Skipton Waterway Festival

We timed our departure from Barrowford to ensure we arrived at the nearby Foulridge Tunnel when it's traffic lights were in our favour.  The lights on this 1640 yard tunnel are green for just 10 minutes every hour.  When we entered the tunnel the exit appeared as an indistinct spot of light in the distance. In between we passed under 3 air shafts giving us a quick glimpse of the sky, dripping sections with colonies of stalactites and some unnerving dips in the roof which appeared to squeeze the tunnel.  After 15 minutes we emerged into daylight and moored up for a walk around Foulridge Wharf.  

Emerging from Foulridge Tunnel, the lights for oncoming boats are on red.  The red and white bar shows the maximum boat height and indicates the depth of the dips in the tunnel roof.   

After Barnoldswick we came to the first locks which take the canal down off the summit level.  Then the canal snaked towards the Yorkshire Dales, occasionally turning back on itself to keep a level.  During a series of tight bends we looked across to our right and saw a bridge we'd just come through.  

On Tuesday we intended to stop at Gargrave but boaters advised us most of the moorings at Skipton had been reserved for the Waterway Festival.  To ensure we had a mooring we kept going and covered 7 miles with 12 locks and 3 swing bridges.  Then we stopped for a well-earned rest.

Skipton is a bustling town with an interesting range of shops and a street market on alternate days.  We were tempted into several purchases including some material for a patchwork quilt I've started.   A small branch of the canal leads out of the town centre and into a steep valley overlooked by Skipton Castle.  The path, elevated on decking, led us passed the canal and up into Skipton Woods for a pleasant walk. 

Skipton Castle overlooks the canal which is to the left of the path.  Eller Beck flows parallel to the canal on the right 

While we enjoyed pottering in Skipton preparations were underway for the Skipton Waterway Festival organised by Pennine Cruisers.  The theme for the festival is cartoon characters and boats bearing giant stuffed toys, displays on the roof and a lot of bunting start to arrive on the moorings.  A stage, stalls and various activities materialise next to the canal basin.  

During the 3 day event there is a brass band, pipe band, morris dancers and various groups, some singing golden oldies which we enjoyed.  On Sunday night an illuminated cruise sailed into Skipton Basin.  The boats were decorated with lights and glided through the dark creating quite a spectacle.  

Illuminated Gromit and Shaun sheep sail passed on top of a narrow boat

     

A decorated narrow boat - the reflections in the water add to the the display.

On Monday we enjoyed a visit from Shaun and Laura.  The weather was perfect for another visit to the Waterway Festival and for the kids to try out the trampoline and rock-climbing wall.  

The Waterway Festival drew to a close on Monday but the warm weather continued so we stopped for another day in sunny Skipton.

Our journey from Barrowford to Skipton