Yorkshire Break: The Leeds Liverpool Canal

OK so the main reason for this trip was to visit part of the Leeds Liverpool Canal which we were meant to travel along in 2009 on a boat but had to switch navigation at the last minute due to a drought. So first walk of the day started in Barnoldswick where we were suppose to pick the boat up all those years ago.     

This is a view from the marina and as you can see the weather is still a little grey but we had our waterproofs so all was ok. 

 Once we'd walked along the tow path through the town (which is much bigger than I thought) we ended up in open countryside. We came across this calf which was very new born 

 So new you could still see the afterbirth 

 But was happy and healthy taking a drink from mum. 

Just look at this view! Taken from one of  the many locks on the canal

The canal is next to open farm land but I couldn't quite work out why this gate had to be closed at all times when you could just walk around it..... 

Which way? Or should that be witch way? The canal at this point crosses the Pendle Way, the witches related to the Pendle Hill Witches , a famous witch trail back in 1612. 

This part of the walk was certainly our longest during the week. We stupidly set off without taking our water or a snack so we had to beat a hasty retreat at one point otherwise I think we would have walked even further! 

But we weren't done there. We jumped in the car to the next major village on the canal called Gargrave. 

The weather was still a little grey but started to cheer up. 

We came over a bridge to come face to face with this! A peacock strutting it's stuff. Sorry for the pants photo but as soon as it spotted us it put it's tail down. It was completely surreal as we weren't expecting a peacock in the middle of a field!

The light was fairly dramatic during  the walk 

But luckily there was sunshine at the end

And oyster catchers which again I really wasn't expecting but there were loads of them chasing each other before having a rest on this wall 

And just to prove we were in the country we came across these guys on the way back. They were in the same field as the peacock and possibly the quirkiest sheep I've ever seen! 

I can happily say that my legs ached by the end of this day. I walked just shy of 27,000 steps - my average daily count is 12,500. But still it was a great day and despite the grey, looming clouds there was only one shower.