Monday 10th April - Shipley to Millman Swing Bridge
Another new week, and a return to showery rain, so we set off early this morning to try and get to our destination before the rain set in. Apart from the swing bridges which come along very frequently, the first thing was a staircase of three locks, Field Three Rise. We are waiting at the top for Dave to set up the three locks.
Three locks later and we had dropped down 25ft, the canal here follows the course of the river Aire, but the railway at this point cut through the countryside in a mile long tunnel.
We then came down the Dobson 2 Rise with a drop of 23ft 9ins and almost straight into an electric swing bridge. Unbeknownst to us the warning sign had been hit and swung round 90 degrees. The electric barriers went up and scratched the board and I drove the boat through. However on the way down the barrier got stuck on the board and the whole system failed with my key stuck in the lock.
The view looking back at the Dobson 2 Rise Locks, by this time it had started to rain heavily so we luckily moored up just passed the bridge and waited for the bridge to be fixed and my key released.
I rang CRT emergency and a team arrived to sort it out, not sure what they did but they returned to warning board to where it should have been and reset the system and the traffic was free to go through again.
My key was released and returned to its rightful owner! However the rain was relentless, so we decided to stay where we are for the rest of the day and move on again tomorrow.
4 miles, 5 locks, 5 swing bridges, 3hrs 18mins
Tuesday 11th April - Millman Swing Bridge to Leeds
We decided yesterday to make an early start this morning and press on into Leeds. The weather is meant to become very windy and wet and therefore not our favourite cruising scenario. So we moved the boat across to the Marina at 7.30am to fill up with water, Elsan and empty rubbish, then set off along with nbMouseketeer to work our way into Leeds. A lovely start to the day, although very cold but there are definitely signs of spring just around the corner.
I was delighted to see this Little Egret in the fields beside the canal, with its black legs and beak and the long plumes on its head as it is mating season.
There were a lot of staircases today and for the Forge 3 Rise and Newley 3 Rise we were fortunate to have volunteer lock keepers to help us through. Two boats peeking over the lock gates as we descend in the second lock, they look so funny!
Many thanks to the lockies who helped us, Stuart and Andy, John and David, excellent help and much appreciated. We continued down into Leeds and found a mooring beneath Candle House. We have got to the end of the Liverpool and Leeds Canal, that means we have completed the whole length of the canal, very pleased with that!
These are the arches underneath Leeds Railway Station. The River Aire is channeled through these arches before it joins the Aire and Calder Navigation at Granary Wharf.
We went for an explore of the city and found Kirkgate Market. Unfortunately we weren’t able to go in with Toby so we had a brief look inside. This is the vaulted glass ceiling flooding the market with natural light. There has been a market here for the past 120 years with around 240 businesses. Marks & Spencer originated here in Kirkgate’s hallowed halls back in 1884, as a ‘penny bazaar’. Lithuanian Michael Marks set up the stall with the slogan “Don’t ask the price, it’s a penny”, and the concept was massively popular. Tom Spencer came onboard as a partner later, and together the business-savvy pair founded Marks & Spencer.
9 miles, 13 locks, 5 swing bridges, 5hrs 0mins
Wednesday 12th April - Leeds
After a very windy night and rain forecast for later in the day, we decided to have a day’s rest in Leeds.
We went for a walk along the waterfront and through the city. Ella on her mooring dwarfed by the high rise buildings.
Our mooring is below the Candle House, 73m tall with 22 floors built in 2010 and completely circular. Every fifth floor the windows move to the side, so they are constantly misaligned, giving it the appearance of a candlestick.
This is the Grey Heron mural as you pass underneath Centenary Bridge, it is designed to be submerged and then reappear as the river level changes. Today we were lucky as the levels are low enough to see it.
The weir at Leeds Lock has a fish pass installed at the far side. Fish such as trout, chub, barbel and salmon are able to pass upstream through the quieter waters and spawn successfully further up river.
We walked into this beautiful arcade with a stained glass roof, its the Victorian Quarter with many high end shops. We tried to get a coffee at the Harvey Nichols expresso bar but they wouldn’t allow us in with Toby…
…so we went further down to The Ivy where we had a coffee and Toby drank water out of a silver bowl, how about that then?
This is another part of the Victorian Quarter, the arcade is full of theatrical grandeur, in the marble columns, pink terracotta facades, gilt mosaics and wrought iron detailing. Most dramatic of all is the stained glass roof – the largest in Europe – which is surrounded by detailed murals. It’s a rather glamorous alternative to the slaughterhouses and slums that once stood here.
