To York, and possibly Ripon

20th April 2022 – Mirfield to Wakefield

Ian hadn’t specified a departure time, but I knew it would be about half an hour before I was ready to go. Predictably, the summons to ‘cast off at the front’ came while I was still consuming my second cup of tea.

Derwent Lass was pointing in the wrong direction for York, so we had to go through the flood lock at Ledgard Bridge to turn around in the river, and head towards Shepley Bridge.

Shepley Bridge is always busy. There are two community boats based there, and usually people there glad to chat and give a hand working the lock.

The Calder and Hebble Navigation isn’t for those of a nervous disposition. This is the usual topic of conversation, and the gentleman who was helping me at the lock mentioned that Robbie Cummings, of Channel Four fame, had recently done the Navigation and even he had come unstuck in Kirklees Lock.

I countered with an account of an article I had read recently in a canal boating magazine. The author had been accompanied on his journey on the C&H by an inexperienced crew, and things had been rather fraught. He had had several near-death experiences, for which he blamed his crew’s ineptitude, and conveyed the impression that the Navigation was best avoided.

“Was ‘e from down south?”

While denying that our journeys are target-driven in any way, Ian nonetheless wanted to get to Stanley Ferry on the first night. That it had always taken us two days to get to or from Stanley Ferry on previous trips was of no significance.
There were several minor, unavoidable delays, which all added up to a significant loss of time, and eventually he conceded that Wakefield was a more achievable destination.

As we approached Greenwood Lock, it looked as if our journey might be imperilled from the start. There were two Canal & River Trust barges ahead of us, one of which was sitting firmly in the lock. But when they saw us, they waved genially and vacated the lock and let us through.

After the criticism by another boater of our home-made Calder and Hebble spike, Ian had been stung into fashioning a new, longer, stronger, and better fitting model. The image below is me attempting to wield it at Calder Island, as we approached Wakefield.

Having left Mirfield at 9.00am, we arrived at Wakefield, tired and hungry, at 7.30 pm. New guidelines around time spent boating, miles covered, and number of locks tackled each day are now in place.

21st April 2022 – Wakefield to Castleford

We had a deadline, but not an onerous one. We had to be at Stanley Ferry for 11am to fill the tank with diesel, but we were through the big lock at Fall Ings, where the Calder and Hebble ends, by 9.30. We were at Stanley Ferry early enough to fill up with water and buy a new gas bottle too. And after Fall Ings, we had the luxury of the electrically controlled locks on the Aire and Calder.

The sun shone all day and we were moored up in Castleford in plenty of time to walk into the town via the stunning Millennium Bridge over the River Aire, and replenish our supplies at the Co-op.

On the way back we couldn’t resist trying the Gamekeeper bitter from Wensleydale Brewery at the Griffin Pub.

22 April 2022 – Castleford to Ferrybridge

We started with lunch at the Queens Mill Tea Rooms, overlooking the weir, with Alan and Caro who were on their way back to Cheshire from Ripon, via Castleford so they could meet us. We hadn’t seen Alan for 35 years, and not met Caro before, and were too busy talking and catching up to bother with frivolities like taking photographs. After two years of very reduced socialising because of Covid, I’ve learned to value friendship and companionship.

This time, Bulholme Lock, the first lock out of Castleford, which had broken down the last time we came through, presented no problems and we had a leisurely cruise to Ferrybridge. Last time we were here, two of the cooling towers were still standing, but they’ve now been replaced by altogether more clean-looking, modern structures. The sun was shining and on the opposite bank a couple with a motor cruiser relaxed in reclining chairs, drinking beer and listening to dire, repetitive music. We were still clad in several layers of thermal undergarments, but they had clearly decided summer had arrived and sported shorts and, for her, a strappy top.

23rd April 2022 – Ferrybridge to Selby

We left Ferrybridge under gloomy grey skies, noting in passing the Steam Packet pub bedecked with flags, and some stalwarts taking part in a fishing competition in the gloom.

At Knottingley, we left the Aire & Calder Navigation, and followed the River Aire to West Haddesley, where we joined the Selby Canal. By lunchtime, the skies had cleared and we passed Eggborough Power Station rising in the distance from the flat landscape.

24th April 2022 – Selby to Naburn

This was the bit Ian had been waiting for – the challenge of navigating the tidal River Ouse. The lock at Selby is manned and opens only at certain times, when the tidal flow is in the right direction. What this meant was that we had a morning free to look at Selby Abbey, just a short walk from the mooring and lock. As we were walking along the riverfront, a gentleman on his motorised scooter hailed us and passed the time of day. He then crossed the road and managed to photobomb my image of this interesting house which faced the river.

