Bingley Five Rise Locks

The five rise canal staircase at Bingley is one of the wonders of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. There narrow boats and other pleasure craft are raised or lowered via a series of five locks to take them up or down approximately 59ft/18 metres. It is apparently the steepest flight of locks in the UK, and the intermediate and bottom gates are the tallest in the country. Because many of the boats that pass through are holiday hires with inexperienced boaters, the locks are manned by a full-time lock keeper, and during the holiday season and at weekends, the locks attract many visitors and spectators. Lots of people come to enjoy a stroll along the peaceful canal banks and watch the leisurely spectacle of narrow boats being miraculously raised or lowered through the locks. Much interest and excitement was created last year when the locks were drained to allow the installation of new lock gates to replace the original ones, but now all is calm again and on a sunny day it is the perfect place to amble gently along the tow path and linger to watch the boats.