Jo’s Monday walk : Gargrave in the rain

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I did tell you last week that my skies aren’t always blue?  Sometimes you just have to carry on and do it.  August in England- you never can tell what’s in store!  My companion’s still smiling, so grab a mac and come with me to Gargrave.  What’s a little rain between friends?

It’s a lovely village, but I’m not staying long.  I hop over a stile in a stone wall and off across the field, even though that sky does look a bit ominous. I have a date with a canal.  I expect it will appreciate a little more water!  The sheep don’t seem terribly bothered, so why should we?

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I do seem to have encountered a lot of sheep this summer.  You might remember that I spent an anniversary weekend in the village of Skipton, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.  Gargrave is situated just 4 miles north west of Skipton, and I had in mind a 3 and a half mile walk to take in a few locks. The Leeds and Liverpool canal and the River Aire both pass through the village, as does the Pennine Way, so perhaps you can understand my enthusiasm, despite the dreary weather.

Halfway across the field the mild drizzle turns to a downpour.  Nothing for it but to plod on, hoping to reach the shelter of a few trees.  I always seem to get the giggles at such moments. Not so the other half, whose frown was growing deeper by the minute.  With some relief, I spot the first lock, through the trees.  A cheery lock keeper bids us “good morning!”.  “I’m paid to get wet” he says, stoically.

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Fortunately the rain has eased again and I stop to admire the lock keeper’s cottage. Imagine, if you will, a bright Summer’s day.

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We cross over an old stone bridge and a pop of colour from a patch of tiny thistles catches my grey-weary eyes.  These are Bank Newton locks.

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Can you see what lies ahead?  I will try not to bore you rigid with houseboats, but I do have a bit of a fascination with them.

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One of the highlights of this walk was a small aqueduct, carrying the canal over the river. It was a first for me.  Not very spectacular to look at but an experience in itself.  I am full of admiration for the people who made these canals.

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Happily, at this point a glimmer of sunshine appears in the sky.  I don’t suppose you’ll be able to see it, but it puts a smile back on the husband’s face.  And then we come upon a very strange craft!

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One of the things I love about houseboats is the creativity of the people who live on, or near, them.  We’re almost at the end of our walk so I’ll spare you any more lock details. You might want to observe a stately swan though, and I’m pretty sure I have an irresistible dog for you.

Gargrave has a very charming website with a choice of walks around the village.  You could do much worse than follow one of them, and hopefully you’ll stay dry.  This is the walk that I did.

‘What!  No cream tea?’ I hear your outraged cry!  We drove onwards to Malham, where the rain was once again a deluge, and huddled in the corner of a cramped cafe.  Determined to see something of the mighty limestone crags, I persuaded the long suffering one to a short walk to Janet’s Foss. No need to feel sorry for him.  We were homeward bound and, as we crested the valley, sun beamed down upon us.   The scarecrow festival at Kettlewell more than made up for any disappointments.  Time to put the kettle on?

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I know time is a little tight right now, but please do visit the new folks on here, or at least bookmark them for later?  So much work goes into these posts.  I’d hate you to miss them. Huge thanks to all you for walking with me each week.  Details are, as always, on my Jo’s Monday walk page.  Just click on the logo above.

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I have some great mates around here!  Thanks, Jude, for reminding me how very lovely Norwich is :

Norwich Part 1 : History and Architecture

Amy joins us with an extremely elegant walk this week :

A Walk of an Urban Garden

Geoff usually comes up with something different, and you’ll enjoy this :

Thomas Hardy and why he was miserable # walking

Next, a shout out for my birthplace, from Lady Lee :

Coventry Transport Museum

A dent in the head for poor Woolly?  Oh, dear!

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Something all too familiar to some of us.  Thanks, Jesh!

Rainy Seasons

Can we have a big welcome please for Lisa, from Israel?  She’s new to my walks :

The Jerusalem Model  (you may need to scroll down a little)

“I read the news today, oh boy!… ”  Those Beatles again, or my friend Drake?

A day in the life

Enjoy some beautiful frosty leaf patterns with Denzil :

Shapes and patterns in nature

Jaspa has a rare find this week.  Seeing’s believing!

Walk on the Ocean Floor at Hopewell Rocks, Canada

Here’s value for money.  Two walks for the price of one, from Peta :

Morning walk ; Afternoon walk

And I’d like to share a very beautiful post I found.  Please say hello to Vanessa :

Sandankyo Gorge, Hiroshima- Wandering off the Beaten Track in the Mountains of Western Japan

And another great find!  I love sharing walkers that are new to me.  Happy to introduce Ostend Nomad :

Walking the Vintnar Gorge

And one more for luck!  Sophie makes Siena look absolutely stunning!

