LEEDS & LIVERPOOL CANAL - June - July 2003
		After seeing around Leeds, including a long visit to the Royal Amouries Museum which is quite fantasic, we set off for the Pennines travelling in a north-west direction which has taken us through Airedale. The scenery is wonderful and I feel I have fallen in love with Yorkshire! On our way to Skipton we walked round the World Heritage Village of Saltaire. This was built by Titus Salt, who owned Salt Mill, for his workers to live in. He also built them a church shops and places of recreation but no pub. He produced apaco wool. Today his mill is mainly owned by PACE but a large section is given over to David Hockney Gallery which is huge. Not only was there a very large selection of his pictures, but also shopping areas of quality clothes, jewellery and household goods - and of course, a restaurant. We also looked round the Museum of Victorian Reed Organs and Harmoniums in the rather lovely Victoria Hall. This was excellent - very interesting gentleman who told us much about his collection. A very enjoyable hour spent in there. Another stop was near Keighley where we took a journey on a steam train along the Keighley & Worth Valley railway to Oxenthorpe. We then walked from Oxenthorpe to Haworth Station along the footpath taken by the Children of the Railway Children. It was very pretty and mostly ran alongside the brook. At Haworth we took a bus to the Parsonage Museum in Haworth village. This was the home of the Bronte Family and shows the rooms with the furniture and effects as used by the family. Added on to the house is an extension of the museum showing the Brontes' works and life histories. It was very interesting and well worth the visit. We then walked down Main Street which is absolutely charming - all cobbled stones and going down a very steep hill with lovely shops, pubs, restaurants etc all the way along - all with colourful flowers and windows. Arriving at Skipton, we took another train journey this time on the Settle-Carlisle Line. It was a fanastic journey through beautiful scenic countryside on the highest railway in the country. This line crosses the famours Ribblehead Viaduct which has 24 arches spanning Batty Moss 105 feet below. There are further viaducts and many tunnels. We passed through Dent which is the highest station in the Country. At Skipton we found a "dry dock" to hire for a weekend and had Jemima hoisted into the air so we could jetwash and blackjack her bottom up to the waterline! It was most weird sleeping on board up high.