A stop and start day

view from our mooring

Man and his faithful friend

Not like us at all.    We like to go early and stop early after lunch for the day.  However today we needed to do some shopping and Shipley seemed to be the place to do it.  Not an early start as the 2nd swing bridge was a busy road so thought we would not tackle it during rush hour!

He may not like to go swimming but he does have the occasional paddle

Approaching Shipley we passed some visitor moorings, room for one boat in a rather scurvy looking area

Further on there were just two mooring rings in the centre which luckily were free so we tied up and I set off to Asda which was the only choice.   I also called in at THE post office again.  I had ascertained that all post offices were bound to accept Post Restante mail so I have filed a complaint with PO counters.   I was told that if I phoned the sorting office to which it had been returned I might intercept it.....good plot but the sorting office didn't answer their phone......This time spoke to a gentleman who told me he had overheard the exchange between Geoff and the other assistant and he gave me some cock and bull story about the address not being clear......apparently it will be returned to sender, we shall see.   It was special delivery and cost £6.40 to send.....

I then bought so much shopping that my wheelie trolley was overloaded and so heavy I had to call Geoff and ask him to come and meet me

We then moved on to Saltaire which I remembered from 7 years ago as being rather bleak.  It must have been the weather as this time with beautiful sunshine it all looked much different.   See the link for why the pace was built.  There is a lovely big park and these huge mills.  On one side of the canal they have been converted into private dwellings and the other house various businesses, retail outlets and an exhibition of David Hockney paintings.

 

 

Whilst moored there a rather up market hotel boat passed us.

However the mooring there says 6 hours only without paying £5 a night, so we moved on.......

We went through the next lock and found somewhere suitable not too far along before the next two locks.  This was fortunate as it was extremely hot and I don't think I could have done any more locks....they are all broad and with no one to share are a real pain going up.   Still not a bad mooring just after the aqueduct and opposite a field of cows so nice and rural.......

3.4 miles and 1 lock, 2.5 hours (not counting stops!)