Near Silsden

This is still the Leeds-Liverpool Canal but it's a stretch some ten miles up the valley from Saltaire, near the little town of Silsden. With some shops and services beginning to re-open, I finally managed to get my car booked in for the service that had been cancelled when the coronavirus lockdown was first imposed in late March. My garage is in Silsden so I took the opportunity for a walk whilst I was waiting. I think I've walked this part, from Silsden towards Riddlesden, only once before but it's quite a nice walk. The towpath is tarmac and easy to navigate compared with some of my more local bits that tend to be rough and stony or muddy. The canal winds through farm fields and woodland, with an open aspect giving some nice views of this broad, flat part of the Aire valley. The dry, sunny weather that we've enjoyed right through April and May has finally broken. It was cooler, a very pleasant temperature for a walk, and I only got slightly damp from a brief light shower. It's actually quite a nice change to see some clouds in the sky. Unbroken blue sky isn't really all that great for photos.

I wonder how many herons live on the banks of the canal? Each stretch seems to be patrolled by its own resident bird. This one was huddled up, its neck retracted. I think it had already had its breakfast and was settled down for a snooze.