Hirst Lock to Dowley Gap Lock
[Continuing my walk from Saltaire to Bingley along the towpath of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal]
Beyond Hirst Lock, the path passes through Hirst Wood itself, a shady and rather mysterious stretch of the canal with trees lining both sides. Views open out when you reach the aqueduct (above) that carries the canal over the River Aire. It is such a broad bridge that you don't really feel as though you're on a bridge (unlike, say, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in the Welsh Borders, which is rather hair-raising to cross).
My brisk walking pace was almost keeping up with the cabin cruisers that had set off just before me when I passed Hirst Lock.
There is an old mill on the left here, now converted into dwellings. It would be such a nice place to live... were it not for the sewage works just over the fence, with its distinctive aroma! The foliage along the canalside now more or less obscures the view of the changeline bridge, where the towpath passes from one side of the canal to the other. It's a pity as it's quite an attractive bridge. I suppose, sooner or later, someone will come along and trim the bushes back as part of the waterway maintenance.
It's from this spot that you can see my two favourite trees, up the hillside. Some trees were beginning to look a little autumnal at this stage of the summer, but not these two.
Here, I did catch up with the two cabin cruisers, as they had to stop to get clearance to negotiate the locks at Dowley Gap. The scene from the bridge looks much more interesting when there are boats moored.
There were a lot of other people about, enjoying the beautiful late summer weather. I have to be careful as I never hear cyclists coming up behind me, and some of them ride rather too fast.
Lovely pastoral canalside scenes. I don't think I've ever seen such a wide aqueduct on a canal.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed watching these photos very much! Thank you, Jenny. I am glad "my" yellow bush is flourishing.
ReplyDeleteIt would be fun to travel in one of those narrow boats along that canal.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful canal views.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing the narrow boats, beautifully decorated!
ReplyDelete