Night walk in Siena

And, getting the Christmas walks rolling, who could be better than Becky?

Beginning to feel like Christmas

That’s it for another week.  Maybe I’ll be in Christmas mode next week.  Take good care of each other!

 

144 comments

  2. Jo, you have really turned a grey day into something beautiful … you’re both really good sports .. out in that drizzle!!! FAB images again … you and that little camera really create some magic .. every time. Some stunning surroundings … and the locks plus the boats of course .. from where I’m sitting that houseboat (strange craft) doesn’t even look watertight to me. My favourite pick is the one with the little sign on the gate and the farmhouse and that dark sky. Beautiful … Once again … a great walk .. but I feel a bit wet! *smile

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    1. It’s pouring here, and I was going to the cemetery with a wreath for Dad. Haven’t finished decorating the tree yet so I’ll do that first. Very damp hugs, sweetheart, and thanks for your lovely company. 🙂 🙂

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  4. Well done you for going out on such a grey day and even M looks cheerful. I love walking beside water, imagine living in that pretty lock keepers cottage. Is that odd houseboat supposed to be steampunk? i can’t work out how the aqueduct is going over the river, it looks like it’s straight ahead???How are you doing this week, getting that Christmas thing sorted now?
    Tuesday hugs my lovely 🙂

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    1. Hiya darlin 🙂 Sitting beside a sparkly half decorated Christmas tree. When it gets a bit lighter this morning I’ll finish it off but for now tree lighting is sufficient. Yesterday we bought the tree and wreaths and took 2 of them to the cemetery for my Mam and Mick’s. I had another pre-Christmas lunch so didn’t have time to finish decorating it yesterday but the house is starting to look pretty. Taking the other wreath to Middlesbrough for Dad this morning. A whole new Christmas routine now. 😦 I bet you’re looking wonderfully festive. I need photos! 🙂 🙂
      Sorry about the aqueduct shot. It isn’t at all helpful and I’d never make an engineer 🙂 Have a good week, Gilly. Hope you’re ok with working fulltime now. Are you off all Christmas?

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  5. I love that first man-with-umbrella shot! And then the locks: I’ve been hearing about locks forever – the Murray River has many of them and J has lock stories from rowing up the Murray – but I’ve only just figured out how they work – in Warsaw! Your lock photos are great, and I like the grey day atmospherics, with the odd flash of flower-colour. You can show as many houseboats as you like: one time when “seen one, seen ’em all” definitely doesn’t work. I didn’t realise it was so common to live on them. They only featured for me in murder scenarios until I met an artist in Australia who lived on a barge (same thing or not?) on the Thames in her youth. It seems that calls have managed to preserve waterside despite their industrial beginnings. -6° here today so I’m wrapping warm hugs in ice!

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    1. I don’t take many good photos of him, Meg, so I was rather pleased with that one. He’s lovely when he smiles. Not often enough these days 🙂 How’s J coping with cold? Got the grandbabies to keep you warm 🙂 🙂 Did you have wonderful birthday celebrations and did your head ache? Mine always did after James’. 🙂 I’ve always been fascinated by locks and wish we lived a bit nearer to some because there are heaps in the UK. But I do have beach so musn’t be greedy. 🙂 Still dark as I sit typing by Christmas tree lighting. Got to finish the tree off properly when it gets light then take a wreath to Middlesbrough for Dad. Hugs wrapped in 6 layers of jumpers for you. 🙂 Have a great week! What’s in store?

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      1. Puddles thickly iced this morning. I wimped out – head and chest cold again. He must’ve brought it back from Australia. J’s learning how to rug up. Birthday celebrations were low-key – photos in the December summary. Maja went semi-mental at the thought of happy birthday being sung to her. J made a policeman hat for each of them, and today a paper Christmas tree – we’re still waiting for real choinka on sale in the street. Is this the first time you’ve visited your dad? This Christmas will be hard with his absence. The hugs arrived cosy, thank you. You think of everything!

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      2. Paper Christmas trees… I remember making cut outs 🙂 Yes, the first time. And James has just had a bombshell dropped jobwise. Not going to be a great Christmas, but then there are people much worse off. Keep snug, love and get fit for the main event. 🙂

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  7. Ooooh…houseboats. Now we’re talking. I, too, have quite a fascination for them. I’d live on one if I could. It’s one of the things I like most about Amsterdam…where I rented a boat a couple of times when I visited. You seem to find some wonderful walks, this one intrigues me. Can I put a houseboat on this canal?

