2nd of July. Not the easist day.

After a wet evening, night and morning we set off late and rather reluctantly from our mooring in Kildwick. The wind, rain and mud is getting to us rather. We went through all this in February and were hoping for something different by now!

The view of Airedale on Jo's evening walk

Robin had chatted to a neighbouring boat and they had suggested we set off together but when we knocked for them in the morning their fire was lit and they were tucked up for the day out of the rain. By the end of the day we rather wished we had done the same.

There are no locks on this stretch but lots of swing bridges. We had issues with these as the day went on. After just a mile or the boat caught in the wind as Robin stopped to pick up Jo after a swing bridge. The stern headed across the canal towards boats moored on the other side and Robin on the middle rope couldn't get him back. Jo took the rope and Robin headed along the side of the boat to get on the helm to sort things out. However he was wearing his waterproof but non-grip trainers and slipped off. He discovered its impossible to get back on the boat from a muddy canal and was helped out and back on board by the boat owners on the other side. Eventually we managed to get the boat secured and Robin into the shower. No injuries this time fortunately, except to his pride :(

Looking back at the site of the captain's dunking.

After a cup of tea, we set off again. After half a mile or so we encountered a day boat with half a dozen or so drunk men on it. We kept over the correct side of the canal but they just kept coming at us. Robin put Harold in full reverse and they still managed to hit us full on and damage the paintwork on the bow. Fortunately Harold was the bigger boats and just rocked a bit. They were lucky not to tip their boat over! Later Robin phoned the hire boat company to let them know and we await any outcome.

This was followed by several incidents with swing bridges; one so stiff it took Robin and a passer by to open, another broken and we had to wait for CRT to come and open it. At another an impatient takeaway delivery driver took exception to waiting and got a bit shirty. During all this we got views over Keighley.

Keighley

We had identified a mooring in our book at Riddlesdon and stopped there. But there were no other boats and a housing estate quite close. It just didn't seem too safe and we decided discretion is the better part of valour. This meant pushing on to the top of the Bingley locks. We went past this converted example of the type of boats that used to work this canal.

We eventually arrived at Bingley just before 7pm and nabbed one of the last mooring spots.

Harold in his mooring at the top of the Bingley locks.

You can just see the Damart factory and it's chimney on the left which we will go past tomorrow.

Robin opened the kitchen cupboard to get a glass out for his well-earned pint and a glass (disturbed by the earlier crash) fell out and smashed everywhere. That's enough for one day.