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leeds to bingley safe moorings


lawzy

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Hello,

In less than one week me and my family are looking to go to Skipton for a week or two from Leeds direction and i have searched the forum and found this forum post.

I am just curious is this still true? are those two towns / villages safe to moor at and if so where at these locations should i moor.

I have heard that sometimes the locals like to loiter around locks and such and give people hastle is this true?

thank you in advance.
Lawzy

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It's basically Leeds to Newlay locks that has always been regarded as a dodgy section, but we've done this several times with no problem.  We did once have an issue with kids swimming in the locks at Newlay but my wife scared the living **** out of them.  There are far, far, worse places on the network in my opinion. Others may have more up to date knowledge but I think it's a long time since there were any serious incidents.  Anyway, there's no need to moor overnight in this section you can do Leeds- Rodley easily in a day and from there on there's really nothing to worry about.  The numerous swing bridges are the main hassle between Leeds and Skipton. 

Edited by Neil2
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47 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

It's basically Leeds to Newlay locks that has always been regarded as a dodgy section, but we've done this several times with no problem.  We did once have an issue with kids swimming in the locks at Newlay but my wife scared the living **** out of them.  There are far, far, worse places on the network in my opinion. Others may have more up to date knowledge but I think it's a long time since there were any serious incidents.  Anyway, there's no need to moor overnight in this section you can do Leeds- Rodley easily in a day and from there on there's really nothing to worry about.  The numerous swing bridges are the main hassle between Leeds and Skipton. 

thank you for clarifying the "rough" spot and i will have to take some lessons from your wife!

right well i was thinking of going from Leeds to rodley then having a boat day to top of bingley 5 rise but if its not a bad spot from rodley to bottom of bingley 3 rise then i might just stay somewhere inbetween. any recommendations would be appreciated.

Edited by lawzy
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C&RT would have you believe that between

Leeds and Rodley is bandit country however it's

mostly just children doing "underpants swimming" in the locks.

Rodley is fine and right next to The Barge pub (not especially

marvellous) but it has drinks and as the hairy ones found out

friendly locals who share their pork scratchings.

oh and the Chinese round the corner is shut on Mondays.
eta watch out for the nosey busy bodies who run The Stable

cafe at Oddy locks on the out from Leeds , they should wind their necks in. 
 

Edited by 8 Hairy Feet
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On the one occasion we have found lock swimmers on that flight, it wasn't children, but teens and twenties, who got out and crowded round pretending to help, but 'accidentally' burning a hole on Mrs Mac's jacket with a cigarette. However, a policeman miraculously appeared on the bridge below the lock, so no further trouble.  His appearance wasn't a coincidence, though, as we found later - BW had asked them to keep an eye out.

But that was some time ago, and I've been through twice since singlehanded with no problems except being held up while a body was retrieved.

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We had trouble with kids swimming in Newlay locks many years ago and they did the same thing, jumped out and started mucking about with mooring ropes.  There were permanent BW lockies on duty in those days who weren't much use but my wife screamed at these kids and they immediately all backed off and stood in a line like soldiers on parade, it was very funny.   

A lot of the myth surrounding this stretch I reckon harks back to many years ago when there was a serious incident involving a couple of lockies being pinned down by some youths with an air rifle on the off side of the canal.  

Must admit though, as with any urban stretch of canal I 'd prefer to navigate during school hours or very early in the morning. 

 

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It's below 2 massively deprived estates in Bramley.

Personally, I like to give them sweets and suchlike

and have a natter mostly because I see them as possible

future custodians of our waterways ,maybe future

boaters.

eta and I give them rides on the bridges too if they

will help me .

 

Edited by 8 Hairy Feet
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31 minutes ago, NickF said:

We spent a night happily below Newlay Locks when we arrived too late to get through. It was a very peaceful night.

What's the arrangement at Newlay these days, the last time we passed through it was just a couple of volunteers.  Is it still manned or do they just lock the paddles overnight?

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right from what I have read I will make the assumption that I can leave the medieval weaponry at home and instead  I should bring sweets, possibly kids sized swimming trunks and buckets of disinfectant (incase i touch a corpse)? am i missing anything?

 

Edited by lawzy
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1 hour ago, Neil2 said:

What's the arrangement at Newlay these days, the last time we passed through it was just a couple of volunteers.  Is it still manned or do they just lock the paddles overnight?

As far as I know, there are no lockies, vol or other. The locks are locked at night

 https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/10250/kirkstall-locks

ooops, bit of mistake there, Field locks are not manned.

Edited by Bazza954
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1 hour ago, Neil2 said:

What's the arrangement at Newlay these days, the last time we passed through it was just a couple of volunteers.  Is it still manned or do they just lock the paddles overnight?

I haven't been through for a few years, the photos above I took in 2012. I think there was a CaRT lockie and it was locked at night but I can't quite remember, I am sure it will have changed since then anyway

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22 hours ago, lawzy said:

thank you for clarifying the "rough" spot and i will have to take some lessons from your wife!

right well i was thinking of going from Leeds to rodley then having a boat day to top of bingley 5 rise but if its not a bad spot from rodley to bottom of bingley 3 rise then i might just stay somewhere inbetween. any recommendations would be appreciated.

Here’s my favourite stop offs.

leeds - granary Wharf 

rodley - the railway pub 

shipley - ashley lane visitor moorings.   To visit Saltaire it’s a good mooring spot, or just after the ice cream boat in Saltaire if AL full itself.  Pub; Fanny’s is a must if you like your ale pubs. (No food tho).   Also asda is nearby Ashley lane so good for food shopping.

bingley - I tend to stop after the 5 rise as in summer it can take a while if there’s a q. to get to up the locks, but from Saltaire it’s around 3hrs if your not waiting (I was waiting for nearly 2 hours once)  there’s also facilities here so it’s a good place to top up water, empty loo, etc.  Short walk to Bingley for supplies, etc.

