Silsden is a former mill town located in the Aire Valley of West Yorkshire. This small town was a centre for textiles and nail-making and at one time was home to more than 200 small forges. We'd decided to visit so that we could enjoy a walk along a short section of the Leeds & …
The Basingstoke Canal was built in 1794 to connect Basingstoke with the River Thames at Weybridge. Its intended purpose was to allow boats to travel between the docks in East London and Basingstoke allowing goods such as flour, timber and coal to be transported. It was never a commercial success and from the 1950's due …
The picturesque village of Gargrave is located four miles north west of Skipton in North Yorkshire. The A65 runs through the village linking Leeds in West Yorkshire with Kendal in Cumbria on the edge of the English Lake District. Gargrave has its own railway station on the Leeds to Morecambe and Carlisle lines enabling walkers …
Our short break in the picturesque South Pennine town of Hebden Bridge was nearing its end and we reluctantly packed our belongings into the car and bade farewell to Josephine, the friendly owner of the Croft Mill Aparthotel where we'd enjoyed a two night stay. It was then only a short drive up to the …
Continue reading Day 3. Heptonstall and Todmorden, Calderdale
After sleeping soundly in our comfortable beds at Croft Mill we prepared breakfast from the generous hamper that had been left for us, feasting on organic muesli with strawberries and grapes, free range eggs and wholemeal crusty bread. It was again another bright, sunny morning as we set out to explore the idyllic small town …
Continue reading Day 2. Exploring Hebden Bridge, Halifax and Sowerby Bridge
Our final morning in lovely Cheshire but still no signs of any sunshine. We started the day with another visit to Northwich as on the previous day we had focussed on its key attractions rather than the town itself. The town welcomes motorists as the first car park we came across right in the centre …
After enjoying a relaxing breakfast in our idyllic Garden Room accommodation at Cheshire Boutique Barns, we set off for Northwich, 22 miles to the north. On our way we made a brief stop at Nantwich Marina where we had hoped to take a stroll along the towpath of the Shropshire Union canal but the weather …
Continue reading Day 2. The Lion Salt Works & Anderton Boat Lift, Northwich Cheshire
Our day started with a hearty breakfast in the hotel's restaurant and a glance at the morning newspapers. We then wrapped up warm before setting off for a walk along the canal towpath. The Nottingham and Beeston canal runs through the city centre and was just a few minutes walk from the Holiday Inn. Before …
Nottingham is often referred to as the 'Queen of the East Midlands' because the English kings held court there when they went hunting in its surrounding forests. It's also famous for the legendary Robin Hood so we thought it was about time that we explored the city for ourselves. Nottingham is easily accessible from all …
Continue reading Day 1. Nottingham – a perfect weekend break
What could be nicer on a warm, sunny spring day than to enjoy a leisurely wander along a canal towpath. With this in mind, we jumped in the car and drove to Newbury, a market town in West Berkshire. The town is approximately 30 minutes drive from Oxford and about an hour by train from …
Continue reading A walk along the Kennet & Avon canal in Newbury
