Award winning locks

Friday and just over 5 miles today. Only 5 swing bridges today, most of them electronically operated or lock keeper operated. 

We had a lovely morning cruising along in the sunshine but when we got to Bingley Five Rise locks it clouded over and started to rain. At Bingley there are two sets of locks, a 5 rise and a 3 rise which, together, lower (or raise, depending on which way you're going) the canal level through 90ft. This year, the lock keeping team at Bingley has been awarded the Lock Keeper of the Year award by the Hotel Boat section of British Marine Inland Boating. And I totally agree with them. They were very helpful and gave us advice as to where we could and should not moor. 

Here we are at the top of the locks having just taken on fresh water. 

And yet another type of gate paddle. It doesn't show too well in the photo but it looks like a plank going straight down into the water which is pushed aside by a crank and ratchet fixed to the gate arm. Apparently, this was the original style of gate paddle on this flight. 

We had intended stopping for the night well short of Saltaire but the canal was very shallow, so we pushed on - literally, through a swing bridge and lock which we hadn't noticed on the map - and moored alongside tennis courts just before the town itself. 

 And, guess what, the sun came out to round off the day.