Up the Aire and Calder to Leeds

As we have been so looking forward to visit towns and cities familiar to ourselves but from a different view, we decided to head off to Leeds this weekend. Things didn't go to plan! William and I had brought Bombardier II from Selby to Ferrybridge lock on Thursday with a view to get as far as Castleford on Friday night. The trip to Ferrybridge went without a hitch but on arriving back on Friday we found the engine wouldn't idle properly and so the departure was aborted.

I headed back to Ferrybridge lock on Saturday morning in the pouring rain with some bits and pieces I planned to replace and after replacing a faulty HT lead we were on our way.

An interesting and pleasant journey behind Ferrybridge Power Station took us to Bullholme Lock just outside Castleford.

A number of black headed gulls were swooping around Lemonroyd lock and were totally unaware of us travelling along.

Approaching Leeds City Centre. Originally planned as a leisurely cruise, because of the technical delays were were really glad to finally arrive in Leeds.

On arriving at Clarence Dock we found all the Visitor Moorings full. A helpful chap at one of the long-term moorings suggested a place we could tie up. Not ideal, but it was already 9pm and we couldn't face any more searching or locks! (That's Bombardier lashed to railings in the corner!)

The journey back to Castleford was a little more relaxed. We managed to get this picture of a Heron which kept flying a few hundred metres further along the river to avoid us.

The approach to Fish Pond Lock following a narrowboat named 'Patricia'. Unfortunately there was a bit of a wait but the lock is big enough to fit 2 narrowboats and us with plenty of space to spare as soon as the traffic came upstream.

We were going to head back towards our home mooring but as I'm not working next weekend we are planning to head up the Wakefield branch of the Aire and Calder while we are this way on.