JessicaBOO

Stefano's Italian is very good but you need to book, also Bilaluci is a great place for breakfast (you could call in after handing the boat back). I would moor a bit out of Silsden - perhaps just before or after the Brunthwaite Swing Bridge and stroll into town for the evening, but check the towpath it can be very muddy around that area!

All the locks into Leeds should be manned - if not they are probably attending an incident elsewhere. The locks into Leeds are generally locked to prevent vandalism outside the attended hours. I agree with Midnight - Field is a dangerous lock, there have been and continue to be a lot of incidents on there. We take all our hire boaters through the lock during the hand over or organise a lockie to meet them if they are coming down & we aren't available. Anyone who does have concerns - the lock is manned between 1 & 2 pm every day.

Sorry to hear about your fright & happy to hear all ended well. Field 3 Rise is the only 3 Rise Staircase in the country that does not have a full time lock keeper. Something we have been in dispute with CRT about for quite a while - they did agree to put cover on for 2 hours a day after we raised our concerns. Anyway, we will have a chat with Nick who was the last full time lockie on field and ask his opinion and let you know what he says.

The wide beam shell we have on order is also a Tyler Wilson. We should have some lay outs to show on our FB page soon & hope to hold a launch weekend Easter 2017!

We would love to have you. Please let us know who you are if you do decide to 'give us a whirl' We would love to have you. Please let us know who you are if you do decide to 'give us a whirl'

That's the one - thanks MJG!

Hence my previous comment. We have no aspirations to be a big operation. Our business model is based on high quality boats and high quality service.

Sorry didn't mean to post that quote without commenting but the website threw a wobbly on me. They aren't giving up two days holiday - we get them underway and the instructor leaves them each evening at around 4 pm when they are safely moored up for the day. We always receive excellent feedback and have a high return rate from clients who have done the course with us and they always request that their original instructor do the handover and invite them for a drink - so everyone must enjoy the training! We only have two and plan to have a maximum of 4. We want to stay small and maintain our level of service.

We give a minimum half day hand over to experienced crews and pretty much insist novices take the RYA training as the first two days of their holiday. Leaving our base you go through a 2 rise staircase, a 3 rise staircase, a single and another 2 rise - all without lock keepers so we are very focused on correct training and safety of everyone hiring with us. All our Handovers are conducted by RYA instructors too. We are currently commissioning a widebeam for hire 2017 - RYA training will be mandatory for anyone wanting to hire this boat!

The Boathouse reopened last weekend.

The visitors mooring in Shipley is a lovely spot. From the towpath you have 5 mins walk into Saltaire or 3 into Shipley. There are loads of pubs & restaurants in both. The Boathouse in Saltaire is good for food - if you want Indian food there are loads in Shipley. Zaaras is particularly good. There is a lovely quiet mooring spot just after Bridge 197 I think. It's on the off side and the mooring posts are painted like toadstools. I think it's called Carr Delph. From there you would be about half an hour into Silsden

My views on your plan are Keep going past Riddlesden there are no pubs worth visiting. Stay before SB 198A at East Morton and walk up the hill to the Busfield Arms. Also the pubs you mention in Shipley/Baildon are not worth a visit - either stick to your plan and stay at that bridge but walk down to the river and take the river path to Esholt where you can visit The Woolpack of Emmerdale fame or wind at the Bradford Arm prior to Dock Lane SB and stay on Ashley Lane VM in Shipley then you can choose from all the hostelries both Shipley & Saltaire have to offer. You will need to allow extra time for descending/ascending 3 & 5 rise. Sometimes you can wait up to 2 hours

If I were you I would wind after Foulridge there is nothing to see in Nelson - you are just adding the Barrowford locks which you have to go down and then back up!