Now, I bet you didn't know you could Yelp that, right? Yep, well. Since no one has written up about…read morethe glory that is Leeds' unique spot, The Dark Arches, I thought I'd be the first to pen some words. They come under the category 'local flavour', as in, something local and unique to Leeds-not a business as such - but a monument, a space, an area that is noteworthy enough to mention, and noteworthy enough to visit. (If you have such spaces in mind, I encourage you to share.)
Somehow, I'd not managed to discover this space on my own. Many moons ago, I was taken here for my first visit, and told that the space used to be much more vibrant -this was before some of Leeds' finest indies settled up on Granary Wharf -that there used to be bustling market held here back in the day. I'm sad to say there's no such market now, but if you follow the cimmerian, moist and atomospheric pathway to the end, you'll find a pot of gold. Wasabi Teppanyaki, The Hop, VINeataly, to name but a few.
But, back to the Arches themselves. Even for a brief wander, if you've somehow missed out (as did I) on the fleeting venture that is a small walk yonder, under the railway lines, you're missing out on a few moments of excellence. It speaks to the ruminative nature of my eyes and ears: the wide cavernous pathway, the luminescent pale orange lights, the deep vestibule that offshoots caverns in which to park, like a tidy network of cells, roots, branches, in bricks and mortar. The sounds bombilate, they are deep, rumbling. There's a permanent installation, of sorts, en route to the main arch, where the constant rumbling of the cars and thundering of the trains, are complimenting by a soundtrack of clacks, beats, hums and lights. I love this. I want more of this in the city.
Once you reach the end, there is the flow and ebb of the water to immerse yourself in (not literally), a museful view of the structures and canal, and if you step foot off the path to your right you can meander around and get a stunning view of the waterways under the arches. This I discovered so many years later, at the spectacle that was Overworlds and Underworlds -a collection of the arts, formulated into a mysterious adventure, culminating here at this dark of under-artery of the city.
Perhaps I've been too poetic. Perhaps you might wander down, or have meandered, and think not much of it. Bring your eyes, your ears, your sense of adventure and you might make of it as much as I have. It's a short walk, no more than mere minutes, but I consider it to be a place of ponderous sounds and sights. And there's always the reward of a good ale or a Mediterranean bite waiting for you on the other side, for when you return to reality and daylight.
