UK Canal Boating

Turning north from your mooring you soon reach another swing bridge and your first lock followed by a small aqueduct .
Locks 41-30 require a Handcuff key which should should have in a cupboard in the boat, or hanging up.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park borders the Canal. Some of England's finest walking country is contained in this area of fine views, deep valleys , open moorland and rugged hills.
Secretly along this stretch the canal soothes old wars, disregarding history's bloody boundary as it flows seamlessly from Yorkshire back into Lancashire.

Travel onwards through therapeutic views towards the cute cottages, tearooms, pubs and church of Gargrave. On the border of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Gargrave knows how to pull out all the stops for English charm. The Pennine Way crosses the canal at bridge 170, so cyclists and walkers reliably join boaters in the Dalesman Café.

It is 1.5 hours to here so a good place to moor for the night.
This attractive and much visitied village has many pubs offering food and drink. There are visitor moorings after lock 32 and the village is off to your left.


A few locks and another small aqueduct lead you south away from Gargrave , and the 6 Bank Newton locks interrupt the outstanding scenery with excellent views across the valley to the hills and moors beyond.

Near the small village of East Marton there are Moorings on the left, and the Cross Keys Inn awaits you on the right bank, also the Abbots Harbour a cosy restaurant serving home cooked food just past bridge 162 on the right, or via a lane by the Cross Keys.

The scenery is beautiful, with countless hillocks and distant mountains, as the canal twists and turns along its meandering path, there are no more locks until you reach the Greenberfield Locks leading to Barnoldswick.

Barnoldswick is set away from the canal to your right - it is steeped in living history. Its ancient heritage dates back to pre-Roman times. Nowadays, stone built streets surround a traditional town centre with a restful square at the heart of the community. The town even has a unique time of its own, with a clock based on the 12 different letters in Barnoldswick!

The town is well known for its industrial heritage. Aside from having the highest point of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Barnoldswick is famous for being the place where Rolls-Royce developed the jet engine in the second World War. There's also the town's most iconic landmark - Bancroft Mill with its working steam engine with free entry on most Saturdays. It originally drove some 1250 weaving looms and generates over 600 hp.

Barnoldswick is where Bronte Country meets the Yorkshire Dales and has recently won the Best British High Street Award with many independant shops and of course pubs.

You can turn your boat just before Long Ing bridge 153 and walk into town from Bridge 153.
It is 4.5 hours from Gargrave to here .

It is 6 hours back to your mooring, so take your time on the way back

 

NB: This route has been provided as a guide only. Information may become inaccurate or out of date. You should always check with the marina that the route is possible within your time frame, current weather conditions and canal stoppages etc.