Thursday 13 August 2009

Leeds Liverpool Canal.




Yesterday we entered he Leeds Liverpool Canal at 08-30hrs. The lock off the river looked more like the entrance to a dry dock than a major canal. We were on our way on our second crossing of the Pennines, this time from east to west.Our aim for today was to get as far as Rodley before lunch. Stiff lock gates and paddles made progress slow,our first double lock came at locks 4&5, then Spring Garden Lock.
Once through here we could not stop till we reached the top of Newlay 3 Locks,this we were told was bandit country. On a sunny morning this seemed a bit dramatic,the people we past were friendly and the area was quiet and peaceful.Passing the abbey at Kirkstall Lock we carried on to the first set of 3 locks, Forge 3 Locks rise 23ft
6ins. As we arrived a hire boat was just coming to the bottom of the three.
We entered the bottom lock as they left and another hire boat entered the top lock, with us rising and them falling we passed in the middle chamber.
The second set of 3 was Newlay which rise 26ft 11ins. There are lock keepers on both these sets making life much easier.
Having mentioned that my life belt had disappeared while moored in Clarence Dock, the lock keeper at Newlay gave me a replacement and would take nothing for it.
By the time we arrived at Rodley it was 2pm, so we had a late lunch.
We stayed the night at the visitor moorings,this morning we are going to walk round the nature reserve. Being a pleasant mooring we will spend a second night here, then onward and upward.

2 comments:

  1. sounds like you are having a super time on the boat .nice to see all you are doing on journy.looks very interesting. well have a good voyage will keep following you Steph x Gills mum

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  2. Thanks for the comment Steph,were having a great time, beats working.

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