October 2016

ROCKWOOD HARRIERS OPENING MEET – 29 OCTOBER 2016



I went to have a look at the Rockwood Harriers, being their opening meet at the Spencer Arms in Cawthorne, with the promised forecast of a dull dry day, which it was and very mild too.


There was a very large turnout though it doesn’t show on these images.
Copyright image by David Swanbury

Copyright image by David Swanbury

‘A word in  your ear’
Copyright image by David Swanburyby

Copyright image by David Swanbury


Copyright image by David Swanbury

A Master and Huntsman.
Copyright image by David Swanbury

Fortified wine and not even in a brown paper bag!
Copyright image by David Swanbury
To be fair the bottle of Port was being raffled.

Hounds love children and vice versa
Copyright image by David Swanbury


A bit of video of the meet from this position - Video of meet link




A small animal secured in her arms.
Copyright image by David Swanbury
Copyright image by David Swanbury

I’m just ready for a bit of rabbit or at least one of those sausage rolls that are going round.
Copyright image by David Swanbury

Patience
Copyright image by David Swanbury

Almost ready
Copyright image by David Swanbury

A Masterful approach to the first fence.
Copyright image by David Swanbury

Copyright image by David Swanbury

The First Whip’s approach to the first fence.
Copyright image by David Swanbury

Rather dashing don’t you think?  Rodeo style.
Copyright image by David Swanbury

I took just a few photos as the ‘Field’ surmounted this small obstacle, but as there was a ‘professional’ photographer at this jump I did not wish to take the bread from his mouth.  I found the varied technique of overcoming this bit of fence to be really quite interesting.  Mind you it would have been easier to have just gone through the gate.
Copyright image by David Swanbury
Copyright image by David Swanbury
pyright image by David Swanbury

I’m sure she’s delighted to have made it so smoothly.
Copyright image by David Swanbury
Copyright image by David Swanbury
Copyright image by David Swanbury

I don’t think this one wants to come down.
Copyright image by David Swanburyby
This looks like real Pony Club enthusiasm.  Great!
Copyright image by David Swanburyby
Copyright image by David Swanburyby

Copyright image by David Swanburyby
Those boot tops look pretty!
Copyright image by David Swanburyby
Copyright image by David Swanburyby
There were some beautiful autumn colours.
Copyright image by David Swanburyby
Copyright image by David Swanburyby

The chap on the right is the Field Master.  His job is to keep the ‘Field’, the mounted followers, in order and ensure they don’t go off taking their own line as was once possible.  Fortunately as a pedestrian I am not handicapped by authority, just two slow legs.  A quad bike would be quite useful at times.    But at this point it was ‘Goodnight’ from me.
Copyright image by David Swanburyby




















































































































































































Monday 3 October 2016

CANAL TRIP ODDS AND ENDS





Another canal boat trip around the North East to Skipton and a few images from it.

House maintenance at Kildwick.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Relaxing while moored at Skipton
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Old sluice winding gear at Skipton, much photographed no doubt.  A chap dashed in before me to take a snap of the gear wheel and worm but ignored the rest.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Just an old hook by the bit of canal under Skipton castle walls but I couldn't see how it would be used.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Misty September mornings usually ensured a good sunny day.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

And of course September here was the hottest September on record so they say.  Good time for a holiday say I. (But beware the winter as I think it will be a cold one.  And that is before the Met Office casts its rune sticks and the Daily Mail creates a horror story from their long term prediction).
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

The fishermen were out a couple of mornings at around 7 am.  A few big crayfish like small lobsters were caught and apparently this invasive species is a growing problem.  Maybe the Cantonese restaurant not far away behind them could have made use of them; Skipton scampi maybe?
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Some still hang out.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

The standard local ‘privy’ roof is made from a couple of large flat slabs of good Yorkshire stone.  The first one here looks a bit bigger so maybe it has a door the other side for the next house and so is two  'privies' or maybe has an adjoining coal place.  Outside toilets, water closets or earth ones, will have been replaced by all mod cons inside now, but it is nice to see the little buildings and I wonder if there are many around that still have the original wooden seating arrangement.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Last year I took a photo of a chap, as I came back from buying a newspaper,  fast asleep on this seat with his carrier bag of 'shopping' in the early morning, . It backs on to the wall of the toilet and the chemical toilet disposal facility for canal users.  On this occasion I was filling the boat's water tank and looking through the gap in the wall to the car and bus park.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury


Not to be outdone by last year’s sleeper this one, also in the early morning, manages to sleep on a couple of benches with his head suspended in mid air, just by Gallows Bridge.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Over the wall by the towpath into someone’s garden
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Reflections on the underside of a road bridge
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

It is good to see the magnificent old mill buildings reused as apartments and offices etc., and the surrounding area tastefully developed.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

This old narrow tug has been a feature in Skipton basin for some time being converted to selling ice cream, tea and coffee as well as bags of stuff to feed the ducks and swans.  The present owner bought it three years ago from a man in a pub
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

A trip out around the Yorkshire Dales took us by Malham Tarn.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury


Some boats go in for a bit of novel decoration on the cabin top.  Makes a change from the collection of stuff some long term boaters carry there. 
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Around Kirkstall way there is a ‘dodgy ‘ section on the Leeds and Liverpool canal where there are two flights of three locks.  Dodgy because of the wild bunch who live on a council estate above the high wooded slope.  There is a keeper at each flight and at the first one descending is a security guard with his Rottweiler to keep order.  I have never experienced anything untoward, but then a morning passage ensures the delinquents have yet to arise from their slumbers.  So not long after this picture there is a boatyard and then the two sets of locks and all the canal section going down to Leeds is absolutely lovely and blissfully serene to travel through.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

