Day 24 Skipton to Shipley
Well it is Sunday and all the Sunday boaters are out as is the sun. There are lots of people out today on the water and on the tow path where I have spent much of the day myself. There has been lots of my kind from a whole variety of tribes, it has been nice having a smell and a chat, they are all very friendly up here in North Yorkshire. I am not sure I understand everything they say but then I am Spanish.
The scenery has been beautiful and we have passed through loads of remote farms – hundreds of woolly creatures that I have an urge to but am not allowed to round up.
Progress for my long kennel has been at a gentle walking pace for me as it has had to stop often at the numerous swing bridges that frequent this farming area. This is when my long haired one and friend Barbie who accompany me on these walks along the tow path, can catch up.
Some of the swing bridges stop the road traffic in order to allow us through. Mike likes operating these, it gives him a great sense of power.
We arrived at one swing bridge at Riddlesden that was broken and refused to open. We have had this problem before. The authorities were advised by a previous traveller and it just happened that my owners’ friend Toby Carvery was in the area and so we left my long kennel to go and meet him for lunch.
This turned out to be at a pub and we had to sit outside because I am a dog and they had enormous meals and I had some pork crackling which my bearded one gave me, it had been sucked, he was unable to chew it. I managed.
After lunch we returned to my long kennel to find that the swing bridge was repaired and we were able to proceed on our journey to Bingley 5 rise. This gargantuan lock structure with its other contemporaries, 3 and 2 rise, drops us and the canal by 100 feet. Barry who has been chief lock keeper for 35 years and speaks only in monosyllables helped us through.
The weather has been very lovely this afternoon and it has been very tiring. Exhausted we settled down for the night just west of Shipley.
My photos today are all at Bingley 5 rise locks
Sent from my iPad
Dear Douglas
We are so very happy that the sun has finally come out for you and the long-legged ones … we were afraid you would all come home with a touch of rust!
It’s good to read about your adventures and we’re pleased you are getting the opportunity to walk your owners frequently – no doubt they need the exercise to compensate for all the foody treats they are indulging in. You, on the other hand, must be your usual slim self (although we’re not sure slightly-sucked pork crackling should be indulged in on a regular basis).
Now, regarding their friend Toby Carvery … we’re sure the food he serves is fine, but the drinks might be questionably strong. We would draw your attention to the pictures posted on this blog. No doubt the inverted images are not of your doing – this would seem to be the work of one of the two-legged ones, who might very well have been legless! The alternative scenario is the long-kennel has tipped over and you are all in a very wet and topsy-turvey state …
Sent from our PC, although we’re not – PC that is – with much love and strokes to you all!