2009 Walk Day 8 Shipley - Leeds

The final day of walking did not get off to the best of starts when changing trains at Leeds whilst half asleep I managed to land myself in the sorry hole which is Wakefield Kirkgate. To add insult to injury the next train back Leeds 30 minutes later had a coupling problem so by the time that was sorted and I got the right train I was in Shipley 2 hours late.

Rejoining the canal, via a lovely Victorian wrought-iron footbridge, I saw the largest Cygnet so far and horse with a rather shy youngster.




Passing by Esholt (of Emmerdale fame), the canal runs alongside the biggest sewage plant I have ever seen. I didn't think it worth the effort of photographing, but was a little bemused by the signs warning of 24 hour security patrols - what would anyone want to steal from there.

Once the air was clearer, I could begin to appreciate the nice wooded scenes and after a couple more sets of locks I was at Apperley Bridge, just 9 miles from Leeds now.




Apperley Bridge seems a pleasant enough place with plenty of new properties in evidence as well an interesting bit of tree-art.



After a bit more open country with some cows and calves enjoying the sunshine, I arrived at Rodley for my one and only stop of the day. I later learnt that Rodley is the former home of Rowley Workshop, the birthplace of Dusty Bin and Wizbit.



I got my first sight of the outskirts of Leeds itself via these two highrises just as an angry cloud tried in vain to rain on me (it managed about 3 drops). A little further along, the Airdale (railway) Line cosies up alongside the canal, and - after several failed attempts due to the difficult light and backdrop - I finally got a half-decent shot of Kirkstall Abbey. Sadly the Abbey is just ruins now, having fallen victim to Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries.






Moving on past Headingley, which was out of view, I managed to get a shot of a duck having a bath before passing the last marina of the canal.





Passing back under the railway, I got my first sighting of the city centre itself before entering the final mile of the mission.




Rounding the final bend, with the train station in sight, the construction area around Granary Wharf came into sight and it was one more lock to pass before reaching the end where the canal ends and the Aire & Calder navigation can be accessed via a lock. Thirteen miles for the day, taking me up to the final total of 127 miles.






So after 127 miles, 95 locks, over 250 bridges, 17 trains and 1 bus my journey is done. In my opinion the canal is thing of wonder, taking me through some wonderful places as well as some whose time has been and will hopefully come again. I am in awe of the skill and vision that went into its creation and the effort that has gone into keeping it alive. In this modern era it is something to be proud of that an amenity of this scale can exist purely for pleasure and I would do it all again without hesitation.