Kildwick/Farnhill - just a nice village.  There’s a co-op about a mile away up a big hill tho

Skipton

Gargrave

Edited by Robbo
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16 hours ago, Robbo said:

Here’s my favourite stop offs.

leeds - granary Wharf 

rodley - the railway pub 

shipley - ashley lane visitor moorings.   To visit Saltaire it’s a good mooring spot, or just after the ice cream boat in Saltaire if AL full itself.  Pub; Fanny’s is a must if you like your ale pubs. (No food tho).   Also asda is nearby Ashley lane so good for food shopping.

bingley - I tend to stop after the 5 rise as in summer it can take a while if there’s a q. to get to up the locks, but from Saltaire it’s around 3hrs if your not waiting (I was waiting for nearly 2 hours once)  there’s also facilities here so it’s a good place to top up water, empty loo, etc.  Short walk to Bingley for supplies, etc.

Kildwick/Farnhill - just a nice village.  There’s a co-op about a mile away up a big hill tho

Skipton

Gargrave

Robbo, you forgot Silsden, that's where the co-op is, but now also an Aldi just down from the canal 2 mins walk for supplies.

There's a good pub in Kildwick, The White Lion. Food and beer.

Totally agree with you on the other moorings to stop at, all good places.

 

Bazza

 

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1 hour ago, Bazza954 said:

Robbo, you forgot Silsden, that's where the co-op is, but now also an Aldi just down from the canal 2 mins walk for supplies.

There's a good pub in Kildwick, The White Lion. Food and beer.

Totally agree with you on the other moorings to stop at, all good places.

 

Bazza

 

I didn't forget Silsden, I just wouldn't stop there, keep on going until you get to Kildwick!

There's also Apperley Bridge which has shower/pump out, etc.

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11 minutes ago, Robbo said:

I didn't forget Silsden, I just wouldn't stop there, keep on going until you get to Kildwick!

There's also Apperley Bridge which has shower/pump out, etc.

Great advise, my view won't get spoiled  !!

 

 

 

 

 

Bazza

IMG_0153.jpg

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On 26/07/2017 at 16:34, NickF said:

We spent a night happily below Newlay Locks when we arrived too late to get through. It was a very peaceful night.DSC01245.JPG.85fc82aa026a37ebec842d6578d324ab.JPGDSC01252.JPG.716f7ed37fa4aec3c104e722f7ec9853.JPG

I'm pretty sure those photos are taken at Field 3 Rise Locks. Beautiful spot.

As everyone else says a lot of what is said about the L&L is myth. Yes the locks around Bramley can get busy with locals in the summer but treat them as you would want them to treat you and you will do just fine. The 3 Rise staircase locks Oddy and Forge are still manned during the summer season.

When you arrive in Rodley the town moorings are lovely and I can highly recommend the Turkish restaurant just around the corner on the right. The Railway pub -after the first swing Bridge, before the second, also has a good reputation.

Between Rodley and Skipton you can moor anywhere safely. 

Try the Terrace Restaurant in Saltaire if you enjoy good food.

The Fishermans just after Downey Gap is a nice mooring and I hear the pub is doing well. 

We always stop in East Morton for the Busfeild Arms and Bradley for the Slaters Arms. Both great pubs with great food.

 

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2 hours ago, bearBOATING said:

I'm pretty sure those photos are taken at Field 3 Rise Locks. Beautiful spot.

As everyone else says a lot of what is said about the L&L is myth. Yes the locks around Bramley can get busy with locals in the summer but treat them as you would want them to treat you and you will do just fine. The 3 Rise staircase locks Oddy and Forge are still manned during the summer season.

When you arrive in Rodley the town moorings are lovely and I can highly recommend the Turkish restaurant just around the corner on the right. The Railway pub -after the first swing Bridge, before the second, also has a good reputation.

Between Rodley and Skipton you can moor anywhere safely. 

Try the Terrace Restaurant in Saltaire if you enjoy good food.

The Fishermans just after Downey Gap is a nice mooring and I hear the pub is doing well. 

We always stop in East Morton for the Busfeild Arms and Bradley for the Slaters Arms. Both great pubs with great food.

 

sorry  you could be right 

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On ‎27‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 16:00, Robbo said:

I didn't forget Silsden, I just wouldn't stop there, keep on going until you get to Kildwick!

There's also Apperley Bridge which has shower/pump out, etc.

There is also a small marina at Apperley Bridge which has a chandlers if you need something, and if you moor there and catch a bus there is a very good industrial museum a short bus ride away. http://www.bradfordmuseums.org/venues/bradford-industrial-museum not to mention my old school nearby!

 

Howard

 

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5 minutes ago, howardang said:

There is also a small marina at Apperley Bridge which has a chandlers if you need something, and if you moor there and catch a bus there is a very good industrial museum a short bus ride away. http://www.bradfordmuseums.org/venues/bradford-industrial-museum not to mention my old school nearby!

 

Howard

 

They also do diesel as well, not sure of their price or split policy tho. @bearBOATING should be able to confirm. (It’s their base).

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Having just spent a fortnight in Shipley we would recommend mooring just before bridge 209, just outside Saltaire Brewery who have an excellent brewery tap and shop.  We were intending to leave yesterday but they had a beer festival last night!

Also a strong recommendation for The Hop in Saltaire in the old tram shed.

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