Here's the narrowboat that yesterday's young lady was waiting for. Once a boat has negotiated the single lock chamber at Hirst Wood (and as you can see it's quite a tight squeeze), it enters a little canal basin. It then has to pass through the swing bridge, which pivots sideways to allow boats to proceed up the canal. Unlike some of the locks, Hirst Wood is not 'manned' so boat owners have to do all the running about and winding sluice gates for themselves. It's quite hard work. But it makes interesting entertainment for passers-by strolling along the towpath.
Below is the same boat going through the swing bridge, which then has to be closed again behind it to allow traffic and pedestrians to cross the canal.
I was watching for you on the Antiques Roadshow on Sunday - I felt sure you would be on! I love the canals around West Yorkshire, the flight of locks at Bingley are amazing. xx
ReplyDeleteHello Jenny, Beautiful narrowboat!!! Reminded me a small walk we ve had in 2009 along the side of the canal around Todmorden.
ReplyDeleteReally god to see all these canal network is actually being used even now... and trying to imagine how it feels to be sitting on a boat..
Wonderful blog...
I know how exciting it is watching these boats negotiate the locks :) I got to see a couple manoeuvring themselves while visiting my parents a good few years back, before they emigrated from the UK to Australia.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting me, Jenny! I really appreciate your having made the time to do so. I certainly do not expect you to, as I fully understand you have a lot on your mind right now. I guess you're taking things very much one day at a time. So glad to know your sister is there to offer her support, too.
Take care and stay well!
Just made it trough..
ReplyDeleteCostas
Nice pictures. They bring back memories for me since I grew up in/near a town with a whole series of locks (bigger than this one). We used to go and watch the boats on their slow journey up or down the "stairs".
ReplyDeleteI watched Antiques Roadshow again held in Saltaire, still couldn't spot you though. My word that young lady with the Chinese writing bowl got a nice surprise! Did you see it?
ReplyDeleteI love your pictures of the narrow-boat, looks like a cold day everyone's wrapped up warmly.
Not a lot of place to move! what interesting pictures! It must be great to spend time to look at those boats when they have to cross this place.
ReplyDeleteNext time I'm in England, I'm devoting time to watching narrowboats. They're fascinating. I only saw them at Skipton, but when I got home and took a better look at the map, saw that England is loaded with canals. This is a great photo!
ReplyDeleteI was intrigued with your title - it sounded like me trying to get my jeans on in the morning!! lol love the photos reminded me of holidays many years ago. take care, Judyx
ReplyDeleteReminds us of our similar adventures at Foxton locks in Leicestershire. Lovely watching boats!
ReplyDeleteLove these shots of the canal and boat! Friends did a canal trip through there years ago and they still talk about how wonderful it was.
ReplyDeleteI would love to watch this in person some time! They must be very skilled.
ReplyDeleteA week on a narrow boat in a remote English canal is on my bucket list. I'm very tall, so I worry about whether I would fit the beds. Well, it would only be for one week.
ReplyDeletePhew! That WAS close! ~Lili
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