Skipton to Silsten - last day

One thing you can rely on is the information in the Pearsons on where to eat.  Last night we tried Bizzy Lizzie's after reading about it.  We can guarantee the Pearsons author has under estimated this establishment.  We had some for the best fish and chips we have had in a long time and good value for money too.  Not to be missed if you are passing this way.  After all that we had to walk around the town to work of the meal!

Sadly today is our last full day aboard Isla's Drum for we reluctantly hand her back at 9am tomorrow.  So we decided to make the most of today and were not disappointed.  This last stretch of the canal (for us anyway) was even more beautiful and the sun shone for us all day giving us stunning vistas as we cruised along.

 Above, the Polish airman memorial dedicated to the Polish crew of a Wellington bomber returning home after a raid when an engine fell off the aircraft causing it to crash killing all the crew.

Alan enjoying the leafy views whilst at the helm

Some of the lovely gardens as we approached Silsten

Swing bridges galore on this stretch (11 in all today)

Manicured houses as we leave Silsten before winding and returning for the night

How's that for a garden ornament, real fir too!

Our birth for tonight and quiet urban bliss

So now in a delightful residential area of Silsten we've moored for our last night aboard.  Catherine has taken over 1800 photographs and we'll start an online album as it Chronicles pretty much all the route we took.

Isla's Drum has just had it's final inspection, not by the hire company, but a passing black cat that decided to befriend everyone on board.  It stayed a while coming inside and enjoying the fuss then, without any notice, left us to it and walked off.

And so the end of our trip is here but we'll continue to post as we get nearer to nbAmyJo's build.

The motley crew from left to right - Catherine, Yours Truly, Chris, Alan and Mary

A short soggy trip to Skipton

How our weather can change!

Just a short post today.  After yesterday's heatwave this morning woke us with the sound of heavy rain on the cabin roof.  It was still warm but now the heavens opened and we heard on the radio of a months rain falling in three hours in South Yorkshire.  Must not complain though at least it will help keep the levels in the reservoirs serving the cut here but not much chance of photos.

After breakfast we set of about 9am and was accompanied by the boat moored in front of us through last two locks as we left Gragrave. Its so nice to hvae the extra hands to work the locks when there are two boats together.  With the constant rain we seem to be the only souls to brave the weather that by now was getting heavier to a point where I soon found out my waterproof coat isn't.

The fine rain was so heavy it formed a fog over the hills making a serene image that the picture does not do Justice but still just as enjoyable as when the sun was out.  This is another first for us.  We've never worked the boat in the pouring rain and would not had we had a timetable to keep to if we were to be back in Silsten for 9am Saturday.  Still as it was stll warm we still enjoyed th eexperience.  Ask me again after we've done this in the winter,  most of you long termers know what I would answer already I guess?

Chris wet through but still enjoying helming the boat

 As it was our turn to man the boat I gave Chris the chance to helm the boat as we both felt she would need the exprience when we have nbAmyJo.  She did a great job bringing the boat into the two locks perfectly and with another boat in the lock already without hitting anything, not bad concidering it was her first time ever I was quite proud for her and her smile says it all!  After Chris had negociated dropping Alan off to open 3 swing bridges I took over to moor the boat in Skipton just up from the juction as Chris was nervous about doing so (her time will come sooner or later).  There seems to e a lot more boats here and we are glad we started before the rain stopped as since we have been here and the rain has stopped several boats are going by looking to moor up.  There are no spare moorings around here now so they may have to moor up out of town.

We plan to stay here now until lunchtime tomorrow to give Catherine chance to explore the town and it's spectacular castle.  The wharf here is interesting and full of boats of all shapes and sizes.  We are just enjoying the atmosphere and looking forward to Fish & Chips in Bizzy Lizzies restaurant on the quayside tonight.

Foulridge Wharf to Gargrave

This morning should have been quiet as usuall and not much moved on the cut, the peace being shattered by a neighbouring boat's dog persistant barking when anything came within a mile of it (oh for a muzzle).  We had our usual breakfast of tea nad toast and then got underway.

The rain clouds of yesterday soon cleared and the day proceeded to warm again becoming hotter at the day progressed.  Today it was Alan's day on the helm so Chris and I worked the locks, first the three Greenberfield Locks.  Like the other day we were in company for these and we soon got through them despite being against us.

Next was East Marton and the twin arched bidge for lunch.  We stopped here for while and enjoyed the lovely setting and helped another crew who had managed to ground al the edge of thecorner due to low levels

One hopes its the distance by canal and not via these steps!

looking down from top of East Marton bridge

After lunch we continues to hat we now call the alpine section of the canal.  This is the stretch between East Marton and Bank Newton Locks.

As you can see from the Pearsons map the corners are really tight and you have to have your wits about you.

Yes the boat is coming towards us but travelling in the same direction ahead of  us!