On the way to the Abbey, we passed the railway station – Selby has the distinction of building the first railway station in Yorkshire.

The interior of the Abbey really defies description, except to say that its beauty was breathtaking.

25th April 2022 Naburn to York

The River Ouse is clearly a popular place for motor cruisers and they lined the banks for some distance after we left Naburn.

And I couldn’t resist a photograph of this trawler, which was so similar to our American boat mvCarina.

Further up the river there was what looked like a boat graveyard.

At Bishopsthorpe, we passed the official residence of the Archbishop of York.

Arriving by narrowboat is a great way to enter the city of York.

We moored up just past Lendal Bridge, next to the lovely Museum Gardens and Abbey ruins and after lunch went out to do a bit of exploring, along with thousands of others.

Margaret Clitherow was found guilty of harbouring and maintaining Roman Catholic priests and executed in 1586. She was canonised in 1970.

We got back to the boat and were looking forward to a nice sit-down with a cup of tea and a piece of Simnel Cake. It was not to be. I quickly observed that the toilet was full to capacity and slightly overflowing (with flushing water, nothing noxious) and that no water was coming out of the taps. But with no usable toilet, and no water, we had a bit of a problem.

A phone call to York Marina was reassuring. They were open till 5pm and we could use their pump-out and get water. The only trouble was it was downriver, not far from Naburn where we had moored the previous night, and we had to go quite fast to get there before they closed. And then drive back again to the mooring, which we reached about 7 o’clock.

There was a silver lining. We’d noticed a restaurant called NOLA which, unsurprisingly, specialised in Southwestern USA cuisine, and on Tuesdays and Fridays, they had live jazz. I’d tried to book a table, but on the jazz nights they were booked up four weeks ahead. However, today was Monday, and they had a table available. The food was excellent and was some consolation for the trials of the afternoon.

26th April 2022 York

Being National Trust members, we thought we might visit the Treasurer’s House. But the NT was still operating an advance booking system and there were no slots available. Instead, we visited Fairfax House, restored and maintained by the York Civic Trust. The house was bought by Charles, 9th Viscount Fairfax in 1759 and gifted to his last surviving child, his daughter Anne. He engaged a prominent Yorkshire architect, John Carr, to rebuild and refurbish the property.

We didn’t get to Ripon after all. Quite apart from my pressing social engagements, there was a lock closure below Ripon which meant that we couldn’t have reached the city itself. So the delights of the upper reaches of the River Ouse will have to wait for a return trip.

28th April 2022 Naburn to West Haddesley

We had to be up early to go through Naburn Lock at 7.30, and then Selby Lock at lunchtime that day. The grey skies continued.

29th April 2022 West Haddesley to Stanley Ferry

Unlike the previous day, we woke to a beautiful morning and the sunshine lasted all day. After some discussion, in view of the amenable weather, it was agreed to relax the guidelines temporarily to allow for a long cruise to Stanley Ferry. This would be rewarded with a meal out at the Stanley Ferry pub, and I wouldn’t have to cook.

The actualité was a bit different. There are always lots of boats moored at Stanley Ferry and the visitor moorings are some distance from the pub. Arriving at 7.00, we found ourselves having to moor about half a mile from the pub, and it was 7.30 before we were ready to go.

But that was alright – according to the website, they served food till 9. We could relax and wait. The pub was busy, but we could see there were plenty of free tables.

But on the door was a sign. ‘Kitchen closed at 7.30’. It wasn’t looking good, but ever-hopeful, I imagined that if I phrased my question in a positive way, it might lead to the desired outcome.

I approached a waitress. ‘Please could we have a table and get some food?’

She was unmoved. ‘The kitchen’s closed, we’re finished. You can still get a drink.’

Ian wondered if I’d like a cocktail. I replied with the most glacial expression in my reserves of glacial expressions.

Our misery was compounded by the fact that Google maps confirmed that there were no pubs or restaurants within walking distance. It was scrambled eggs on toast made from stale bread for dinner. And no pudding.

But tomorrow was another day, and Ian’s birthday.

30th April 2022 Stanley Ferry to Horbury Bridge

The sun shone again on Ian’s birthday and the trauma of the previous evening quickly forgotten.

To make up for the previous evening, and to celebrate Ian’s birthday, I had a look online for somewhere that might be suitable in Horbury Bridge. Di Bosco, ‘a unique European style coffee bar, champagne lounge and restaurant’ sounded just the job and it was only 200 yards from our mooring. Our meal was very nice and certainly much better than dinner at the Stanley Ferry would have been.

So all ended well, and it was only a short cruise back to Mirfield the next day and on to home.