And So To Bingley

Lodge Hill Bridge (194) to Scourer Bridge (205), Leeds & Liverpool Canal, 6 miles 8 locks

It rained on and off over the weekend, but our mooring was nice, plenty of walks, and really the only thing that disturbed us was a clay pigeon shoot on Sunday down in the Aire valley, but just after 12.30 everything went quiet, and we imagined them all going off to one of the local pubs for sunday lunch!

We were looking forward to Bingley today, not only famous for its thermal underwear, but considered one of the wonders of the waterways, the famous Bingley Five Rise Locks. I had waited just under 30 years to actually 'do the five', ever since I first discovered narrowboat travel back in the 70's. Now was the day!

They were built in 1774, and are all joined together rather than being separated by pounds of water, the top gate of the lowest lock being the bottom gate of the one above and so on. I did find it very daunting, dropping down into the second lock, and looking behind at gates some 20ft high!

Barry Whitlock, the aptly named lock keeper, helped us through, telling us that 28 boats had gone through on Saturday, and 17 yesterday, and that only a few had passed today. It was quiet on the cut today, and even at Bingley there was an absense of the hoards of onlookers that are usually around.

I savoured the occassion passing through one cavernous lock after another until the last gates opened to show the canal wandering off into the distance. It was all over so quickly, but at last I had 'done the five', and I looked back to take a photo to prove it to myself, a photo that is famous throughout the world.

On through Bingley we came to the second staircase here, this time just three locks all in a line...... the lockeeper had the locks ready for us, Barry had telephoned to say we were on our way.

We saw some mink on Sunday, quite surprised really to see them up here in Yorkshire...... but today I saw a weasel, a rare sight now.. so maybe the mink are in smaller numbers in the north. Mind you the weasels and stoats are putting up a fight with the mink, pity it has made our riverside animals more aggressive that they used to be.

We moored up at about 4pm, and for once the fish were biting. There is a nice pub here, but on the door it says "No Dogs". We always take Lucy out with us if we go, tonight she is going to be disappointed, still I'll bring her back half a bag of crisps and hope she forgives me.