Back in Leeds

So after spending a couple of months on the Leeds Liverpool canal around Skipton and catching up with my recently single brother I'm on the move again.  Spent the last few days retracing my steps back down the L&L to Leeds where I arrived today. I'be already covered this route in my earlier entries so not a lot to add.  Skipton is still a lovely market town with a good range of shops and reasonable transport links, although sadly the bus service to Harrogate no longer runs as it was not cost effective.

Skipton Basin

Waiting to decent the famous Bingley 5 rise staircase lock

I was puzzled for a while by the offset white mark on the bridges along the L&L.  The penny finally dropped and I realised that, as the bridge includes the towpath, the centre of the arch is not actually the centre of the canal and it is this that the mark indicates. No doubt a useful navigation aid for the wider boats for which the L&L was designed. 

My cruising plan for the next month is to make my way back to the midlands via the river Trent.