Through Leeds

The advice is not to stop between Rodley and the secure moorings in Leeds, but Jo tells me there is a decent mooring a couple of bridges further on.  She and her son kindly bike up and operate the 3 swing bridges for me.  I spend the night there in preparation for an early run to Leeds the next day.  About 8 am, as I am giving James the chance to relieve himself prior to setting off, a boat appears and I hope to share the trip with them.  Unfortunately there are two boats travelling together, so no luck there!


I move to the top of the first of the two flights of 3 locks, both of which are renowned for attracting local troublemakers and are manned and locked after about 2pm. I wait for an hour in the hope of another boat appearing but my luck is still out and, as a boat has appeared wanting to come up, I have to go through on my own.










The lock-keepers do all the work through the two 3 flights, but the next 2 single locks and a 2 flight are buggers on my own.  The water level is high so it is impossible to equalise the water levels on the top gates, as the water is flowing over the tops of both sets of gates. I take the opportunity to stop for some lunch. There is no way I can force the top gate open.  Fortunately there are quite a lot of people about and my requests for assistance are answered.  Another boat appears as I am working the next lock, a father and daughter and they are also fed up with the locks.  They say the moorings in Leeds tend to be very noisy and they are going to go through Leeds to some nice quiet moorings they know.  I had been thinking of doing that anyway but this decides me.

Nearly all the waterside has been developed. I was actually involved in raising capital for one of the first warehouse redevelopments in the early 90's but I do not recognise it.

One of the many hostelries

Decorative bridge

I have now left the Leeds and Liverpool canal and am on the Aire and Calder Navigation (River Aire).  I ended up not having to work any of the numerous swing bridges from Skipton on my own.  At least this time (unlike when I started out on the Trent) I remembered to attach my anchor ready for deployment, although with the current river levels it would be very unlikely to be needed.  All of the locks on the Aire and Calder are mechanised - lovely!

My mooring at Woodlesford for the next couple of nights.

 

10 miles; 16 locks; 3 moveable bridges
TOTAL:  528 miles (225 miles broad, 44 miles river); 276 locks (143 broad); 62 moveable bridges