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    1. I don’t see why not. Should we go shares? I’ve always wanted a houseboat. I mean a caravan would be fine but then I’d have to feed the horse. I don’t steer very well so that might be your job. Come to think of it I’m not the best cook either. Could you live on bacon butties and chilli? Oh, what the heck, we’ll split the chores! I’m not bad with a boat hook for when we get stuck. ‘A houseboat in old Amsterdam… I saw a mouse. Where? There on the stair. Right there!’ Oh sorry, that’s ‘living in a windmill’, isn’t it? Do excuse me- Christmas tree lights send me a bit barmy. 🙂 🙂 And there’s a wonderful thought… festive decorating a houseboat 🙂 Did you get the pingback? Never can fathom if they work nowadays…

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      2. Thanks for raising a smile on a doom-ridden UK morning. 🙂 Don’t even ask! Personal not political, but at least we have pretty pink skies. Wishing you a satisfying festive season and much joy.

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  8. Pingback: Exploring the delightful ‘Legends Way’ | It caught my eye in Portugal

  11. Ooh, that is grey! Still, needs must – as Elaine says sometimes we’d never go out if we waited for the rain to stop. It looks lovely, despite the weather. We often wander our own local canal and I started putting a post together about it this afternoon, some day it might turn up as a Monday walk.

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      1. In 30 years of living near the canal I’ve only once seen boats going through the local locks! It wasn’t even navigable till a millennium project reopened it – it’s definitely looked up a lot in the last few years but mostly seems popular with walkers and cyclists, not boats.

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      1. I am nearly winning the Christmas challenge -but it is made easier this year by us going away for the first time in about 20 years! Yes, I am enjoying Strictly and am going to be bereft when it is finished. There have been some great dances this year.

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  13. Today is my seventh day in the Netherlands and I hardly saw blue skies..lol 🙂 Thank you for the walking tour, Joe. The strange craft is intriguing, I always wonder how people live inside the boat, especially during the winter time!

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    1. Home for Christmas, Indah? Well, what passes for home 🙂 Yes, I think winters on the water might be a challenge. Need a boat down on the Canal du Midi 🙂 Have a wonderful festive season!

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  14. Even in the rain, it looked like a beautiful walk. Like you I love the canal boats and I would love to rent one for a week of slow travel floating down a beautiful canal enjoying the peaceful contryside. Thanks Jo😄

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  15. I am full of admiration for you and the hub for getting out in the rain. I don’t think I know this area, but I do know Malham! I am still puzzled why you don’t actually own a narrow boat. You could then wander all over the country in your own time, visiting lots of lovely canal-side pubs and villages and towns. I can just imagine you sailing(?) along….
    And I would rather walk through a field full of sheep than a field full of cows/bullocks!

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    1. I’m puzzled too, Jude. I’ve suggested it a time or two. 🙂 I think it might not be such a great option in the winter. We didn’t have a lot of choice about the weather that weekend. I was determined to make the best of it and we did have a lovely time. Just a bit damp in places 🙂

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      1. I know when we are away we tend to go out each day despite the weather as we never know when we will be back in the area again. Whereas at home it is easy to stay indoors as there is always tomorrow – or at least I hope there is!!

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  16. Good for you to take us on a wander in the rain Jo. I have made a firm commitment that this winter I will not let the weather get me down and it will not stop us from getting outside.

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      4. This has been a roller coaster of a year, Sue. Took a wreath to the cemetery for Dad yesterday. Just when we thought that all was smooth sailing with our son his boss tells him that there are no jobs local to his home in Leeds (after training him and putting him through uni). Not his best ever Christmas present.

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      5. Oh dear that’s such rotten news for your son. What a year it has been and I can imagine this time of year really has your heart tugging with memories of your sweet Dad. Sending big virtual hugs your way my friend. xo

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  18. I had no idea dreary could have so much charm! Such narrow locks. I guess they are in place for the house boats – an intriguing life; I can see the attraction. And, the dog is keeping a cute eye in you, Jo! I hope the sun peeks out this week. Not much chance for that here, unfortunately.

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    1. No sunshine, Liesbet? It’s a proper mixed bag here, and very mild for the time of year. These were taken in Summer so it just goes to show… can’t rely on the weather. 🙂 Wishing you a great week!

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  19. Tnanks, Jo, for taking me along the canal. You know how I love the British canals. I was wondering, though: do they really have a lock keeper there? Normally you do those locks on the canals yourself, don’t you?
    Have a wonderful week,
    Pit

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    1. Some stretches do have resident keepers, Pit. I don’t know that he actually lived in that cottage but he was definitely there to help with any problems. It was school holidays so maybe that makes a difference. Thanks, hon. Have a happy week too 🙂

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      1. Thanks for the explanation, Jo. 🙂 I really loved the lock-keepers’ cottages [most of them privately owned] on the Stratford-on-Avon Canal. They had distinct roofs: all round, like a barrel.

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