After Bingley and its two staircases, the canal proceeds in a north westerly direction through 17 swing bridges (across 12 miles) to Skipton, where we decided to have a couple of days off. Skipton is a market town (market on Mondays) and is listed in the Doomsday Book. Skipton Castle dates back to the 1100s. During the English Civil War it was the only Royalist stronghold in the north of England until December 1645. After a three year siege, a surrender was negotiated in 1645 between Oliver Cromwell and the Royalists. Today it stands as a well preserved medieval castle and is a tourist attraction and private residence.
At Skipton, a short branch of canal called Thanet Canal (or Springs Canal) leaves the Leeds Liverpool. Lord Thanet, who was the owner of Skipton Castle
in the late 18th Century, owned some limestone quarries near to the
castle. When the Leeds and Liverpool Canal were building their main
line, he petitioned them to alter its route to better serve his
quarries.
This they refused to do, and so on 10 May 1773
he obtained an act of Parliament
which authorised the construction of a branch canal to serve this
purpose. The Act did not authorise the raising of capital, as Lord
Thanet financed the canal himself, and it was constructed mainly on his
own land.
Skipton Castle seen from the Thanet Canal.
The branch was built quickly, as it was only about one third of a
mile (0.5 km) long. It left the Leeds and Liverpool canal in the centre
of Skipton, and ran around the back of the castle to some loading
chutes, into which limestone from the quarries was tipped. In 1785, the
Leeds and Liverpool Canal Company took over the lease of the canal. In
1794, a 240 yd (220m) extension was constructed, to a new loading dock,
which was linked to quarries by a tramway.
Much of the limestone went to Low Moor Ironworks in Bradford, where it
was used in the smelting of iron. It was also used as road stone, and
some of it was burnt to produce lime, for use as a fertiliser and in the
production of mortar.
As built, the tramway terminus was a lot higher than the canal, and
long chutes were used to load the limestone into boats. Because this
caused damage to the boats and the noise disturbed the occupants of the
castle, a steeper tramway was constructed, which resulted in shorter
chutes, less noise and less damage. The shorter metal shoots are still
visible on the canal bank, below the castle walls.
These days the Thanet Canal is only really used by a shallow drafted trip boat, which takes passengers along the canal and back to the junction with the Leeds Liverpool.
Leaving Skipton behind we continued to Gargrave on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, and has both the canal and the River Aire running through the village. We spent a pleasant hour or so in the lovely tea rooms/sweet shop called the Dalesman where we enjoyed "Yorkshire Ginger Moggy" - a very naughty, but satisfying pudding.
The Dalesman
From Gargave we started up 12 locks, reaching the summit of the canal - 487 feet above sea level - the views were lovely...
Such a pity we didn't have sunshine though....
Inevitably we reached more locks, this time going downhill. So far the locks have been in flights - groups of locks close together, mainly 6s and 7s, but with miles between the flights. The canal passes through Burnley and Blackburn, and we had no desires to stop at either. Like in many cities the canal has been used as a dumping ground for all sorts of rubbish. Yesterday we picked up a load of plastic bags and cartons which managed to get itself round our propellar shaft (thereby stopping the engine).
And whilst we didn't get anything today around the prop we did encounter numerous shopping trolleys, plastic chairs, bottles, carrier bags, umbrellas (not good news) and a TV and bed ....
But one brave morehen decided that a polastirien take-away tray might make a good nest...
