Tag: Leeds Liverpool Canal

Trees offer a breath of fresh Airedale

No doubt after the latest storms have passed there will be little left of the autumnal colours to enjoy. So I am pleased that a few days ago I journeyed to Leeds by rail – why? Because if you take the train between Skipton and Leeds and stare at the Aire Valley instead of at your iPhone or some other already-out-of-date device, you’ll see that despite its industrial history Airedale is in fact blessed with a great deal of woodland. All along the route up to within a mile or two of the city trees cover the valley sides. And I hear that just a couple of weeks ago Yorkshire Water, along with the Forestry Commission and Natural England, began a £1m project to restore more ancient woodland near Esholt – nice one. Not only are trees vital to the environment they provide a great deal of pleasure, and I’ve enjoyed many a grand walk along the Leeds-Liverpool canal which snakes through the Aire Valley woodland. I took these pictures by the canal near Kildwick in summer – it’ll be a while before we see such greenery again.

canal2 canal1

Water way to walk

canal1

canal2

swans

The stretch of the Leeds-Liverpool canal between Kildwick and Skipton offers one of the best waterside walks in the county. Blank out the never-ending traffic noise from the nearby A629 and you can witness beautiful scenery up and down the Aire Valley as well as enjoying nature at close quarters. With the car in for a service at Kildwick this beautiful June morning I walked the four miles or so on the canal towpath to Skipton before catching a bus back. I lost count of the birds I heard; I watched hot sheep in their inappropriate woolly jackets drinking from the canal, and cows lazily grazing in golden buttercup meadows. The bluebells in Farnhill Woods looked stunning where the spotlights of sun breeched the branches. All along the path wild garlic flowered a brilliant white and the smell was intoxicating. Ducks fussed over their untidy straggle of ducklings while two swans looked a little more serene as they guided a group of cygnets out of harm’s way. Cyclists, walkers, boaters all said a cheery ‘morning’. What a difference a bit of sunshine makes. Mind you, the car service bill brought me back down to earth with a bump.