Back to Barlick…

We were ready to go by half-nine this morning, just as soon as the padlocks on the gates of bottom lock at Greenberfield were removed. Another boat had turned up as well, a hire boat operated by Bear Boating, who use Lower Park Marina at Barnoldswick and Appley Bridge Marina at Appley Bridge as bases. This allows them the flexibility to offer one-way hires as well as the more conventional out and back. This family, on Jessica Boo, had been down to Kildwick and back, though.

Coming up Greenberfield Locks with Keith and crew on Jessica Boo

The restrictions on lock operation times do work to save water to a degree. Without them Jessica Boo would have gone up last night and we’d have had to go up alone this morning, wasting water. But two boats moored at the top didn’t see it that way and came down independently.

The first boat down this morning at the middle lock

We queued for water above the locks, then set off into Barnoldswick to Lower Park Marina for diesel.

Greenberfield Top Lock and the service wharf
From here, it was proposed in 1769, a canal should be built connecting to the market town of Settle, about 20 miles away. Originally intended to be a branch of the Leeds and Liverpool, it was finally promoted independently, probably to save money for the financially embarrassed larger company. The chief cargos would have been stone from the quarries in the Settle/Giggleswick area, and finished goods currently carried on the turnpike from Kendal to Leeds. The proposal got as far as a Bill submitted to Parliament, but failed due to lack of support from the local landowners. Shame. That would have been a good trip.

We topped up the fuel at the marina, then carried on to turn just beyond The Anchor at Salterforth and returned to moor up within sight of long Ing Bridge. We’ll be here till Monday, before dropping down the locks again to head back to our quiet spot above Bank Newton.

Locks 3. miles 1½