First Below West Summit No. 38

Another canal walk today but in very different conditions. Yesterday, down in the City, it was sunny, clear and mild. Today up here in the Pennines we still had Friday's snow and a chilly aluminium sky: a black and white day. So all of my photographs on today's walk, to the Summit of the Rochdale Canal - known as the Everest of Canals - were intentionally or naturally monochrome. Others can be seen here

I have always been fascinated by locks. They are engineering marvels from the 18th century; places of danger for the unwary; hard work for those who operate them; venues for courtesy and gossip for the boaters who pass through; and structures with fine patterns, angles and shapes.