Amulet
Active member
Hypothetical question, but the time might come when I move there to be near my family. It seems like a daft place to live if you have a boat.
If you lived in Leeds where would you keep your boat?
- Thread starter Amulet
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duncan99210
Well-known member
Buy a narrow boat and keep it on the Leeds Liverpool.
ProDave
Well-known member
That would be my suggestion too.
ryanroberts
Well-known member
Beautiful canal above Bingley 5. In summer make sure you go through early in the morning as the local kids use it as a swimming pool and get really mad if you try to boat through it. All the locks up to Saltaire will keep you fit. Summit is often restricted in summer due to water concerns.
AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
I grew up in Dewsbury, not very far from Leeds, and my Mum and Dad had boats for most of the time we were there. While sailing dinghies (a Heron and a Solo), we kept a caravan at Acaster Malbis on the River Ouse just above Naburn Lock, near York. Very pleasant, with lots of history around!
The first "big boat" that we had was a converted lifeboat, and we kept it at South Ferriby on the River Ancholme, a tributary to the River Humber. You locked in and out to get onto the Humber; the river Ancholme is a drainage canal, and so the water level sometimes varied a lot. Further, once you had locked out you were pretty much committed to travelling one way until the tide turned and then back!
After a few years of this, and two boats later, we moved the boat (a Halcyon 27) to Dunbar in Scotland - a 200 mile journey, but straight up the M1/A1. Dad drove as part of his work, so the distance didn't bother him! But that was a good location, with plenty of options for both day sailing and for longer trips during the holidays. These days I think the harbour has silted up and is less suitable for deep keels than it was.
I don't know why Dad didn't consider the NE of England - there are several suitable ports from Whitby up to the Tynes and Tees, and Dad came from near Newcastle, so he spoke the language! When bringing Capricious down from the Clyde, I stopped at North Shields and at Whitby; both have good facilities and access at all states of the tide. Whitby is less accessible than you'd think from West Yorkshire, so the driving time from Leeds to either Newcastle or to Whitby may be very similar.
We brought our converted lifeboat up the canals from South Ferriby to Dewsbury one winter; it was feasible but only just! My brother and I became adept at operating locks that looked like they'd collapse if you gave them a hard look. I imagine that things are somewhat better now, as this was in the 60s when canals had ceased to be commercially useful but hadn't become leisure amenities, but it put me off canal journeys.
The first "big boat" that we had was a converted lifeboat, and we kept it at South Ferriby on the River Ancholme, a tributary to the River Humber. You locked in and out to get onto the Humber; the river Ancholme is a drainage canal, and so the water level sometimes varied a lot. Further, once you had locked out you were pretty much committed to travelling one way until the tide turned and then back!
After a few years of this, and two boats later, we moved the boat (a Halcyon 27) to Dunbar in Scotland - a 200 mile journey, but straight up the M1/A1. Dad drove as part of his work, so the distance didn't bother him! But that was a good location, with plenty of options for both day sailing and for longer trips during the holidays. These days I think the harbour has silted up and is less suitable for deep keels than it was.
I don't know why Dad didn't consider the NE of England - there are several suitable ports from Whitby up to the Tynes and Tees, and Dad came from near Newcastle, so he spoke the language! When bringing Capricious down from the Clyde, I stopped at North Shields and at Whitby; both have good facilities and access at all states of the tide. Whitby is less accessible than you'd think from West Yorkshire, so the driving time from Leeds to either Newcastle or to Whitby may be very similar.
We brought our converted lifeboat up the canals from South Ferriby to Dewsbury one winter; it was feasible but only just! My brother and I became adept at operating locks that looked like they'd collapse if you gave them a hard look. I imagine that things are somewhat better now, as this was in the 60s when canals had ceased to be commercially useful but hadn't become leisure amenities, but it put me off canal journeys.
steve yates
Well-known member
I know an old Yorkshire climber who keeps his lovely old wooden boat in maryport, and lives by leeds. 2.5 hr drive.
Gives him access to the solway coast, man , north Wales, Ireland and the Clyde.
He isn't doing weekends mind, he is an artist, so just takes a few days or a few weeks out when he feels like it and comes over.
Gives him access to the solway coast, man , north Wales, Ireland and the Clyde.
He isn't doing weekends mind, he is an artist, so just takes a few days or a few weeks out when he feels like it and comes over.
Amulet
Active member
Thank you everybody - despite all your assurances I've become convinced it's the wrong place to live. Oban seems to offer more!
ProDave
Well-known member
That I agree with. If it were a question of where is best. But you have other reasons to be in Leeds then the canal is probably the best option. As much as I like sailing on open water, I do also like narrowboats, and our retirement plan is to buy one and spend a few years exploring the whole network.
Seastoke
Well-known member
Conwy 124 miles from leeds
Sandy
Well-known member
Largs
Catalina36
N/A
Karachi.
jbweston
Active member
In normal times, what are the flights like from Leeds airport? Greece, Spain, Croatia if you like it warm. Sweden, or Finland if you like long daylight hours, quiet anchorages and a friendly, pro-boat culture.
My boat is in West Sweden near Gothenburg and i live near Brum. Anywhere in Denmark. Baltic Germany or Southern Sweden (E or W coast) is very convenient.
My boat is in West Sweden near Gothenburg and i live near Brum. Anywhere in Denmark. Baltic Germany or Southern Sweden (E or W coast) is very convenient.
erich27
Member
Why not Holyhead Harbour, the commute from Leeds ( off peak times ) is no more than three hours !
Concerto
Well-known member
I heard there is quite a lot of free space after some event a couple of years ago.
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
Me too. Pleasant pootle over the hills to Kirkby Lonsdale and the M6, quick blatt up the motorway to and through Glasgow, whole Clyde to play with. Depending on where you are in Leeds, five hours tops.
pcatterall
Well-known member
Spain,. Quick easy and cheap flights out 8 or 9 months season, cheap marinas.
steve yates
Well-known member
Mmmm, Oban or Leeds?
No comparison! Oban every time.
No comparison! Oban every time.
KINGFISHER 8
Well-known member
South of France ...… 
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
I think it depends what other interests you have. I seriously thought about moving to that general (Oban-y, Ardfern-y, Crinan-y) way but decided against because although it would have been great for sailing it would have been absolutely terrible for other things I like to do. Leeds has theatres, art galleries, an opera company, two dance companies. top-division football, rugby league and rugby union clubs, a thriving LGBT scene and a huge West Indian Carnival. Oban has a pipe band, a community cinema, a shinty team and a big stone thing.
In the end I choose to live somewhere with even less to do than Oban, but with much quicker and easier access to places where things do happen.
ean_p
Well-known member
The options within an hours drive that have access to the sea include amongst others;
Brough , South Ferriby, Grimsby, Hull, Bridlington , Scarboro', Whitby and possibly Hartlepool.
Extending the time to 1.5 hours then you can encompass Liverpool, the Lakes (ok no sea!)and Newcastle etc
Brough , South Ferriby, Grimsby, Hull, Bridlington , Scarboro', Whitby and possibly Hartlepool.
Extending the time to 1.5 hours then you can encompass Liverpool, the Lakes (ok no sea!)and Newcastle etc
