Thursday 11 August 2016

That was a really windy night and it was not much better this morning but we set off as planned at 8.30am with Sarah and Riggs – three layers of clothes on!

I walked ahead to the first swing bridge as it was not far from where we were moored.  It was a bridge between a road to some open space so not really used by cars but walkers.  As I got there a man with his dog was approaching so I said do you want to go over – he said that he had watched plenty of people struggle with it so he lent me a hand.   By the time the boats had gone through the bridge I had quite a queue of dog walkers waiting to cross both ways!

Just one more swing bridge and eleven locks today with gates varying from easy, quite hard and very hard!

The outskirts of Leeds was not very pleasant and uninterrupted navigation is recommended right through to Granary Wharf in the centre of Leeds.  As with all popular places there is not a great deal of mooring hence the reason we left when we did to try to arrive as the morning people get on their way and the afternoon stoppers haven’t arrived yet!

When we got to the last lock I walked over to the basin and there were two moorings left – handy.  

Steve and Riggs' reversing skills were really put to the test as the windy was howling through the basin.  We both eventually managed to get into the last two spaces at about 3.00pm!  Another tiring day so we just relaxed in the afternoon – tomorrow we will go and explore Leeds!

Swing  bridge closed and we are on our way again.

Chugging through the outskirts of Rodley. 

What an interesting place to have a cat flap!

Funny choice of name but it made me smile!

My grandad had An Austin 1100 and a 1300 - not sure which this is.

I wonder whether he would have liked one of these.

Looks like this boat is collecting wood for the winter!

Another set of staircase locks under our belts.

And we are getting closer to Leeds.

Around the bend and we can see it in front of us.

Finally moored up in the basin.

Right next to the Hilton Hotel.