Wool anyone? Extreme advertising

With the day now in the 20s we reached Bank Newton locks and made our descent alone.  It was hot work for Chris and I but we enjoyed the eny of the gongoozlers watching us.  At one lock three very young ladies no more than 7 years old insisted in opening the gate for us.  With their dad's help they managed expertly and we thanked them kindly

Midshipman Catherine keeping a vigil on the roof

A short breather for Chris as the lock empties

Only six more locks to go

By the time we approached lock 32 in Gargrave we decided to call it a day and moored up in pleasant surroundings just above the lock.  It's Chicken Casserole tonight then a wander into Gargrave for a welcome pint or three.

Reedley Marina to Foulridge Wharf

This morning was grey with light mizzle though still quite warm.  Having had a very peaceful night in the Marina we paid our £9 and thanked the Marina Manager for his hospitality.  All that was left was to reverse out of the mooring and leave via the narrow exit.  I’ve discovered Isla’s Drum will not steer going astern but will keep a straight line, so with that in mind, I backed out of the birth, held my breath and started to wind the boat round in the opposite direction.  Much to my relief all went well and I managed to exit the marina with my pride intact and feeling pretty chuffed with myself if I may say so. Isla’s Drum responded just fine, I got her round smoothly and exited the marina without too much throttle and so we got under way unscathed.

The weather was closing in and we caught site of this cloud coming over the hill making a spectacular vista.  However, not long after it started raining but luckily we had stopped at Morrisons in Nelson to do some shopping.  Morrisons here have thoughtfully provided moorings (room for 2 60ft boats) for visiting boats so its well worth a spending a short time to stop and provision here.

A pleasant time was had chatting in each chamber and we noted how low the level was in the reservoir compared to our outbound trip.  Even so the levels in the lock pounds were still high

as in one chamber the upper pound level was far too high causing our chamber to fill without opening the paddles. Needless to say the beer in the bow locker was nicely cooled when we reached top lock.

 After passing through Foulridge tunnel we decided to stop at Foulridge Wharf for the night.
It’s a delightful place with a café/Bistro as well as BW facilities (sadly out of service while we are here).  As it was only 3pm Catherine, Alan and Chris decided they would walk the tow path route back to the other entrance to see what it is like

So that us for today, Tomorrow we’ll head for Gargrave.  That’s all for now it’s just started rainning so I’d better go shut up the boat.

Church to Riley Green to Reedley Marina

Just after I posted last night  "Oh Dear Me" came past and her owner said "You stopping there?" with a frown "Yes for the night" we replied cheerily.  "I wouldn't if I were you, pretty rough here".  We though Oh well can't be that bad but when a dog walker asked the same question and we got the same answer we decided to take their advice and move on.  I remembered after Clayton-le-moors just past swing bridge 115 there was a lovely quiet stretch with fantastic views across the valley so we ended up having a peaceful night there instead.

This morning came with grey sky and very light drizzle but none the less our location was still breath taking.  We had planned a short trip today so as I'd not cooked so far I treated everyone to one of my gut busting full English breakfasts but minus the sausages as we had none and after which, with Alan on the helm, we got under way.  Just after we got going we came across this boat

Now as we come from Chester this roused interest but sadly the owner had the boat long after she left Chester and had bought her locally and did not know much about the city she was naed after.  Waverton is a village near us and was where we first moved to when we came to the Chester area to live.  The mill however, is now a trendy block of apartments at the canal side better known as Eggbridge No. 119

Next we came to Gannow tunnel.  Usually, for some reason, in the past I have ended up steering the boat on previous hires through tunnels like Harecastle and so on but today it was Catherine who navigated the tunnel so I took the oppotunity to sit in the well deck for the ride

Gannow tunnel Liverpool end portal

Leaving the tunnel at the Burnley portal end

A much relieved Catherine having steered the boat through her first ever canal tunnel at Gannow and she never bounced off the walls once!

 Now I owe the good folks at Burnley and apology as coming from Liverpool end Burnley is nowhere near as bad as I made is sound the other day so I did it an injustice, in fact, despite some deliliction of the mills hereabouts it does have an attraction of it's own

However, just before bridge130b at the Weaver's Triangle we found another little oasis we can highly recommend.  On the way out we had spotted the Burnley Wharf Museum and Toll house and resolved to stop there on our return.  Well we did today and guess what....

You guessed it, it turned out to be another restored Wharf with Pub serving lunches.  With one and a half hours to wait until the Museum opened and the smell of food and cask ales in the air we gave into temptation and enjoyed a fantiastic lunch in the superb interior of the mill (well it would have been rude not to) :-)

Catherine and Alan enjoying the break after lunch

We can also recommend the Wharf museum as itis a delight and full of local history, whats more it's free!  The curators were more than helpful and a mine of information making it an interesting time at the museum, It even includes an authentic victorian working water closet.

Having spent best part of the afternoon here it was time to leave though we could have happily stayed much longer.  After an hour along the cut we pulled into Reedley Marina for the night and use of the showers and fascilities that are second to none.

Now as AmyJo will be moored in a marina I asked Alan if he would mind me taking Ila's Drum onto the alloted pontoon as I've never had to do this yet.  With a croud of local boat owners watching on thinking this will be fun, I did not have the nerve to moor stern too but did a credible job and brought Ila's Drum alongside the pontoon perfectly.  Just have to reverse out and wind round to get out in the morning now though, hopefully, with less sightseers watching me!