Geograph - photograph every grid square

The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is the longest canal in Northern England at 127 miles long. The first of the trans-Pennine canals it took 46 years to build at a cost of five times the original budget, mainly because of the length and complexity of the route. It passes through 91 locks with a summit level of 487 feet at Foulridge near Nelson and Colne. It was originally conceived in the 18th century to carry woollen goods from Leeds and Bradford and limestone from Skipton but in its 19th century heyday it carried stone, coal and many other goods. The impact of the railways was not as great as with other canals and commercial traffic continued along the main canal until 1964. Regular work stopped in 1972 when the movement of coal to Wigan Power Station ceased. In the latter part of the 20th century the leisure potential of the canal was developed and it is now a popular destination for cruising, fishing, walking and cycling. See Link for detailed information.

There is a short spur off the Leeds & Liverpool canal in Skipton called the Springs Branch. Originally this branch stopped after just a quarter of a mile at High Corn Mill, just after the Mill Bridge(Bridge No. 2), however later it was extended for a further quarter mile to facilitate bringing limestone quarried from near to Skipton Castle. This extension was created by Lord Thanet, then part owner of Skipton Castle and the limestone mine. This branch line is not only narrow, but has no turning point for boats over 35' in length. It is fed by an interesting network of leats and reservoirs in Skipton Woods with numerous sluices, weirs and conduits ensuring the water supply. The source of all this water is Eller Beck Link which rises to the north of Skipton on Embsay Moor. (Note there are numerous Eller Becks in northern Britain, "eller" meaning willow - a very common streamside tree.)
Of course the water from the Springs Branch then flows into the main Leeds and Liverpool canal helping to keep its level up too.
The Springs Branch was completed to the Castle in 1797, and metal chutes were used to drop quarried limestone 120' from high up by the Castle, down into waiting barges on the canal. This practice finally ceased in 1946 but some relics of these old industrial workings can still be made out.
These days, this little branch line forms a very attractive walk out of Skipton town centre underneath the brooding Norman castle and out into the woods beyond.