Mosaic Monday #171: Leeds and Liverpool Canal

I love history.  Maybe that is one of the reasons I enjoy returning to the UK so often - visiting new places there is almost always inextricably intertwined with a walk back in time.  In this post, allow me to teleport you to the late 1700s.  The Industrial Revolution started in the middle of the century, bringing new machinery that saved time and made some people very wealthy.  By contrast, it was a difficult life for poor people.

A rising population, rural unemployment and migration to towns were the hallmarks of this period.  I am reminded of the Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Summer Olympics, which took place in London.  The most-viewed Olympic opening ceremony in the UK and the US, it featured vibrant storytelling.  I can still see the farm fields being stripped away to reveal the rising mills and factories of the industrial era.  Remnants of this epoch can be seen the length of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.  On November 2, 2021, we walked just 6 miles of it!

We began near Keighley, just across the road from East Riddlesden Hall (see December 19, 2021 post).  I was immediately entranced with the curves of the canal, the autumn leaves scattered along the path, the mirror of the water reflecting the trees back to the sky, itself populated with fluffy clouds.  Canals were the equivalent of our motorways, with the boats like lorries (read: trucks) transporting freight.  In the early days of canals, the boats were pulled by horses.  Their legacy? Scenic, smooth, flat walking trails!

This particular canal runs 127 miles from Liverpool in the south to Leeds in the north.  We walked south-bound, and the periodic mile markers (just like a highway!) reminded us how far we had come.

Birds were prolific along the path, but difficult for me to photograph.  Imagine my delight when several swans paddled to us, along with their cygnets!  Check out the video!

Some stretches of the canal were wild and untamed; others were lined with houses.  It appeared to me that some industrial properties had been converted into apartments.  Would you like to live in a 18th century building along a scenic canal?

Early canals usually followed the contours of the land, as it was easier and cheaper to go around a hill than through or over it.  As speed became more important, canals were cut straighter, which meant constructing long flights of locks, tunnels or aqueducts.  Bingley Five Rise Locks are the steepest staircase locks on the longest canal in the UK.  The locks are more than 200 years old, but they are still lifting boats 60 feet up (or down).

Staircase locks were used by early canal engineers to overcome sudden changes in height.  They are very wasteful of water and in later periods, engineers chose more sophisticated options such as inclined planes and boat lifts.

The Five Rise Locks (to the left) and Three Rise Locks (1.5 miles further south) were built in 1774.  Both were designed by John Longbotham of Halifax, the Canal's first engineer.

As luck would have it, a canal boat arrived at the base of Five Rise Locks just as we did.  Over the next 20 minutes, we watched the lock-keepers open and close the gates, allowing the boat to rise 60 feet and continue on its way north.  Below are two videos; the first one is five minutes and shows the boat entering the first lock.  The second video is one minute; the boat is guided into the final lock.  Fascinating stuff!

At this site, signs explained the lock mechanisms and provided maps of the walking trails and other points of interest.

There are 92 locks along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, most of which are grouped together.  The Canal is unique in having many staircase locks, which help the Canal climb more than 487 feet up the Pennines and down the other side.

Between Bingley and Leeds, there are 3 sets of two rise locks, 4 sets of three rise locks and the famous Bingley Five Rise Locks.

As we left the Five Rise Locks behind, we noticed a heron fishing to one side.  I put an arrow on the photo to help you spot it.

Bingley prospered during the Industrial Revolution.  Several woollen mills were built and people migrated from the surrounding countryside to work in them.  Many came from further afield such as Ireland in the wake of the Irish Potato Famine.  The chimney stack you see in the photo to the right gives testimony to the mills of that day.  (This is the same stack you see in the first photo of this post.)

Along the way, we saw more buildings that appeared to have been converted to nice-looking residences.  Who wouldn't enjoy these views every day?

We paused at a pub for a refreshing beverage, and I was quite amused by the sign.  "Beer shortage coming soon ... panic buy here!!!"  That's one way to turn the downsides of the pandemic into some humor and good old-fashioned marketing!

I didn't know it then, but as we left the pub and this bridge behind, we began to approach the village of Saltaire.

In the 19th century, Sir Titus Salt chose to build his textile mills and a village for his workers here.  With the village, Sir Salt's intent was to create a model community where his workers would be healthy and contented and fine fabrics would be produced in his modern and efficient mill.  Quite a progressive idea for its time!

Today Salts Mill displays the world's largest collection of work by Bradford-born artist David Hockney.  An exciting array of independent shops, cafes and restaurants can be found throughout the mill and village.  We had very limited time to explore Saltaire that day, so we shall have to return!

Work began on this beautiful church in 1856, and it was opened/dedicated in 1859.  Sir Titus Salt paid 16,000 pounds for the building; in today's money, that would be $2.6 million!  The Salt family is interred in a mausoleum on the south side of the church.

Saltaire became a World Heritage Site in 2001.  The only other World Heritage Site in Yorkshire is Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal (we have visited there several times).

To become a World Heritage Site, Saltaire had to demonstrate that it had "outstanding universal value".  Saltaire is a complete and well-preserved individual village of the second half of the nineteenth century.  Its textile mills, public buildings and workers' housing are built in a harmonious style of high architectural standards and the urban plan survives intact.

 We'll be going back!

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.

Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.

The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Tuesday (U.S. Mountain time).

Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.

Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.

As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.

Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.

Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Mosaic Monday #72: Whistling in the Dark

Footpath along the River Wear, Durham, UK

Well, what a difference 10 weeks can make.  On January 11, my post expressed concerns about wildfires in Australia, tension between the US and Iran, and closer to home, the sale of 630,000 acres of Montana timber land.  On January 19, I wrote about 'troubling world events', a reference to climate change. While those issues are still important, they pale in comparison to the immediate threat and impact of the pandemic.  On March 8, I reflected upon my retirement, and resolved to give up some volunteering in favor of crafting activities and spending more time with Spousal Unit.  Hmmm … how does that saying go?  "Be careful what you wish for."

