Woke up and went to Wakefield.

We got off just after 1000 and were just ahead of a gang of boats from the South Pennine that were letting go when we just got round the corned to the moorings by the pub. We were ahead at Broad Cut Top Lock so penned through but when we got down to the bottom lock we stopped to take on water. I then worked the three pairs of boats through whilst we filled and then so as not to split them up we went through after the lot. There is a real clue to the industrial history of the area as there are many railway lines here, some still in use.

A disused railway bridge that had another running through the arch to the left parallel to the cut and another high up on the right hand bank. It must have been a very different place between the wars.

At Broad Cut Low Lock we penned out into the river that was very quiet. The board was hovering at the join of red and orange but the flood gate had been opened further down so we were off.

We passed under the M1 with it's 50mph speed limit but we still felt that we were going faster. The current was so lacking we had to travel at the usual revs. to look like we were moving!

Another of the many rail lines. This time we caught a pacer train crossing. There is talk that these will be done away with  but I reckon it will be a good while before the last is off the rails. I love the turrets on the bridge abutments. They even have finials on!

We were soon through Thornes Locks and back on the river. As we approached Wakefield cut Helen handed over as she wasn't too sure about crossing the current and through the flood lock but all was well as we didn't touch the sides.

The flood lock is by the white sign on the right. The river carries on and there are boat yards a little further, but then there is a big weir. It looks like the old river warehouses have been converted to flats.

We moored up between the flood lock and Fall Ings Lock as we were looking for a spot in the sun for the solar panels and where the smoke from the chimney wouldn't upset anybody. After lunch we took a walk into Wakefield where we had never really been to previously. The first place we came to was the bridge over the Calder that has a Chantry Chapel attached to it.

The stone bridge was built around 1342 and the Chapel was added between then and 1356. It is only one of four surviving in the UK today

It has been restored a few times but is in remarkable condition and today still holds occasional services.

There were plenty of folk about and we walked up to see the civic buildings before doing the shopping thing. This is another town that has had riches beyond measure at one time, but has fallen on hard times. There weren't many closed shops though which may mean a bit of a resurgence.

The Law Courts and bell tower.

They don't add detail like this to buildings these days. This was a stoned carved head of a policeman above the door of an old police station. What would that cost these days?

The Town Hall had loads of carved work in the stone and was a real show piece.

After our bit of shopping we have enough hot cross buns to last us until nest Easter so I think our normal diet will have to take a back seat for a week or so. I think we will be here for at least a couple of days as we have more walks planned. The weather has been lovely today and we even saw the sun. More over the next few days too.