I told the lady that I only took the photo because of her, but actually I have never seen a horse on a towpath before except the odd ‘working’ horse pulling a trip boat or a historic one.  So it was nice to see these ponies.  In fact I seem to remember that I once saw a notice on a towpath saying ‘No horses’, despite the fact the towpath was originally made for horses.  These days one might assume it had been made for manic cyclists.  In fact the modern smooth towpath surfaces encourage aggressive riding and pedestrians do not have priority as the little notices say but are expected to leap aside, which is difficult with silent approaches from the rear.  Near Leeds I was surprised by a bloke on a unicycle, with one rather big wheel, going Hell for leather weaving between people.  I wished I could have seen a demonstration of an emergency stop.  Maybe in real life they are normal people but something clicks when the Lycra goes on.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

This is the boatyard and moorings I mentioned previously.  I am probably repeating a pic. as I took a similar one last year of this boat as well and it is not quite as pristine now maybe.  Did it go to Dunkirk?
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Because it says so here.  But I can’t find Abbey Pride, (or Abby Pride etc as there is a rope dangling where an 'e' would be) in the official list.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

The historic broad beam ‘Fly boat’ Ribble leaving Leeds from Granary Wharf and Office Lock to run up the Leeds and Liverpool canal as part of the bi-centenary celebration of the canal’s opening.  It had a few tonnes of bags of sand inside and three hardy old souls crewing it.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

There is a fascinating window at a beauty salon called Illamasqua located in the County Arcade in Leeds.  Apart from the usually interesting window display one can observe the immaculately presented beautician rendering her expertise on the current aspirant of enhanced glamour.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Nearby is this display which I thought quite nice considering it looks to be promoting something like shopping bags.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Actually this was on the original approach to Leeds of the Aire and Calder and is Thwaite Mills, a ‘working’ water mill and museum.  Some years ago we went round and a chap who was the guide for just the two of us made it a very interesting visit.  Never seems especially busy as we pass by and it is cheap to enter.  It crushed flint and china stone for the potteries in its day and also provided chalk to reduce the flour content of bread in at least one local prison.   
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

A slight delay at a farm swing bridge near Rodley on the Leeds and Liverpool canal.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

I can’t resist taking heron photos.  This one is resting and is unconcerned by the boat passing.  They seem to be more prolific every year now and more tolerant.   Usually herons flap up as you approach and descend a bit further on to flap up again and so on until, maybe at the end of their territory, they swing back up and away to where they started.  On the section of the Aire and Calder from Castleford to Lemonroyd lock there is at least one Little Egret that does exactly the same thing.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Quite a few boats moor above Woodlesford Lock on the Aire and Calder between Castleford and Leeds.  There are four big locks to go through from Castleford before the last smaller one by the Armouries.  This old boat has been moored at Woodlesford for some time and it is such a gracious old boat yet I wonder it isn’t full of water as it is in dire need of attention.  Sad to see it like that.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Freda Carless, a barge, was built in 1964 and now regarded as a historic boat.   She was actually sold for scrap in 1970 but returned to service with an assortment of cargoes and sold for restoration to private ownership in 2009.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury
She is 132 feet long and 17.5 feet beam.  Seen moored at Castleford.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Nice painting on Dream Catcher.  It is maybe a bit distorted by the angle I took the photo. One doesn't see much of the traditional castles and roses these days, well not around our way.  This was at Castleford, a very enjoyable place to stop over.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

About all you can do while boating on canals.
  Copyright image by David Swanbury

Very much a fine traditional bow on this narrowboat. 
 Cpyrigt image by David Swanbury Copyright image by David Swanbury
I guess this would be classed as a Josher bow due to the double curvature.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Pretty unconcerned by my approach with a dog.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Still unconcerned until a man clattered down from the path above me with his dog and scared it off before I could get any closer.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Evening at Mirfield moored by Lidl opposite Mirfield Marina moorings.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

A Woodlesford evening sky on the Aire and Calder.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Taking off on my approach.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Cooper Bridge lock on the Calder and Hebble canal.  Always a few 'gongoozlers' as they call lookers-on at canal locks.  Sounds a bit of a goosyfied name for them too.
 Copyright image by David Swanbury

Boat dog in Cooper Bridge lock on the Calder and Hebble canal.  She had fallen in twice due to mistiming, slipping, or the gap widening unexpectedly when doing overly ambitious jumping on or off.  Wasn’t wearing the Chinese made life jacket then so I still don’t know if it floats.  It is a terrible fit.  I bought it off EBay and the Velcro fastening at the front was hopeless so I had to use gaffer tape to seal it up.  You get what you pay for I suppose.  She can’t slouch in it anyway.

If you like watching paint dry, here is a video of entering the Bingley Five Rise locks and rising up the first chamber. Link to video
 Copyright image by David Swanbury
And if you want to see three short videos taken of commercial traffic on the Aire and Calder in 2012 then see the links below.  At the time I only had a little keyfob video camera so don't expect much even if they were taken in HD.  The time and date stamp jiggle alarmingly but YouTube stabilised the videos which may or may not be the right thing to do when taken from a moving boat.

Oil barge on a wild windy day 

Another oil barge

Sand boat at Stanley Ferry