Today seemed to start nicely with sunny intervals but we soon had showers. Our mooring was right opposite a lovely old warehouse but we hadn't really seen it in our haste to get moored up in the rain.
Warehouse and crane near Cooper's Bridge Flood lock and our mooring for last night.
Underway for the day.
The lock gear that requires the 'hand spike'. We actually found a lot of them were slipping or jammed but we also found that every lock had an alternative means of filling the lock. We don't have a 'hand spike' but found that a pickaxe handle served instead if required.
We stopped for a bit of a shop at Lidl in Mirfield as it was right next to the moorings. We also had a cup of tea and biscuit before setting off again. Once underway again we stopped off at Shepley Bridge to dump rubbish but carried on to take water as it looked like a bit of a marathon to run the hoses.
Shepley Bridge lock and Lock house. Some of the locks were the 57'6" size but some were a few feet longer so no problem.
When we came to Greenwood Lock we could see a boat on the lock landing and a gate open with another in the lock. As we got closer we could see them tied up and it turns out they were having their lunch! The boat left the lock but tied up alongside his mate so I had to wriggle round them to get in the one gate that was open. There were no apologies and I couldn't understand as he told us that he had another boat coming up to join them but they hadn't turned the lock round for him. We found two boats outside the lock one of which was right across the lock so I couldn't get out! After getting clear we came to Thornhill flood lock that was closed for some reason. it was very difficult to land the girls to open it but we managed with the gates opening okay.
After travelling down a leafy cut you come to Thornhill Double Locks that are a nice scene.
Amy opening Thornhill Top lock with the bottom lock just after a short pound.
Looking up from the bottom lock to the top Thornhill Double Lock.
We had decided to explore the Savile Town Basin Arm and this meant a very tight turn into it. It took a bit of to'ing and fro'ing but we got in in the end. It was very shallow but we got to the end to find a nice little boating community with a pub nice and handy. People seemed friendly too so will bare the place in mind for future moorings. It is only about a twenty minute walk to the centre of Dewsbury from the Basin. We winded at the end and traveled back down the arm as we still had a fair way to go.
Winding at the head of Savile Town Basin Arm.
Figure of Three Locks in the sun with Wakefield in the distance. It is called Figure of three either due to there were three locks, only two now as one was down into the Calder, or as the River Calder hearabouts bends such that it looks like a 3 on a map!
Amy enjoying the evening run down to Horbury.
We had been looking to take water but where our guide said there was, the wasn't and at Horbury Bridge you had to get in to a residential arm and mess about to get it. We would fill up at Broad Cut Lock. Of course when we got there somebody on a wide beam was just starting to take it. We tied up opposite and hope that we have enough for a shower in the morning before filling up.
Our mooring near Broad Cut Low Lock.
A full moon tonight.
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