So, since you don't need anyone else to remind you to "sneeze into your elbow", I thought we'd engage in some distraction.  A little escapism.  Having already used the ostrich metaphor in several posts lately, I went looking for alternatives.  Do you know how many expressions mean sticking your head in the sand?  Sweep aside.  Gloss over.  Turn a blind eye.  Overlook.  Bunker mentality.  Kick something into the long grass.  Paper over.  Play dumb.  Play possum.  Whistling in the dark.

Pick your favorite expression and then come along with me.  As faithful readers know, Spousal Unit and I were in the UK in October 2019.  (It seems a world away now.  Imagine visiting a historic home, or wandering the main street of a quaint village!  Going to a pub crammed with other people, to watch my cousin-in-law perform!  Buying an ice cream from a street vendor!  But I digress.)  I have written about the visit here, here, here, and here.  But there's more!

Let's start with some humor.  One of the many pubs that we patronized during our visit was The Beeswing Inn.  You will certainly enjoy the food and beverages, and then you have to find the restrooms.  Be ready for a belly laugh when you do!

And what about a rainbow to brighten your day?  These pictures were taken the morning we headed to Skipton.  The clouds never materialized into precipitation; for the most part our getaway to the UK was rain-free.  As the song croons "Someday, I wish upon a star   Wake up where the clouds are far behind me  Where trouble melts like lemon drops  High above the chimney top  That's where you'll find me"

No trip to Northeast England is complete without going into Durham.  After all, Spousal Unit proposed to me there!  As many times as we have strolled its cobbled streets, we can still find something new.  Durham University continues its growth; when you only visit a town once a year, it seems as though new buildings pop up overnight.

And sometimes taking a different footpath leads to a discovery, such as this ancient gate into the city.  Baileygate was created in 1778-9 to accommodate carriage traffic using the newly built Prebend's Bridge.  Fragments of carved masonry in the arch came from the Wheel window remodeled as the present Rose window in the east end of the Cathedral.

We always take a spin through Durham Cathedral.  You never know what you might see, such as the interior of the Lego cathedral model, or the beautiful flower arrangements.

The tower in the picture at left was covered in scaffolding for about five years - how wonderful to see it once again!

We ended our visit with a delicious meal at Vennels Café, our go-to lunch spot near the city center.

The following day took us to another family favorite, Hardwick Park.  When our kids were young, every trip to Nan and Granda's house included one or more outings to the Park.  Bestowed with ample bodies of water, it is inhabited by innumerable ducks, geese and swans.  Nan always brought bread for them (now signs are everywhere prohibiting this practice) and the kids reveled in bestowing crumbs everywhere they went.

This day, we were sans kids, unless you count Spousal Unit, who invested some spare change in the approved duck food.  I felt we had rewound the clock 16 years; nothing had changed as several breeds gathered around for the handout.  And then the swans got aggressive - have I blocked out that behavior from my memory banks or have they always been this intimidating?  Check out this brief video!

In most of the park, autumn leaves were the only decoration to be found.  This shrub stood out as an exception; I suspect the orange sections of the "flowers" are actually seed pods.  Can anyone identify this plant?

American Robins are ubiquitous at home, and they are also quite a large bird when compared to the European Robin.  Perhaps that is why I find the European Robin so adorable.   As we sauntered along a final section of boardwalk in the Park, one pecked away at duck food that someone had scattered along the railing.  It chirped and trilled, as if singing for its supper.  Here's a little snippet for your entertainment.

Coincidentally, our final day with my in-laws was a Sunday, which meant Sunday dinner!  My mother-in-law excels with the eminently satisfying combination of roast beef, gravy, Yorkshire puddings, roasted potatoes, mushy peas, roasted parsnips and an assortment of vegetables.  Oof!  You can’t resist a second full serving of everything!  On a full stomach, I slept like a baby.

All too soon, the UK had fallen away below us during the short hop to Amsterdam.  We strolled the long terminals of Schiphol, stretching our legs as much as possible before boarding the flight to Calgary.  I don’t remember now the movies that I watched (is my memory going or were the movies forgettable?), but the time went quickly.  Customs and immigration were a breeze in Calgary, and the shuttle arrived promptly to whisk us to our hotel.  After a refreshing shower, we went to the hotel bar for some drinks and appetizers.  Not long after, we crashed.  After all, by our body clocks, it was 2 am!!!

Our return drive to Montana, through the plains south of Calgary, and over Crowsnest Pass, was surreal.  Snow had arrived during our absence, and it fell at varying rates as we motored along.  Yes, November in Alberta!

We stopped for a late breakfast west of the Pass, and from that point on, the snow frosted only the mountain tops.  Around every curve was another breathtaking scene, a promise of the winter to come.  We were home, once again.

*****

I pray that I have transported you to another world, if only in your mind.  At the same time, I believe it is critical to emphasize the seriousness of the pandemic.  At the time of publishing this post, the world has 316,659 confirmed cases, 13,559 deaths and 94,176 recovered (all data from John Hopkins).  The U.S. has 27,004 cases, 344 deaths and 176 recovered.  On March 3, the U.S. had 100 cases, 9 deaths and none recovered.  A 26,904% increase in cases in 18 days.  Please consider others by limiting contact as much as possible.  And if it helps you, whistle in the dark.

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.
Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.
The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Monday (U.S. Mountain time).
Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.
Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.
As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.
Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.
Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter