Salt's Mill and Bingley

The morning was planned as a visit to Salt's Mill, just a couple of minutes over the bridge from where we moored last night. We had to wait until it opened at 10 am - unfortunately the special David Hockney exhibition is not open on Mondays and Tuesdays but there was still plenty to see.

Saltaire United Reformed Church

Salt's Mill

We climbed up solid stone stairs to the second floor where there was a special exhibition of three artists all of whom had visited to Mill to gain inspiration from the history of textiles.

Tight by Bob White

Alice was especially interested in the artwork - she could understand particularly the series based on net curtains and the idea of counting time (marked with pins) and the difference between captivity and freedom.

The Illusion of Freedom by Carol Guarini

Christine spotted some good priced fleeces for Alice and Jess - they enjoyed trying on quite a number and sorting out which colour they preferred. Whilst Christine spent time choosing a pair of silver ear rings for herself from the work of several specialist designers, the others went down to the ground floor where there is a general collection of Hockney works. The strong colours spoke clearly to Alice and she studied a number of the drawings and sketches quite closely, recognising two (not close to each other in the exhibition) which were very similar and she could see the relationship between them.

She and Christine continued to look at the pictures whilst Jess and Mike went back to the boat - taking a diversion to the Ice Cream boat for a mixed bag of old fashioned sweets and fresh donuts for everyone. When she arrived, Alice also went for her own bag of sweets!

River Aire Aqueduct

Time to set off and we had a single lock and a double lock staircase to negotiate before lunch below the flights at Bingley. In between we passed over the River Aire on an aqueduct - although we could not actually see the river hidden by trees and shrubs!

Dawley Gap Middle Gates (leaky!)

The Dawley Gap Staircase proved very difficult to work - the gates are due to be replaced this winter, not before time! it was not a help that a boat coming down (supposedly training people how to use the canals) closed the bottom gates as they exited. There was so much water leaking through the middle gates that it took some time to re-open the bottom pair.

Although the early morning was very wet, the rain gradually cleared and by the middle of the day pleasant sunshine arrived and made a very delightful afternoon.

Bingley Three Rise Staircase

We moored for a short while at Bingley so that we could all have lunch before tackling the Bingley Three Rise and then the famous Five Rise staircases.

Bingley Five Rise

Both flights have lock keepers to operate the locks - brought in because so many people made serious mistakes and frequent boat sinkings became the norm. Although deep they are not especially difficult to work but they do need to be taken slowly in order to avoid boats being tossed around in the lock by the fierce streams of water from the paddles.

Looking Down Bingley Five Rise

Mike had vertigo just looking down!

Two lock keepers!

We moored just above the locks to use the water point and disposal facilities. Local ice cream was on sale at the Five Locks Cafe with some rather unusual flavours available. Mike's was licorice and blackcurrant, specially chosen for him by the ladies!

Converted Wharf Building

Morton Swing Bridge

On again and we had two mechanised swing bridges immediately ahead of us - in both cases they are used by quite a bit of traffic so rather long queues built up on either side! After the second one decided that it was time to find a mooring for the night. Alice and Christine went for a walk along the towpath.

Alice's Blog

Books for sale

David Hockney Gallery

I went through the door of the mill and went upstairs to the gallery. I liked two pictures by David Hockney of the same flowers. One was colour and one was not. There were some very large jars made in Leeds. There were lots of books for sale. Then we went back to the boat.

3.7 miles - 11 locks