Long shot I know - the River Aire - in Yorkshire

Charts

Dylan,
I have the following:
- Trent Charts, Nottingham to Cromwell Lock
- Trent Navigation Charts, Cromwell Lock to Trent Falls (junction of the Humber and the Yorkshire Ouse)
- Yorkshire Ouse Navigation Charts, Trent Falls to York.
They date from mid 1980's. I have them as we had a Norman Conquest centre cockpit cabin cruiser then. We kept it on the Trent where we lived at Fiskerton.
We went as far as York once. We also went along the Aire and Calder canal but didn't go up the River Aire as we were told it wasn't navigable very far and turning could be a problem.
As I have no further use for the charts, you can have them if you like.
PM me with a postal address and I'll send them.
Sailorbaz
 
dylanwinter said:
just found a weir on it

about ten miles from leeds

but might still go for a bit of an explore

Dylan
Click to expand...


The Aire and Calder Navigation runs for 33 miles from Leeds to Goole, with a branch of 7.5 miles from Wakefield to Castleford.
It had 8 locks spaced out between Leeds and Goole, 3 locks on the Wakefield branch and also a number of flood locks.
The canal was never closed and is still used by a small amount of commercial traffic in addition to a fair number of leisure craft.​


It appears this is a mixture of streches of the original river and stretches of canal. Some stretches of canal run alongside the river other take a route away from the river.
I'd doubt if any stretches of river running parallel with a canal section are navigable,


The industrial scenery is impressive in places.

acn038.jpg
They are the ones that blew down many years ago
 
Many years ago - it must have been in the very early 60s - my Dad took our 27' converted lifeboat from South Ferriby to Dewsbury via the Aire and Calder Navigation. I was too young to be involved in the planning - I think i was probably still in junior school. But the route we took was via the Trent, not via the Ouse. Given the awful state of the locks and general lack of maintenance, I suspect the choice was made because the route via the Ouse was not navigable in those days, which pre-dated the resurrection of the canals as leisure facilities. Certainly one stretch we used was clearly only maintained because it served a power station; I recall a long period with our Thorneycroft Handy Billy pushing us along a long straight canal with a power station slowly getting closer! It took us several weekends to do it; my brother and I got to be pretty good at working locks, even ones that looked as if they'd fall apart if you looked at them harshly! And in many areas the level of the water suggested that no-one had been that way for quite a while; in places the lock gates were over-topped. We rarely saw other boats. The trip also required quite a bit of logistic planning to enable us to get to a place where a friend could meet us to take Dad back to where we'd left the car!

I suspect I wouldn't recognize the same canals if I went up them today; I'd imagine that their use for leisure has resulted in massive improvements.
 
dylanwinter said:
the other night I anchored at the mouth of the river Aire

it goes from the Ouse just by the M62 bridge to Leeds

I wondered if anyone had ever been up or down it

I fancy having a a go at it

Dylan
Click to expand...

What are you asking us for!!?

We are waiting for you to do it

and report back

in your usual style



C
 
The river is navigable from Chapel Haddlesey flood lock to Leeds.

The stretch from Chapel Haddlesey is something of an unknown quantity.

Certainly it used to be navigable in the time before the Aire and Calder was opened.

Its certainly tidal over the whole section but I suspect there is a weir close to the flood lock, but not certain.

Setting that question aside there are a number of low bridges to negotiate so you'll need the mast down, but thats true of the Selby canal too. Re the canal, the bridges on the canal are not only low but quite narrow too. Apparently a 7ft narrowboat goes through, but I doubt anything wider would.

All in all I would not fancy trying the river Aire unless you can find someone who has done it - perhaps there is a local canoe club who might know more.

The Aire and Calder from Goole is quite straightforward - but you would have to buy a temp license.
 
What about going up the Don to Doncaster-as far as I know its still navigable-certainly tidal from the Humber to just above Sprotborough.They used to deliver grain there to the big flour mills which were still there back in the early 80s.
The shipyard at Thorne near Doncaster built most of the RNs Fleet Auxiliaries.
Once upon a time I could draw a map of all the rivers and canals of Yorkshire.I still remember the north east rivers.
Coquet wansbeck tyne wear tees swale ure nid wharfe air calder don-then there were the rivers of Sheffield
 
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To get to Leeds from the Ouse you can go in the lock at Selby. The Selby canal is rather shallow with low brick arch bridges over it.
or go in Ocean lock at Goole - which you should do in normal locking hours otherwise you will be charged a tidy sum.
Both of these tidal locks should be pre booked by phone the day before.

Selby lock can be a bit tricky if the flow past it is strong.
Goole Ocean lock is huge with no facility to put a rope on.

If you wish to explore more inland waters on the way back from Leeds you might take the New Junction canal and the Keadby&Stainforth canal to emerge onto the Trent at Keadby Lock. But note there are a number of swing and lift bridges that will require a BW key. You will find it easier if you can travel with another boat to share the bridge work. One lock needs a windlass.
You are permitted to take the Selby (or Goole) to Keadby route on a 'river only' licence which I believe you have obtained. This is on condition you do the trip in no more than 3 days (nobody seems to check). Stricty speaking you should have a short term extra canal license for the detour to Leeds.


.
 
Jill

MartynG said:
To get to Leeds from the Ouse you can go in the lock at Selby. The Selby canal is rather shallow with low brick arch bridges over it.
or go in Ocean lock at Goole - which you should do in normal locking hours otherwise you will be charged a tidy sum.
Both of these tidal locks should be pre booked by phone the day before.

Selby lock can be a bit tricky if the flow past it is strong.
Goole Ocean lock is huge with no facility to put a rope on.

If you wish to explore more inland waters on the way back from Leeds you might take the New Junction canal and the Keadby&Stainforth canal to emerge onto the Trent at Keadby Lock. But note there are a number of swing and lift bridges that will require a BW key. You will find it easier if you can travel with another boat to share the bridge work. One lock needs a windlass.
You are permitted to take the Selby (or Goole) to Keadby route on a 'river only' licence which I believe you have obtained. This is on condition you do the trip in no more than 3 days (nobody seems to check). Stricty speaking you should have a short term extra canal license for the detour to Leeds.


.
Click to expand...


I will put the bikes on the foredeck as we did up the Nene and Jill will be with me

I am currently attempting to persaude the canal trust that they would benefit if they offered me a good deal on the licence

it seems a shame to be at the heart of the english canal system and limit the time I can spend on it because of money

I hope that they can see that films of a bloke taking his ordinary shallow draft boat for a spin on the canal system might be quite good for business

however, I failed to persaude the broads people to do me a deal and so far those films have had around 20,000 hits so far

as things stand it will cost me £8.50 a day for the rivers license - £350 a year

I did contact the press officer

a chap called Joe coggins

his reaction to the Ouse film was unenthusiastic. hesaid that it was "relaxing" and he said that he would forward my email to the licensing people


no response

so if anyone fancies sending an email to the canal people telling them what a great idea it would be if they would talk to me

this is the contacts page

http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/contact-us/contacting-your-local-office/north-east-waterways

Dylan
 
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