Skipton (Leeds & Liverpool Canal) to Cherry Tree (Leeds & Liverpool Canal)

Total distance is 43 miles, 28 locks and 9 swingbridges 

 

 

It’ll have been nice to spend a few days back in Skipton – last time ‘Ellis’ was here was during Covid Lockdown 1 – here’s hoping everything is open again this time!

 

We’ll expect our guests to arrive about 1.30pm  on day 1 and after an introductory blah blah (and most probably a glass of something fizzy) we’ll chug off towards Gargrave and aim to moor up before Eshton Lock for our first night together.

 

 Next morning (after a simple DIY breakfast), we’ll cast off and head up Eshton and Higherland lock – topping up with water and possible stopping off in the pound to give guests the opportunity to take a look around Gargrave if desired.  Today we’ll work our way up Bank Newton Locks and onto one of the most scenic parts of this canal (imho).  We’ll moor up for the day on the curley wurley section before Easton Marton.

 

Day 3 will see us passing through Easton Marton (topping up with water probably), lunching around the top of Greenberfield, passing Barnoldswick (Rolls Royce Factory) probably mooring for the night around Salterforth (for a visit to the Anchor – where we once one 2nd prize on quiz night).

 

Next morning we’ll be bound for Foulridge tunnel (which is famous for cow that fell in at one end and swam/walked all the way through to the other) for lunch and then on to Barrowford locks… 7 or 8 (I can’t remember) where we’ll moor at the bottom once through them.

 

The next part of the canal isn’t the prettiest…Nelson doesn’t really have a lot to offer but once through, mooring for lunch around Reedley Marina will be nice enough. After which, we’ll need to clear the famous Burnley embankment – probably not stopping over night until Rose Grove which isn’t TOO bad but does tend to attract “constant moorers” hogging the spaces.  If we can’t get in there, we’ll just have to put in a longer day and moor in Hapton.

 

Our penultimate day needn’t be TOO long – Church is a nice enough spot to stop for lunch and we can stop early around Accrington and District golf club or press on to Rishton if we’re so inclined.

 

The final days travel will see us working our way down Blackburn Locks (which are always on restricted use these days due to repeated vandalism).   There are services in the lock flight and we’ll need to top up the water tank before we end the day at the bottom… or rather a mile or so farther on near bridge 94 where mooring feels a bit nicer. 

 

Our guests will be able to make the short walk to the train station (about 1/3 of a mile back) along the towpath when they depart after breakfast the following morning.