Astley Lake & Balance Reservoir

I went to visit a canalboat-dwelling friend who is moored at the Lemonroyd Waterside & Marina. It is not too far from Leeds, but as the Canal & River Trust say it is on the "River Aire [which] follows a twisting route through the hidden corners of Yorkshire." It really is watery country up there. The river Aire actually starts at Malham Tarn, and plunges underground about a mile or so before the famous Cove. In 1699 an act of Parliament was passed to make the Aire navigable South of Leeds, which led to the creation of the Aire & Calder Navigation, now connecting the Humber with Leeds over 34 miles and entailing 11 locks. The whole area is an interlocking matrix of Navigation, natural river, reservoirs and lakes which is a water wonderland ripe for exploration on foot, or by boat.

So, with blood up from a canalboat wood-stove roasted pork belly, helped along by an aromatic coffee from a local cafe, we took a suitably meandering walking route around these splendid water bodies. Some of the footpaths were flooded at this time of year, which made for some eerie misty feels.