Sunday 14 August 2016

Up and on the road, well river, by 9.00am.  We had arranged with Sarah and Riggs to leave with them to make locking easier.  Sarah and I went ahead to open the first lock and wondered what was keeping Steve and Riggs with the boats – where I had tied the back of the boat up and the river level had risen the rope had got stuck under the jetty so it took a bit of time for them to untie!

It was nice to leave before most of Leeds was up on a Sunday morning.  Through the second lock which was electric and a quick pit stop to empty the loos and fill the water tank.  As we always say it was nice to be back on a river, particularly as today the water was calm and, dare I say, it was warmer and the sun even put in an appearance at the end of the day.  Through a few more electric locks – we didn’t have to operate most of them as there was a guy and his wife on a plastic boat that didn’t want to go into a lock with narrowboats as their first boat was sunk by a narrowboat and they had been hit a couple more times in the locks.  Riggs convinced him that it would be ok – he made us go at the front and he hung at the back of the lock by himself – you should have seen the size of the lock!

We got to a marina where Sarah and Riggs were meeting up with some friends and we were hoping to be able to buy a Calder and Hebble Handspike but the marina didn’t have a chandlery!  We said our goodbyes – I am sure we will meet up again somewhere further down the waterways.

In the next lock a woman in a widebeam gave us a piece of wood to show us the size we would need to get if we were unable to buy a handspike.  We did the next three locks with her, another narrowboat and a plastic.  We stopped at Stanley Ferry Marina only to find out that they are not open on a Monday!  But there may be somebody in the workshop so we will have to see if we can get hold of a piece of 3 x 2!

It’s really busy here with lots of permanently moored boats and visitors.  Because it was a nice day there was a constant stream of walkers, families on bike rides and dog walkers.  We even saw a man get in the river to save a dog, which I am pleased to say he did even though the poor thing looked exhausted it did eventually get up and walk away.

Leaving the basin at Leeds.

Quite a leak in the back gates.

Victoria Bridge.

Leeds' version of the millennium bridge! 

Crown Bridge.

Arriving at the second electric lock.

Boat with a crochet blanket!

We are on the Aire & Calder Navigation just about to go under the M1. 

Getaway II - he didn't want us in the locks with him!

There are still some around - this was one of two in their garden.

Checking out the local landfill site!

Sarah's selfie as we said goodbye - we'll see you in Nottingham!

The locks here are big and deep - glad they have electric gates.

Nothing for ages then it's like Piccadilly Circus for a couple of minutes! 

Under the railway bridges just before Fairies Hill.

How does the saying go "Old Guys Rule"!

Well that's alright then.

It's a ......!

Leaving the lock - two narrowboats a widebeam and a plastic and there was still room for more!

Crossing the Stanley Ferry Aqueducts over the River Calder. 

No comment!

A busy but peaceful evening in Stanley Ferry.