Low Utley to Bingley - UK Narrowboat Life

We left our mooring, near Low Utley, at around 10:00 this morning. It was sunny and warm but also very breezy, which made for an energetic start to the day.

The mooring itself had felt like a hidden oasis in the countryside. Surrounded by green fields and bordered by dry stone walls, we were visited daily by sheep and lambs, ducks with their ducklings, and geese with goslings. It was peaceful in a way that made it hard for us to leave.

We stayed for two nights, enjoying uninterrupted sunshine throughout. But today we needed to move on. With Castleford (south east of Leeds) as our planned destination in two and a half weeks, the aim was to reach Bingley and tackle both the Five Rise and Three Rise staircase locks.

Through bluebell country

The cruise south was beautiful from the start.

We passed through stretches of woodland where the floor was thick with bluebells, creating a soft blue haze beneath the trees. The canal itself runs high above the surrounding towns and villages, giving long views across the Aire Valley below.

There were several swing bridges to navigate along the way. Two had already been opened by boats travelling in the opposite direction and the crews kindly held them open for us, allowing us to pass straight through.

Only one bridge needed to be operated manually and it was an easy one to manage. The rest were electronic, meaning brief stops were required to halt traffic before operating them. Everything went smoothly and disruption was minimal.

Waiting at the Five Rise

We arrived at Bingley Five Rise Locks at 12:30. John tied the boat up on the lock landing while I went ahead to find the lock keepers and let them know we were waiting.

When I found them, it was clear they were already dealing with difficulties assisting two boats coming up the staircase. I let them know we were waiting at the top and returned to the boat to give them space to focus.

With time on our hands before the 13:00–15:00 descent window, we settled in. I made a cup of tea and we sat on the back of the boat in the sunshine.

While we waited we made the most of the pause in completely ordinary but satisfying ways. I planted new summer flowers into the pots on the roof of the boat, adding a splash of colour for the weeks ahead. John used the time to reorganise one of the front lockers, creating space for our new anchor and chain.

Shortly after, one of the lock keepers came over to update us. There was a problem with one of the gate paddles and the two boats already in the staircase had been reversed out while they called an engineer.

This meant our planned 13:00 descent would not be possible, and there was no confirmed time for when we would be able to go down.

“We weren’t in a rush – just sitting in the sunshine while the lock keepers worked to resolve the problem.”

Fortunately, it didn’t feel like a problem. The sun was still shining, though the wind remained strong, and there was a café directly opposite us. We bought lunch, made another cup of tea and settled back to wait.

The lock keepers were excellent throughout – calm, communicative and efficient. They kept us updated as the situation developed and worked steadily to resolve the issue.

They explained that if they could get us into the first lock by 16:00 we would still be able to descend that day. If not, we would need to wait until tomorrow. Either way it felt manageable, with plenty of good mooring options nearby.

The descent through the Five Rise

In the end, the team worked quickly to clear the backlog and we were called forward at 15:30.

John took the helm while I assisted the lock keepers on the ground. With a 62ft boat precision is essential – it only just fits in the locks, leaving very little room for error.

John had to carefully hold the boats position within the chamber, keeping it forward of the cill, while also controlling its distance from the gates. The force of water leaking through the gates and lock walls added another layer of pressure, as it spilt directly onto the stern.

I was grateful for the lock keepers’ presence throughout. The paddles and gates were heavy and awkward to operate, but the lock keepers handled most of the physical work while I assisted where I could. They were attentive, careful and good company (we chatted throughout the descent).

It felt controlled and safe, with the crew and lock keepers sharing the workload.

Arriving in Bingley

By 17:00 we had completed both staircase flights and arrived at the bottom.

We moored up on the visitor moorings in Bingley for the night. It isn’t the most scenic spot – busy roads, a railway line running alongside and concrete surrounds the moorings; but after a long and full day it feels perfectly adequate.

There are solid rings to tie to and another boat nearby, which always adds a sense of reassurance.

We’ll move on again tomorrow, but for now the day is done.

A quiet ending to a full day

After hours of cruising, waiting and carefully navigating the locks, the evening feels relaxing in comparison.

Sometimes the most satisfying days on the water aren’t the quiet ones – they’re the ones where everything shifts, pauses and then moves again in unexpected ways.

Today was very much one of those days.