Skipton

SmartGauge showing in the 20s this a.m. Engine for two hours before church. Coffee and then lunch at Forage, but beef a bit tough in parts. Good wifi for keeping an eye on cricket, athletics, F1.

Checking the batteries in the afternoon showed that the magic eye in three of them was green, but the status of the fourth was not clear. I decided to remove it, and see whether three apparently good batteries would hold charge better. However, once it was removed, its magic eye was also showing green, so I replaced it. SG initially complained at having been disconnected, but seemed to recover. Heavy thunderstorm late afternoon as I was completing this work.

Ran the engine from 5.30 to try to recover from last night's low.

0 miles, 4.5 engine hours

Kildwick to Skipton

Got the car back to Enterprise in the morning. An email back from Cotswold gave hope for exchanging the damaged trainers, but the promised rain made us wait till after coffee before setting out. Tied up on the 24 hour mooring opposite Pennine. Got the shoes changed, bought some trousers for Margaret, then went to Morrisons.

This meant the only specific charging had been morning for 2 hours, plus the 2.5 hours of cruising. However, we'd been doing a wash during that time.

4.9 miles, 0 locks, 6 swing bridges, 4.5 engine hours

Kildwick

Clearing, cleaning, checked weed hatch. Returned car to Enterprise and booked for Friday. Washed fleece on Sports setting.

0 miles, 4 engine hours.

Kildwick to Silsden to Kildwick

Poo tank light came on last night, so we went down to Silsden for a pump-out (£15 with blue), and to fill up with water. Also answered the question from the children as to what we were going to do during the extra day. After lunch, drove to Skipton so all three could visit the museum, before driving over to the airport for the evening flight.

3.7 miles, 0 locks, 8 swing bridges, 4 engine hours.

Kildwick

Drove to the airport to fly the children home, but found we'd forgotten their passports. Had to book new flights, come back to the boat for the night and extend the Enterprise car hire.

Watched "Home Alone" after tea. Poo tank light came on.

0 miles, 3.5 engine hours

Skipton to Kildwick

Fine day to come down to Kildwick. Tied up just before the winding hole. Phoned Enterprise and found they weren't expecting to pick me up, so arranged that they did, at 5 p.m.

5 miles, 0 locks, 6 swing bridges, 4.5 engine hours

Gargrave to Skipton

Late getting up. Set out after coffee. Stopped for lunch after the third lock. Theo worked locks and bridges, and did some steering. Met Peter and Stephanie on NB Maggie May. Tied up just before the Aireville Park bridge, which was ideal for the children.

5.1 miles, 3 locks, 4 swing bridges, 6 engine hours

Gargrave

Did a circular walk out from Gargrave along the Pennine Way south for a bit, then cut across to the Bank Newton locks, and back along the towpath. Fine day with some sun.

Got back early afternoon, so went down to the recreation area by the the River Aire and had a very good time chilling.

Watched The Railway Children when we got back, either side of tea.

0 miles, 4 engine hours

Skipton to Gargrave

Very wet day, so the start was delayed until after lunch. Reversed back to Pennine Boats for an emergency pump-out. Did some shopping. Got to Gargrave about 6.45, but found a good mooring just past the winding hole. Too wet for much.

5.3 miles, 3 locks, 5 swing bridges, 6 engine hours

Skipton

Took the Embsay Railway out to Bolton Abbey, and spent the day in the grounds near the stepping stone. Went up the Welly Walk with the children.

Missed the bus both directions and had to take taxis.

0 miles, 3 engine hours

Skipton

Went to the castle in the morning, and then to the Corn Mill. Ran into John and Jan Halford on the way back.  Morrison's and Airedale Park in the afternoon.

0 miles, 4 engine hours

Kildwick to Skipton

Fine day. Up to Skipton, took on water at the station, and tied up just past the junction.

4.8 miles, 0 locks, 5 swing bridges, 5 engine hours

Kildwick

Enterprise picked us up from the White Lion car park in Kildwick. Got over to the airport in time to have a coffee before the children arrived.

Rainy start to the journey back, but it soon cleared. Stopped for a McDonald's.  Took the car back to Enterprise that afternoon. 

Took the children to the playing field in Kildwick late afternoon.

0 miles, 3 engine hours

Kildwick

Day spent getting Erin Mae ready for the children's arrival.

0 miles, 4.5 engine hours

Silsden to Kildwick

Sunny day, so didn't bother running the engine first thing. Listened to the cricket and then, after lunch, went to do some initial shopping for the kids in the Co-op.

At 4 p.m. reversed to Silsden Boats to pick up water, and then followed one of their boats with a newbie family, working some of the swing bridges with them. Tied up at Kildwick just before the winding hole. Left the engine running for some hoovering, and then kept it going, especially to watch the highlights of the Ashes victory.

2 miles, 4 swing bridges (2 open), 4.5 engine hours.

Silsden

Sunny day, cloudier in the afternoon. Checked out the Co-op and wandered round the town taking photos.

Silsden Boats say it is fine to come for water – after 4 p.m. is best.

0 miles, 2.5 engine hours

Silsden

Cloudy morning, Fine afternoon. Went walking up from Silsden and over the top round to Kildwick. 6.5 mile walk.

Engine 2 hours morning and 1 hour evening.

0 miles, 3 engine hours

Skipton to Silsden

Less windy than yesterday, and it was time to go. Water in Skipton first thing. Generally fine until the evening – just a few spots through the day. Pump-out (£15 with blue) at Silsden Boats – friendly bunch and a better P/O than at Pennine. Bottle of gas for standard price (£26.25).

Helped German family through a swing bridge when parents got caught on the wrong side.

Winded at the boatyard with some help from Steve, and tied up overlooking the valley opposite the residential row. Silsden could be good (better than I'd thought) for a few days, and we may even think about being here rather than Kildwick when the children come.

7 miles, 0 locks, 10 swing bridges (2 permanently open), 4.5 engine hours

Skipton

Mostly fine. Church at Skipton Baptist – last session of their holiday club. Coffee at BeanLoved, Lunch at Forage. Found there is a BT hotspot accessible from inside the boat at this mooring.

Loo tank light on in the evening.

0 miles, 3.5 engine hours.

Skipton

Rainy – did little till the afternoon, but fish and chips for tea! Caught up on quite a lot of BCF website stuff.

0 miles, 3 engine hours