“41 miles?”
“What? What’s 41 miles?”
“There. We just passed it. That thing there says Leeds is 41 miles… it’s not… is it?
“Ha, we only set off a couple of hours ago. It says 4 and ½ miles I think… go back and have a look.”
“Still looks like 41 miles to me.”
I’d not been walking long, coming down from Horsforth and over the Newlay Bridge, onto the canal towpath in Kirkstall Valley next to a pub call The Abbey, when I passed this laughing couple.
“Can’t be much more than 4 miles,” I said, taking the picture above. “That’s clearly a 4 ½.”
“We haven’t been in Leeds that long,” she giggled, “we’re both students.”
“Not Geography I hope,” I said. They both chuckled, graciously.
“It’s great,” said the lad, gesturing widely at no place in particular. “Is there a pub around here?”
“Five, ten minutes,” I pointed back where I’d just come from, “just off the towpath. But there’s a only a tiny gap in the hedge, watch out for the bridge or you’ll miss it.”
“Ta,” they both chimed, linking arms and heading off dreamily in the direction of lunch.
41 miles… the canal can do funny things to your sense of distance, duration and geographical location. I could see why 41 miles would seem believable. This is just a few photos of my walk home…
I’d been dropped off in Horsforth about an hour before.
“I want to find the place where the original idea for the Leeds/Liverpool Canal was conceived,” I informed the other half. “It’s at Low Hall… somewhere. I can walk back home along the canal.”
We live in Armley.
“Just give me the postcode for the satnav,” she said, accommodatingly.
Which is why I ended up here
Probably not the location. Though I rather hope this is
But guessing not.
There’s a new private estate being built, each house a modern squire’s idea of perfection with a double garage and extra on street parking. I quickly moved on. Along the river and down towards the canal.
And this, underneath the A1620, which is pretty spectacular
Before getting back on the towpath at Newlay. Where I slowed down.
It’s 125 miles to Liverpool… obviously not as the crow flies. The canal was never the quickest route from A to B.
Right from the start you are never more than an arm’s length from these majestic structures, “whips of anger, With Lightning’s danger.”
And these… what are these, and what were they for?
Gouranga… no, it does not make me happy
Chocolate box beautiful
It is hard not to reflect on the reflections
No idea what this means
Taking his rod for a walk
The canal goes through some scary locations
Poisoned?
Some sort of massive weed showcase?
Bad graffiti
“Where’s your bike?”
Remember, you are in Leeds
Northern Powerhouse
5(0) speed limit
You sure we’re not 41 miles from Leeds?
This is more like it
Gunslinger
Pylon giving you the finger
Has anyone set up a pylon appreciation society?
It’s still very pretty if you look this way
Isn’t it gorgeous?
You could just randomly click your camera app and get beautiful shots
Then you look the other way
And we are in Baikonor
I expect Cosmonauts to be wandering around here in CCCP helmets
And the odd alien autopsy
This place hums… and it’s not a merry tune
Ground Control to Major Tom…
Back to the pretty
Unbearably cute
Crikey, even I know this is lovely
Just look!
Damn the idiot who was let loose with a spray can
Should this truck speak it would have an Alabama accent?
Getting closer
Or further away, depending on perspective
Boaty McBoatspace
Crap everywhere
Engerland!
Ahm laikin’
Not all bridges are created equal
Drip
Work it out for yourself
Ok, we are under the bridge
Love the art installation
Another pretty bridge reflection
Crikey, spikey!
Thanks for letting us know
Tight bend
Frankly, why bother with this one?
And this is just scary
Let’s all reflect on this message
Good transport links, property needs a few improvements, would suit first time buyer
The graffiti does not get any better
Back to picture perfect bridges
Next to more atrocious graffiti
Could do with a trim
Oh come on, I should be working for the tourist board
Aesthetic overload!
Less than a mile from Leeds
Looking happy
28?
Back in Armley
And the ugliest building in Leeds?
Next to one of the most interesting…
And so, back in Armley and home…
It could have been 41 miles, easy.