Another crew member takes a dunking, but we’re back on schedule.

This time it was Meg, overestimating how far she could jump between the boat and the bank as we moored this afternoon. Not that she got much wetter; after a couple of hours of rain she was pretty well drenched anyway!
So, back to yesterday with us at the top of Bingley Five-Rise Locks. I was out with Meg at just before eight, and caught Barry the lockie coming on duty. I explained the situation, us waiting in vain on Saturday morning, and he agreed to send us down as soon as he’d got the staircase locks set up.

Dawn over the Damart factory


Eight forty-five and we’re on our way down.
It’s barely light!

Most of the gates on the “five” are snug with very little leakage. It’s a bit daunting when you remember that they’re holding back around a quarter of a million litres of water!


This dove didn’t seem worried…


Below the five-rise there’s the three-rise, only 400 yards away. These top gates don’t fit so snugly.

One set of gates here was due for replacement this winter, but C&RT couldn’t get permission to bring the necessary plant across from the main road.

The sun starts to light up the opposite side of the Aire valley as we leave the bottom of the three.
Ninety minutes for the eight locks, thanks to Barry.

Just a mile to Dowley Gap and the two-rise staircase there. No lockie here, strictly self-service!
The last lock of the day was Hirst Mill, with a swing bridge immediately above.

Hirst Mill Lock.

Being a fine, sunny Sunday morning there were a lot of people about. There’s a garden centre here, too.

It’s a bit leaky…


It was breezy but the sun was bright as we cruised through Saltaire, past Titus Salt’s mill.

We interrupted an angling match between Saltaire and Shipley. A good cross-section of canal fishermen, some grumpy avoiding eye-contact, some happy to reply to a cheery good-morning.

Junction Mills stands opposite the junction to the old Bradford Canal

Bradford Canal Junction


Another couple of bridges to negotiate took us out of the built up area and into the wooded pound between the river on one side and the rising ground of Buck Hill on the other.

We pulled up just above Field Locks, another three-rise we dealt with this morning.

Today dawned dry and bright, and stayed that way as we dropped down Field Locks. But cloud was moving in, and we had a few drops of rain before we got to Dobson’s Locks

Dropping down the Field Three.


Dobson’s two-rise – in the rain


I couldn’t make out what this odd looking structure was…
…Then I realised it’s the railway bridge over the Aire wrapped up while it’s being repainted. 

Millman Swing Bridge, below the locks, carries a busy minor road. I’d normally wait for a gap in the traffic, but it’s not really an option here, even mid-morning. So I just pushed the button… We didn’t hold up too many cars…

One of the winter stoppages that has gone ahead is the renovation of a culvert under the canal at Calverley Embankment. The canal re-opened on Friday, and they're now removing the plant.


We were planning on getting to Rodley today, but it was raining heavily and I’d made a stop to pick up some logs on the towpath. So we called it a day a mile short of the village pulling in on the bridge landing for Calverley Lodge Swing Bridge. The bridge is unused so we’re not in anyone’s way. Not that we would be anyway, there’s no boats about. The wind was picking up as well.
Tomorrow we’ll make the short trip into Rodley.

Hi Carol. Oxalic acid, eh. Where can you get it?

Locks 16, miles 9. (2 days)