The Yorkshire Leeds & Liverpool Canal takes you through some of the most beautiful scenery of any waterway in Britain
Day boat hire from the Snaygill boatyard at Bradley, near Skipton.CRUISING THE DALES
Cruising the Dales you have wide views of hills, valleys, fields and woodland and pass through picturesque villages and historic towns.
The water here is quiet and uncrowded, and the stretch you cruise has no locks to work — which is why it suits a day out, whether or not anyone aboard has handled a boat before. There are swing bridges to open along the way, and working these is part of the fun. You will see an exciting range of wildlife because your boat does not disturb it, and you can moor where you like when you like.
There are many places of interest to visit along the canal as well as pubs and restaurants where you can eat.
One of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal maps or guides is invaluable for planning your day, and the boatyard can point you to the stretches that suit the time you have.
“The canal is beyond compare with scenery, views and off-the-water interest”
Edith Devereux in ‘Waterways World’
DAY HIRE / 9:30AM TO 4:30PM
How far can you get in a day?
Your day runs from the boatyard at Bradley, and the canal here is level in both directions.
West, towards Gargrave. Up through Skipton, past the castle and the moorings in the middle of town, and out into open Dales country towards the locks at Gargrave.
East, towards Bingley. Down past Kildwick and Silsden, through the Aire valley, as far as the famous staircase locks at Bingley Five Rise.
You can cruise to either flight, but not through them: our day boats are not insured to work locks and carry no windlass for the gates. That is no bad thing for a day out — it means the whole stretch is lock-free, so you simply turn around when you are ready. There are swing bridges to work along the way, which most people find is half the fun, and we show you how before you set off.
How far you get depends on the day, the weather and how long you stop. Tell the boatyard what you would like to see when you collect the boat and we will point you the right way.
ALONG THE CANAL FROM US
Where this canal goes
Beyond the day-boat stretch above, the Leeds & Liverpool runs on for well over a hundred miles. These are the places it reaches — worth knowing if the canal takes hold of you.
West then east: Foulridge to Bingley
This route is the most popular from our base and takes in the highlights of the canal. Travelling westward into the Dales you enter high, rolling country, which from time to time keeps pace with the Pennine Way. We think this is the most beautiful section of the canal. You should not miss Skipton itself, a fine market town with a dramatic eleventh century castle.
After the impressive mile long Foulridge Tunnel you return and travel east towards Leeds. At Riddlesden, lying between the canal and the River Aire, is East Riddlesden Hall, a National Trust property which dates from the Civil War. From here a bus will link you with the steam trains of the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway which in turn provides an exciting way of reaching the nearby Bronte village of Haworth. This has changed little since the days the Bronte family and the parsonage museum is open throughout the year.
At Bingley you negotiate the famous Bingley 5 Rise locks – opened in 1774. A resident lock keeper helps you operate these staircase locks which drop the canal 60 feet down the Aire Valley. If you’ve still time before returning to Snaygill you can reach Saltaire a village built by the Victorian Sir Titus Salt for his workers. In Salt’s mill there is now a Hockney Art gallery, a restaurant and various interesting shops.
Westward: Snaygill to Burnley
Covering initially the same ground westward as Route No 1 you travel beyond Foulridge via Nelson to Burnley. These industrial towns provide a dramatic contrast to the previously rural scenery. In Burnley an embankment 60 ft high and nearly a mile long carries the canal into the town to the Weavers’ Triangle, a complex of 19th C textile mills and weaving sheds which you can explore before turning back.
Eastward: Snaygill to Leeds
Covering initially the same ground Eastwards as Route No 1 you continue beyond Saltaire. The canal is still quite wooded and rural, the water is clear and kingfishers may surprise you. After passing the ruins of Kirkstall Abbey the surroundings become more built up as you get closer to Leeds. You can visit Armley Mills, a museum of Leeds Industrial Heritage, before mooring up at Granary Wharf in Leeds City Centre, a complex of small shops and businesses housed in the Dark Arches under the railway station. From here you can explore Leeds itself and visit the newly built Royal Armouries Museum.
FURTHER AFIELD
Beyond the Dales
Further along the Leeds & Liverpool, and well beyond a day trip from Bradley. Here for anyone curious about where the water goes:
West via Wigan to the Douglas Valley
Cruising beyond Burnley and Blackburn you come out again in to the countryside and the attractive Johnson’s Hillock Locks. The Wigan Flight of 21 locks is certainly an experience and sometimes proves to be a barrier but beyond it lies Wigan Pier and the Heritage Centre including an exciting exhibition centre and museum. From here you can navigate the attractive rural Douglas Valley to Burscough.
East via Leeds to Sowerby Bridge
Cruising beyond Leeds you drop onto the River Aire and the Aire & Calder Navigation. The river is wide, the locks mechanised and you will encounter commercial traffic. Turning west at Castleford The Calder & Hebble Navigation takes you up a steep valley into Sowerby Bridge which has fine wharf buildings. Time permitting you can explore the lower part of the Rochdale Canal.
PLEASE NOTE
- Our boats are not permitted to cruise on tidal waters e.g. the River Ouse to York or the Trent to Nottingham.