DOZENS of narrow boats were this morning beginning the long passage home after the hugely successful Skipton Waterway Festival staged in the town's canal basin over the bank holiday weekend.

Waterway success for Skipton

Nearly 70 boats from all over the North and Midlands sailed to Skipton from all points of the North and Midlands, some of them taking a week or more to complete the journey. And with good weather on Friday and Saturday, thousands of visitors flocked to the town by bus, train and car to enjoy what is fast becoming one of the most popular festivals in Yorkshire.

With dozens more locally moored craft taking part - many of them "dressed overall" in miles of gaily coloured bunting - they were more than 100 narrow boats on show. Yet the festival was only created just five years ago.

A British Waterways official commented: "The take-up for this event after just five years has been tremendous. It is rapidly becoming the most popular water festival in the North of England."

• In A week in the country this Friday, we shall be presenting a photo special of the festival and revealing a fascinating but little known story: The hated lady who saved our canals.

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