Selby to Leeds on the Aire and Calder

We are now in Leeds Dock (used to be called Clarence Dock) in the centre of Leeds.  This is the story of how we got here from Selby having come off the tidal River Ouse on Thursday (25th July).  Our overall impression looking at the photos is that the weather has been pretty wet and grey and this afternoon is no different.

Selby Basin and much of the Selby Canal was covered with duckweed.  Fortunately this does not impede the prop like some sorts of weed.  The picture shows our trail of clear water through the weed as we left Selby on Friday.

Like the Ripon Canal this is a 'proper' canal with 'proper' stone bridges.  Apart from the short section coming out of Selby it is quiet and rural with birdsong accompanying us along its 5 miles to meet the River Aire at West Haddlesey.

The flood lock at West Haddlesey was open to the river so, after a stop for lunch in this delightful spot, we cruised straight through and up the river to a mooring above Beal Lock for the night.

We turned right onto the river but looking left Eggborough Power Station dominates the view.

Walking through the village of Beal in the evening we saw a live hedgehog trotting into a farmer's barn. This one looks as though a plank has fallen on top of it but he was in fact squeezing underneath and then went under the barn door.

On Saturday the forecast was dreadful - heavy rain most of the day.  We set off from Beal in the dry but it soon changed and, deciding that we were wet anyway and that the river might rise, we did not stop at Castleford as we had intended but carried on to Lemonroyd for the night.  This photo shows flood debris caught on the bridge at Beal.

On the very twisty section of the River Aire from Beal to Bank Dole Lock the cooling towers of Ferrybridge Power Station came into view.  There is not much colour in this photo but it was that sort of day.

Here we are coming to Bank Dole Lock which lifted us and another boat 'Mr G'  onto the canal section of the Aire and Calder.  Just above the lock is a junction - left for Goole, Keadby and Sheffield and right (our route) to Leeds and Wakefield.  The lock mooring for Bank Dole is on the right so you have to moor, set the lock and then reverse to get into the lock. Mr G appeared just as we were opening the gates to go in which was good timing for them and they kindly closed the lock after we had gone through which was good for us as the rain started in earnest and we put up our umbrellas.

Most of the Aire and Calder is very wide and straight.  Here we are in the pouring rain coming to Ferrybridge Flood Lock which was also wide open.  There followed a few miles of the River Aire passing under the A1 bridge, which we often drive over, before going up Bulholme Lock and along a cut into Castleford.  We were originally going to stop there but decided to carry on.  For the first time in our experience the flood lock (which is a huge triangular pool of water) was closed. The locks on the Aire and Calder are all electric and it took us some time to work out how to get the bottom gates open because the paddles on the top gates were slightly open and we had to go and close them first before the key would work in the bottom gates. That done (and there was little or no difference in level) we came out and turned right up the River Aire.  Straight on here takes you up the River Calder to Wakefield and leads to the Rochdale and Huddersfield Canals.

A mile or so up the river from Castleford we passed Allerton Bywater.  The moorings have been much improved and it should now be worth stopping here - there is a handy waterside pub too.  But we were keen to get off the River Aire before the level started to come up after all the rain.

Lemonroyd Lock is about four miles up the river.  This is huge, not only in length and breadth but also it has a rise of close to 20 feet.  A disastrous breach in 1988 removed the barrier between the neighbouring coal mine and the river causing major damage and destroying the two locks that were here.  Apparently the River Aire flowed backwards for half a day into the coal mine!  The new Lemonroyd Lock replaced the previous two locks, hence its massive rise.  Our ducks look blurry in the photo because of rain on the camera lens.

We spent Saturday night at Lemonroyd and moved just a mile or so to Woodlesford on Sunday.  Here we are waiting below Woodlesford Lock.

We set off for Leeds on Monday morning, joining a tug and a huge work barge in Fishponds Lock but there was plenty of room as these locks are 200 feet long and 20 feet wide.

The tug went ahead of us to pick up this barge heavily laden with stone.  The thrust as he started to push the barge sent Leo skittering sideways.  Plenty of power there!

There were bad floods in 2015 in Leeds and the river round Knostrop was dramatically changed.  This is the new weir built beside Knostrop Fall Lock below Leeds.  Above this lock the navigation is on the River Aire as far as Leeds Lock and we noticed that the flood indicator above the lock was on amber. (Green means go, red means don't and amber means go carefully.)  We checked the e mail notifications from Canal and River Trust and one had come in saying that the navigation was closed as river levels were rising.  After a couple of phone calls to CRT to check that the flood gates to the moorings in Leeds Dock were still open we decided to press on.

The river was certainly flowing faster but Leo fought the current successfully and here we are in Leeds Lock.  This is much smaller than the huge commercial locks downstream but it has additional gates which can be used to accommodate longer vessels.

The river was on amber when we arrived but in fact it did not go any higher.

And here Leo is moored on the visitor moorings in Leeds Dock right by the Royal Armouries Museum.  We were lucky that another narrowboat, Firecrest, moved off this mooring just as we came into the Dock.  In the evening our friend Ralph came to visit us from his home in Wakefield and we had a pleasant evening catching up with his news.  Today (Tuesday 30th) Leo has had its Boat Safety Examination which we are pleased to report was passed with flying colours, well passed anyway.  So that is out of the way for another four years.  Ian has been busy repainting the stripe round our stern while we are static and can take off the rear fenders. Painting in between heavy rain showers is not ideal but needs must if the job is going to get done.

We haven't had much time left for sightseeing but we did find a dinosaur in Leeds Indoor Market.  And it was moving!

There are some Damien Hirst statues in the city.  This one is called 'The Anatomy of an Angel'.  Bits of her insides are on view.

Damien Hirst seems to like depicting the human anatomy.  This huge chap is in Briggate.  More colourful than the angel but the eye is a bit intimidating.

So there we are and up to date.  Early tomorrow morning we will set off up the locks through Armley and Kirkstall. The strong recommendation is to avoid doing this section in the afternoon when the drunks and youths come out to play. The weather forecast tomorrow is for rain which is good as this should keep them indoors and out of our way.  We've never had any problems here but we have heard stories and it is better to be prepared. Our next few weeks will be spent crossing the Pennines on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. All those swing bridges to look forward to!