Maintenance Complete and the Next Adventure Begins
Date:
From:
Woodlesford
To:
Leeds
Waterway:
Aire & Calder Navigation,
River Aire,
Leeds & Liverpool Canal
Travel Time:
3 hours
Distance:
5.5 miles
Contents:
A Productive Few Days at Lemonroyd Marina
Before setting off towards Leeds, we spent a few nights at Lemonroyd Marina. Although we much prefer life out on the cut, a marina provides the perfect opportunity to catch up on those important maintenance jobs that are easier to tackle when you have a stable mooring and access to shore power.
One of the main reasons for our stay was to plug the boat into a shoreline. Giving the batteries an occasional full charge helps to balance the cells and keeps them in good health, something that’s well worth doing every now and then when you’re continuously cruising.
With the weather on our side, John also took the opportunity to give the boat a well-earned polish. Being in the marina meant he could easily turn the boat around to work on both sides, something that would have been far more difficult on the canal.
There was another maintenance task waiting too. Our waste tank sensors, hidden away beneath the bed, had started giving questionable readings. After checking the sensors, emptying the tank and recalibrating the system, we’re hoping they’ll now be a little more reliable and will tell us how full the tank really is! It’s another one of those jobs that’s much easier to tackle in a marina than out on the towpath.
Back to Woodlesford
Yesterday we left Lemonroyd Marina and cruised the short distance back to Woodlesford, where we had previously been moored. It made the perfect starting point for today’s journey into Leeds.
Our plans over the next few weeks are taking shape. We’ll spend just one night in Leeds city centre before continuing our journey west along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal towards Skipton, where we’re looking forward to meeting up with family.
A Windy Cruise into the City
Today’s cruise was supposed to take around four hours, but with everything going smoothly, we completed the journey in just three.
The weather forecast had promised drizzle, and although we did experience a few passing showers, it was actually the strong wind that proved to be the biggest problem for John. Steering a 62 foot narrowboat is always challenging, but gusty conditions certainly require concentration.
Our route began on the Aire & Calder Navigation, passing through Fishpond Lock before heading beneath the M1 motorway. Gradually the landscape changed as the rural scenery gave way to warehouses, industry and the unmistakable signs that Leeds was drawing closer.
At Knostrop Fall Lock we officially rejoined the River Aire before continuing towards the city.
Shorter Locks and Teamwork
The final locks into Leeds always require a little extra concentration. Leeds River Lock marks the point where the chambers become noticeably shorter than those we’d been used to over the past two months.
To fit Round Tuit safely inside, John has to hold the boat at an angle while I carefully work the lock gates. It’s a manoeuvre we’ve become quite used to now, but it still demands good communication and a little patience.
Leeds River Lock is also the last of the electric locks, so at River Lock No.1 I had to get my windlass and handcuff key out again. I’m very out of practice at winding paddles and pushing gates so I had to take my time and focus.
After navigating River Lock No.1, we tied up for the night and, just like that, we were back on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
Mooring in the Heart of Leeds
Our mooring couldn’t be much more central. We’re tied up just above River Lock No.1, directly in front of a lively collection of bars and restaurants and only a stone’s throw from Leeds railway station.
It’s certainly a convenient place to stop, with everything the city has to offer right on our doorstep. The only slight concern is whether the nightlife might continue long after we’ve gone to bed. Time will tell whether it proves to be a peaceful night’s sleep or one accompanied by the lively sounds of the city. But it’s only one night!
Medieval Leeds – A Town Built on Wool and Trade
Although Leeds is best known for its Victorian mills and industrial heritage, its story began many centuries earlier. The settlement was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, and in 1207 it received its first borough charter, allowing regular markets to be held and helping the town to grow as an important centre for trade.
During the Middle Ages, Leeds prospered through the wool trade, with local farmers bringing fleeces into the town to be bought and sold. Nearby Kirkstall Abbey, founded by Cistercian monks in 1152, played a significant role in shaping the local economy, farming vast areas of land and producing wool that was prized across England. Long before the chimneys, mills and factories transformed Leeds into an industrial powerhouse, it was this thriving medieval market town that laid the foundations for the vibrant city we have arrived in today.
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