The route from Saltaire to Bingley Five Rise Locks along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal is approximately 3 miles long, including returning to Bingley Train Station.
If you arrive at Saltaire Train Station make your way down the main street to the canal. Similarly, if you arrive by car there is on street disabled parking as well as at Salts Mill (car park open until 5pm).
Salts Mill has a range of shops, cafés and art exhibitions by David Hockney as well as a disabled WC on the ground floor. The mill has an antiquated lift with manual sliding doors that are heavy for most people, therefore some disabled people may require assistance to use it.
Apart from Salts Mill, there are public accessible WC’s in the village and the pubs Don’t Tell Titus and The Boathouse both have disabled WC facilities and provide good food. Don’t Tell Titus has level access entry, while The Boathouse is accessed through the use of Stannah Stairlift down several steps.
On arriving at the canal turn right (when facing the water) and continue towards Bingley. The route has a variety of surfaces and obstacles including loose gravel, paving stones and cobbles. There are also 4 sets of locks and a bridge, which some people may find difficult to ascend. As well as these obstacles there is a narrow rough stretch of the towpath that runs underneath a bridge.
An alternative route would be to start from Bingley Train Station or Five Rise Locks and head towards Saltaire. In doing this participants would descend the locks rather than climbing them making the route slightly easier.