Summer Sunday stroll 1

(Continuing my series from last summer, whilst my eye settles down after the surgery)

Saltaire to Hirst Lock
It was such a lovely, late summer's morning that I decided to walk from Saltaire to Bingley's Five Rise Locks and back, a good six miles round trip. It's a very familiar walk and I've shown photos of the area before on this blog. I thought it'd be fun to string some together in order this time, to illustrate the whole route.

Once out of Saltaire, through the short stretch of shady trees (see yesterday) the view opens out across the area of playing fields that belongs to Salts Sports Club. Sunday morning meant football matches were underway, the juniors at one end and a senior game at the other.

There were fishermen on the canal bank, having a real Sunday morning treat - able to watch their rods, watch football and cook a fry-up of bacon and eggs on a camp stove, all at the same time. (Breakfast smelled delicious!)   
I did take a photo... but I don't think you'd want to see the bum-crack the cook was displaying as he leaned over - ha!

Perhaps it was because the season was drawing to a close, or perhaps just the weekend effect, but there seemed to be more boats on the canal than I've ever seen. Some were moored, like the narrowboats I passed, still having a lie-in, perhaps? The towpath passes the lock at Hirst Wood. Just beyond the lock there were two cabin cruisers, a type of boat we rarely see on this canal. (They made so much more noise than a narrowboat!)