Five Rise Locks and beyond.

I have to hold my hands up and admit that I had never been to Five Rise Locks until today. Sal couldn't believe that I'd never been there as I only live three or four miles from the place and it probably is the major tourist attraction around these parts. When I do walk the canal, I always go the opposite way to Saltaire.

The weather was perfect. It was a crisp and clear sunny morning, just ideal for a stroll with our cameras. The first thing of note was the Damart factory with it's imposing chimney which can be seen from miles around.  This is quickly followed by the Three Rise Locks where the canal rises 30ft.  Not only had I never been to these, I had never even heard of them either!

Then it was a short walk on to the main event.

The Five Rise Locks open directly from one to another, with the top gate of one forming the bottom gate of the next. This unique 5-rise staircase has a total rise of 60 feet. You get a great view back down the Aire Valley to Bingley from the top of the locks.

There is also the added bonus of The Five Rise Locks Café at this point where they make a great cappuccino. I think the owner thought us slightly mad when we took our drinks outside but the café is on the sunny side of the canal and it would have been a shame not to take advantage of it's situation.

Suitable refreshed we carried our walk on towards Riddlesdon where we cut down to to the main road and headed to The Airedale Heifer for further refreshments of an alcoholic nature. They have their own brewery, the Bridgehouse Brewery and I had a great pint of their Blonde beer.

On the way back, Sal spotted three deer in a field down by the trunk road; we presume that they had wandered down from St Ives but god knows how they crossed the busy dual carriageway.  We then returned back to the canal and spotted a couple of Kingfishers just after the Damart factory. 

An exciting and eventful end to a lovely walk with great company.

 

Damart Reflection

Damart Mill

Three Rise Locks

Five Rise Locks

Five Rise Locks

Five Rise Locks

Near Bingley

Near Bingley

Five Rise Locks Cafe

Five Rise Locks cafe

Five Rise Locks Cafe

Micklethwaite

Micklethwaite

Micklethwaite

Leeds to Liverpool Canal

Five Rise Locks and Bingley

Five Rise Locks and Bingley

Winter in The Dales.

Just a quick blog to let anyone who is interested look at some photos I took on recent trips to the Yorkshire Dales. I struck lucky on the Malham, Wharfedale and Littondale days but it was still bitterly cold on all three despite the sun. The Ribblehead day was a bit more hit and miss though; sunny until I reached the viaduct but a bit uninspiring and cloudy after that. The last three photos I've posted of the Hawes to Ingleton road would normally show Ingleborough in all it's glory but unfortunately the top was covered in cloud that day.

Still come rain or shine, I find that there is always beauty in some shape or form to be found in the Dales.

Ribblehead Viaduct

Simon's Seat, Wharfedale

Skyreholme Wharfedale

Mining Track, Skyreholme

Litton

Littondale

Littondale

Ice at Water Sinks, Malham

Water Sinks, Malham

Near Malham Tarn

Above Malham

Above Malham

Above Malham

Above Malham

Wharfedale

Littondale

Hawes to Ingleton Road

Hawes to Ingleton Road

Hawes to Ingleton Road

Back to The Lakes

A winter visit on a cold and frosty morning to the Lakes took me to the Langdale Valley. I parked at Skelwith Bridge and followed the path past Skelwith Force to Elter Water. The view from the shore has to be one of the most beautiful in Lakeland. Pride of place goes to The Langdale Pikes which fit perfectly in the "v" between Lingmoor Fell and Loughrigg. It was such a beautifully calm and clear day so I was treated to some great reflections along the River Brathay and also across Elter Water. Because of the exceptional conditions, I took photos from places I'd taken photos from maybe a dozen times before. I just couldn't resist it.

I then headed up to the North Lakes taking the old road round the back of Thirlmere instead of the A591. Again the waters were mostly calm. It had been a great day for photographs and nice to get back to the Lakes after my winter break and had certainly whetted my appetite for the new caravan season ahead.