Through the Gate – Canal Art Inspired by a Walk Along the Leeds & Liverpool
Some of my favourite drawings start with someone else's eyes.
This one began with a photograph my daughter took on a walk — down Newlay Lane and back along the River Aire, following the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. It's the kind of walk that Yorkshire does quietly and brilliantly: old stone paths, water reflections, the occasional narrowboat. And gates. The kind of worn, iron-latched gates that mark the boundary between the towpath and the fields beyond.
She sent me the photo and I knew straight away it was a drawing.
The Drawing
Through the Gate is a pen drawing that captures that moment of threshold — the gate slightly ajar, the canal path stretching ahead. It's a scene that will be instantly recognisable to anyone who has walked that stretch of the Leeds & Liverpool between Newlay and Rodley.
It's available as a fine art print on 310gsm paper, — ideal for anyone with a connection to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal or the Aire Valley.
The Leeds & Liverpool Canal
At 127 miles, the Leeds & Liverpool is the longest single canal in Britain. It runs through some of the most quietly beautiful parts of West Yorkshire — and yet it rarely gets the artistic attention it deserves. Newlay, with its ancient bridge and weir, is one of its hidden gems.
If you know this walk, or if the canal is part of your daily life, I hope this drawing feels like home.