We carried on with our walk until we found the Cathedral. Construction of the present Cathedral began in the autumn of 1901 and was completed in the early part of 1904. The task of designing Leeds new Cathedral was given to a London architect, John Henry Eastwood (1843-1913), who had been born near Leeds. He in turn engaged the services of a talented assistant, Sydney Kyffin Greenslade (1866-1955). Together they produced an outstanding design in the Arts and Crafts neo-Gothic style with an unusual layout to accommodate the Cathedrals relatively small city centre site. The original Cathedral was demolished in 1899 owing to Leeds Corporation’s plans for the site.
Thursday 13th April - Leeds
Today we have decided to stay another day in Leeds, the winds are very gusty and it is very cold, so we are going to sort out the engine bay. With the locks being shorter, it is quite often the case that in order to get out we have to back into the water flowing in through the leaky gates, that water flows over the back of the boat and the escape routes for the water are inadequate, so the water can end up in the engine bay. Today we got out the wet hoover, emptied the water out, mopped the bay dry and cleaned up the whole of the back of the boat. Good job done!
Dave went for a walk in to the City and found another wall mural. This is Cornucopia, an ancient symbol for abundance and nourishment, which can be found at the top of Call Lane, embodying the area’s vibrant market history. The colourful mural, which has been a must-see in this area for decades, features the historic Corn Exchange in a scene spanning Roman legends to the area’s Victorian past.
Taken from the side of the boat facing the way we intend going. Ahead of us is Leeds Lock, going down onto the Calder and Aire Navigation, but in fact this lock takes you down onto the River Aire as it flows out of Granary Wharf.
Friday 14th April - Leeds
Today we are unable to continue onto the river as it has a strong stream warning, we have decided to wait, but there is also more rain forecast so it is not looking good. A good day to do a boat clean.
A boat that did risk the river coming up through the lock. It is a Bourne boat, launched in 2015 the same as ours, but the CRT index number would suggest it is slightly older. Apparently the layout is the same as Ella, but he is the second owner, and is very pleased with it.
Saturday 15th April - Leeds
We have woken to a dry day but the river has gone into the red and we have been advised not to go down onto the river. We spent the morning shopping in Leeds and looking for more of the street art.
Based on the side of a historic canal-side building, 'You&Me, Me&You' features a message of unity during a moment in history when the world has never felt more divided.
Situated on The Calls, in the heart of Leeds, ‘Paving The Way’ is a unique mural, featuring Leeds United club legends Albert Johanneson and Lucas Radebe, as well as home-grown midfielder Kalvin Phillips. Painted by famed street artist Akse P19, the artwork is in celebration of a new partnership between Leeds United and Roc Nation.
"The completion of this new public art mural brings a playful and vibrant energy to the south entrance of Leeds Train Station. Through my illustrations of walking fingers and rolling orbs, I wanted to convey the movement and flow of people arriving into, and departing, the city. The grand architecture of the station and Granary Wharf are referenced within the rounded archways and angular steps, whilst the colour pallet and way-finding signs give a subtle nod to the railway travel posters of the 1940s. I hope the people of Leeds enjoy viewing the mural as much as I enjoyed creating it.”
Jo Hicks, Artist
The historic Leeds Dock in the centre of Leeds has undergone redevelopment with retail, leisure and office buildings surrounding the docks as well as the Royal Armouries Museum.
Sunday 16th April - Leeds to Woodlesford
We woke this morning to sunshine and the river levels have fallen enough for us to travel safely on them. So at 1pm we shall begin the next stage of our adventure!
We moved the boat to the water point and filled up with water and then returned to its mooring. Then we walked back down to Leeds Dock where I wanted to visit the Hold Fast Book Shop. It is aboard a boat called Marjorie R She began life as a coal transporter. Built in 1946, in Knottingley, her purpose was to travel up and down the canal each day supplying Thornhill power station with fuel. Victoria and Chris Bonner spent a year and a half converting the 57ft (17m) vessel, named 'Marjorie R', into a cosy hub where the locals can dive into literature by a log fire. The pair had bought the boat - which could hold 75 tons of coal back in 1946 - ten years ago and first lived in it before turning it into a unique book emporium and a plant shop.
I also got a sweet little air plant in a porcelain dish, they name all their plants and this one was called ‘Jan’, so how could I leave it behind?
Once back at the boat we quickly realised that Liam was busy preparing the lock for us, so we prepared the boat and set off for the lock. Many thanks to Liam for working the lock for us and opening it a good half hour before 1pm!
As we were leaving we had to pause as the Leeds water Taxi was travelling towards us and would turn to the left just before the lock. We then exited the lock and headed for Leeds Lock, the first of the electrified locks on this canal. The Aire and Calder Navigation runs for 33 miles from Leeds to Goole, with a branch of 7.5 miles from Wakefield to Castleford. It had 8 locks spaced out between Leeds and Goole, 3 locks on the Wakefield branch and also a number of flood locks. The canal was never closed and is still used by a small amount of commercial traffic in addition to a fair number of leisure craft.
6.75 miles, 4 locks, 2hrs 30mins
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