Selby

Early rain dried up, and we went to find the lock keeper at 11.30, but he wasn't around. Brought Erin Mae up to the water point, and then back to a slightly different mooring.

Went to visit the Abbey in the afternoon. After a cuppa got the anchor out, and checked the weed-hatch. Ran the engine plenty.

0 miles, 4 engine hours.

Castleford to Selby

Set out around 10. Weather generally fine but windy. Warm end to the day.

Wind caused a problem at West Haddlesey Flood Lock – the junction between the river section and the Selby Canal proper. Thought we had to go to the pontoon to see what the lock was doing, but another boat was there. Tried to nudge up to let Margaret off the front, but the wind started to blow me on to the bank. Reversed hard back into the river, but too shallow for much traction. Meanwhile wind continued to blow me on to the bank. Eventually got just enough clearance to swing round and head for the lock, which was completely open anyway.

Good run through – did it in about 50 minutes less than CanalPlan suggested. But this must be the longest distance we've ever done in one day.

18.2 miles, 5 locks, 1 swing bridge, 6 engine hours

Leeds to Castleford

Fine day, warm when the sun was out. Ran the engine first thing, did a small shop in the Tesco Express, and slipped the mooring at around 9.45, to come down River Lock and onto the Aire & Calder. Filled up with water in Clarence Dock.

First lock on the A & C didn't seem to be working, unless it was just that we weren't reading the signals. CRT sent Andy over to help. After that it was straightforward cruising to Castleford. Two of the locks had CRT staff or volunteers who helped us through.

Tied up in Castleford, on the last after the first bridge. Numbers of boats moored there, including some big ones, though the official visitor mooring seemed to be on the other bank.

11 miles, 8 locks, 7.5 engine hours.

Leeds

SG on 63 this morning after another night with the inverter off. Lower than the day before, but probably because of watching the football during the evening. Ran the engine first thing and for an hour in the evening. Dull day – not much solar. Breakfast at Philpott's. On to the Armouries Museum, which failed to inspire. Walked around Clarence Lock / Leeds Lock and investigated the first lock on the A & C to see how it worked. Then walked in to the town, and visited the Henry Moore Institute Paul Neagu exhibition, then the art gallery next door.

Rang Selby lock-keeper to check the system. Booked in for Sunday morning – 7 a.m. will catch the tide. Back on Thursday – Naburn lock at 10.30 a.m. looks good.

Played the piano outside Sainsburys in Leeds Railway Station.

0 miles, 3 engine hours

Apperley Bridge to Leeds

Got away well, knowing this would be a long day. Two triple staircase locks had seasonal lock-keepers, and we had help from oncoming boaters at Kirkstall lock. Day was grey, and even threatened drizzle at one point.

Tied up on Granary Wharf,  just below Office Lock. There had been some talk of a charge being levied, but nothing has happened so far.

Extracted three bucket-fills of water from the engine compartment, and cleared the weed-hatch.

8.9 miles, 12 locks, 5 swing bridges, 6.5 engine hours.

Dowley Gap to Apperley Bridge

Generally fine day, with some good late afternoon sun. Started out in the company of NB Deolali for a 2-chamber staircase lock and a single on, before they left us while we stopped at Saltaire for a visit.

Worked the remaining locks and bridges on our own, including the final one at Apperley Bridge during rush hour.

Tied up opposite the marina, to see whether they might look at the Webasto connections, but they are shut tomorrow.

Will try turning off the inverter tonight to see what happens. Last night SG dropped from 70 to 30 during the night, having been at 100 when we stopped for the day.

6.2 miles, 8 locks, 6 swing bridges, 7 engine hours

Riddlesden to Dowley Gap

Had thought about stopping at a boatyard before the 5-rise locks to see if they could locate a leak from the Webasto, but they didn't look like anywhere I wanted to stop. So we pulled up for water above the locks, and waited to go down. Had to wait about 2 hours while a wide beam and then a narrowboat came up. So we ran a wash while we waited. Went down with NB Deolali – very wet in places.

Tied up at the Fisherman's pub at Dowley Gap, just above the final staircase locks.

4.6 miles, 8 locks, 3 swing bridges, 8 engine hours

Riddlesden

Visited East Riddlesden Hall. Walked down to B&Q to buy a new big torch.

0 miles, 3 engine hours

Riddlesden

Bus to Keighley to see if Screwfix had a screw for the back door lock cover – no. Caught the bus to Oakworth, walked down to the state and back, and ate lunch in Holden Park.

SG a.m. 48%, ran engine 2 hours a.m and 2 hours p.m. Some sunshine in the afternoon.

0 miles, 4 engine hours

Kildwick to Riddlesden

New territory at last! Got a pump-out at Silsden (£15 with blue, but not sure he rinsed out very well).

Countryside much the same, but the Riddlesden moorings are pretty much on a building site.

5.5 miles, 0 locks, 9 swing bridges, 7 engine hours

Skipton to Kildwick

Moved up to the water point. Got some manuscript paper from Smith's while it was filling, then did a final small shop in Morrisons. Started travelling about 10.30, and got to Kildwick in time for a slightly late lunch. Tied up a bit further beyond the winding hole than usual.

5.1 miles, 6 swing bridges, 3.5 engine hours

Skipton

Big launderette visit in the morning.

0 miles, 1.5 engine hours

Skipton

This being Bank Holiday, the launderettes weren't open, so we had to stay an extra day. Last visit to the folk club in the evening.

0 miles, 4 engine hours

Skipton

Baptist church in the morning, lunch at the White Rose on Coach Street.

0 miles, 4 engine hours

Gargrave to Skipton

Set out early to get Simon and Sarah back to Skipton, to continue their journey. Winded about 7.30 a.m.

5.2 miles, 3 locks, 5 swing bridges, 3 engine hours

Gargrave

Went for a walk out of Gargrave, round to the Bank Newton flight and back along the towpath. This time we walked up to the top lock, before heading back home.

0 miles, 3 engine hours

Skipton to Gargrave

Simon and Sarah arrived, and we cruised to the visitor moorings at Gargrave after a late lunch.

5.2 miles, 3 locks, 5 swing bridges, 6.5 engine hours

Skipton

Re-located off the 24-hour moorings. Did a big clean-through, including a bit of Osmo polish on the floor. This necessitated running the engine a lot for both washing machine and Dyson.

Failed to get a replacement machine screw for the lock. Found the magnetic catches I have are too big for the bathroom dirty linen cupboard door.

0 miles, 6 engine hours.

Skipton

Pulled across to Pennine Cruisers for diesel – 160 litres (73.5p). Spoke with Wayne about the batteries and he came over to check them. They seemed a bit down on new, but basically OK. The battery tester he used seemed to be checking basically CCA, especially the EN version. So what the check meant, I'm not entirely sure. He certainly wasn't pulling 700 Amps from the batteries.

Stayed on the 24 hour mooring overnight as it was late to move, and there was a large space anyway.

0 miles, 5 engine hours.

Skipton

SG reading 59% in the morning. Ran the engine for 2 hours, which SH calculated as up to 80%.

Went to Hebden Bridge on buses 66 / 500. Sun came out during the day, and when we got back around 5.50, SG was reading 100. So did not bother with the engine. After folk club it has come down to 99, but voltage was still 12.8. Will have to see what it is like after a night.

0 miles, 2 engine hours.