Sunny Skipton

Yes, it’s extraordinary but today has been mostly sunny and warm, though we did get wet briefly this morning.  We have reached Skipton where we have arranged to leave Leo for a few days while we go home, though we will be back early next week when Helen’s brother, Graham, will be joining us.

We have been taking things slowly since the Bingley Five Rise Locks and the scenery has improved day by day.  We have had no locks though there have been a great many swing bridges, like this one at Kildwick:

We visited East Riddleston Hall, a National Trust Property, on Monday.  This is a fine 16^th and 17^th century stone built house which curiously has two rose windows which are much more commonly seen in churches.

East Riddleston Hall - note the rose window over the door

We moored right out in the countryside between Keighley and Silsden for two nights with just sheep for company, no sounds of cars or people apart from the occasional mud covered cyclist passing on the towpath.

Moored near Silsden

The intention was to go for an all-day walk yesterday on the moors and down to Silsden, but it absolutely poured so the walk we did was curtailed and we returned to Leo for a late lunch, a good drying out and a lazy afternoon.

Today we cruised on to near Skipton where we are leaving Leo at a marina.  The views today over Airedale were lovely.

View from the canal over Sutton-in-Craven to Raven Stones Crags

 Even at the marina where we are now there are lovely views over the surrounding countryside:

Notice particularly the fluffy white clouds and the blue sky, something we've not seen a lot of lately.

This afternoon we cycled into Skipton for a wander around and a little shopping.  Helen now has new wellies the price of which was dramatically reduced in an outdoor equipment shop, Yeomans, in the town.  Her old ones had started leaking, no doubt from overuse this summer.  Here is a view of the canal as it passes through Skipton:

Canal in Skipton - junction with Springs Branch

Well that is it for a few days.  From what we have been told by other boaters the Leeds and Liverpool just gets better and better from here on as it climbs over the Pennines via Gargrave and East Marton.  We are really looking forward to this section and the mile long tunnel at Foulridge will be the longest we’ve yet done on Leo.  Perhaps the summer will start when we return?