Skipton to East Marton

This is true Yorkshire Dales country. We’re high up and it feels like the  canal is still climbing although this is an optical illusion as we haven’t seen a lock since Bingley. It’s because we’re reaching the top of the valleys.

Heading towards Gargrave

But we still had a few hundred feet to climb before we reached the summit of the canal and locking up began again at Gargrave.

Super highway super slow way

We were a bit disappointed that the footpath closures meant the mooring in Gargrave was restricted and limited, which is a pity because it’s a pretty village, one that we have driven through many times. But the generous side of my nature says it’ll be a fantastic asset to the walkers and cyclists once it’s finished.

Overnight mooring just before

We moored one night but then took advantage of a fellow traveller to share the locks

Proof that it’s not just the women who like to chat

People aren’t wrong when they say this is the prettiest section of the canal, and I think the Gargrave flight definatelty makes it into my top 10 for views. We were lucky that our dramatic cloudy backdrop held onto the rain until after we had cruised.

Just another beautiful bridge

We were able to stretch our legs with some bracing walks

Bridge over the river Aire

Thankful that we didn’t have too strenuous a climb to reach the top.

Around Bank Newton

Sadly the weather didn’t play fair and we had to dodge some heavy downpours before reaching East Marton, though without rain you dont get rainbows and I was able to take advantage of a sunny break to show off my Towpath spinning.

100g Jacob wool

It would have been easy to slip through the tiny village of East Marton if we hadn’t been on the lookout for the water point. And the lock keeper had told us that the Cross Keys pub did a good Sunday carvery.

Looking down from the Cross Keys,

We could just about see Firecrest nestled below us, in the far left, as we ate the best roast beef and Yorkshire pudding we’d had since I last cooked it in Boroughbridge.

There’s Roast Beef underneath that Yorkshire pudding