Wednesday 12th July

Leeds to Pollington

The canal basin is right next to the station, so I was woken up by a train at 5.30.

Arranged to share the big locks with a pair of boats who were going to Castleford. So we locked out onto the river and went down the the next lock to wait for them. To kill some time we had a pootle round Clarence Dock. One of the boats in the dock, Lion, was also going downtstream, so we locked down with them instead. At the next lock, another boat, a hire boat from Thorne, caught up, so we had three boats sharing down to Lemonroyd.

The owners of Lion said that they recognised Jacob. They live by the canal at Whitchurch, so they probably saw us last year. They had even done some fundraising for the Hope House hospice.

Stopped for lunch at Allerton Bywater. I could see from the river that the Victoria was closed, but more importantly the Boat was shut as well, and a third pub too. So we had lunch on board. The Boat used to be in the GBG and brew its own beer.

Pressed on through Castleford and glad to be off the boring section. We were overtaken by one barge near to Ferrybridge.

Stopped above Pollington lock. There are two pubs here both were supposed to have real ale and food. The first one depite the new sign by the canal was not doing food and we phoned the other and they don't dp food at all anymore. Then I phoned the Bay Horse in Great Heck two miles away ant they were and they gave me the number for a taxi in Rawcliffe. So we summoned a taxi. Had a good 2 course meal there, washed down with some Old Mill bitter.

Walked back to Pollington. Checked out the other pub in Great Heck on the way, but that wasn't open at all.