Hilary drops Sophie and I off at Skipton Bus Station, which is right next to the Canal.
I set off through the basin area in Skipton, where there is a small branch that heads off to the Castle and Wright Wine Shop, ignoring these attractions I turn along the main canal, past the now converted but impressive mills that line the canal.
There are informative notices right along the towpath, which as Hilary knows can hinder many a town stroll as blue plaques etc. are like magnets for me. The big mill is Belle Vue famous for Sylko cotton threads – the name brings back memories, but also much later I know Kingsley Cards had a presence there. Today they are flats.
The next main town is Gargrave, which I often pass through on the A65 enroute to Wainwright list completion. The difference now is that the canal passes around the back of the town and gives a completely different perspective than the road does, so glad I’ve done this. One of the pleasant aspects of today’s walk is the number of barges out on the canal today, showing much variety.
After crossing the A65 the canal heads along the Craven valley. It’s easy to just keep walking following ones nose, forgetting to turn back and take in the views left behind.
The Bank Newton Lock and Basin though reminds one with an information board advising that it was the favourite spot for head of canal at one point with views back over to Cracoe and Rylstone pin pointed by some old pictures of the canal during its working days showing the same distant vista as today.
By now you would have thought I’d have known what the iron rings on every bridge were about, but no. It’s here that a board explains and a replica has been added – now I know – as the horses were pulling a barge through a bridge the rope would have caught on the bridges stone walls and frayed, the wooden roller that was attached to the ring, meant the rope passed smoothly by.
From here the canal zig zags quite profoundly, such that after a mile or so of walking when I look back it seems I could toss a stone back over the many turns and land on the spot I stood 20 minutes before, however the scenery does seem to change with each turn and interest never wanes.
Lunch is at The Cross Keys in East Marton. The famous double bridge carries the road to follow to get to the pub.
After lunch its onto another town I’d never visited before, but has a grand name; Barnoldswick. The canal follows alongside the sprawling Rolls Royce site (note to self must Google and find out how such a location came about) and just as surprisingly the Silentnight bed factory. On the left though is the site of another, what must have been, large industrial site of some sort but now just flat space. Just outside Barnoldswick we pass what was once the railway line that serviced the area prior to Beeching. Today an abrupt ending is what is left!
After seeing more nesting birds and an arc of deer I leave Yorkshire.
The end of this leg is the start of the Foulridge Tunnel, and it’s small wharf area.
It’s then up though the village to find the bus stop. Fortunately there is enough time for a swift pint of a Dan Thwaites craft ales at The New Inn, very good must seek out more of their craft beers. Sophie and I then catch bus to Skipton and change to another one for Ilkley.
Route Summary
