Passing the large weir and Boroughbridge Marina, Annie continued under the A1.
 |
| Liana exiting Milby Cut onto the river above the weir |
 |
| Marina |
 |
| Under the A1 in the sun |
We motored gently towards Westwick Lock. Liana decided to polish the mushrooms and enjoy the beautiful scenery in the sunshine, with scarcely a breath of wind. Annie just fitted in, thankfully.
 |
| the scenery gets more beautiful, the further north you go. |
 |
| polishing the brasses |
 |
| Fishermen at Westwick Lock |
, by Newby Hall and park.
 |
| Newby Hall. There were three visitors moorings nearby. |
 |
| Avocet? |
At Oxclose lock, we passed finally off the Ure onto the Ripon Canal. We were going to look carefully at Ripon Motor Boat Club (on the left) and Ripon Marina (on the right below Bell Furrows Lock), with a view to 7 day mooring while we visit the area, pop home and visit the Braunston Working Boat Rally. The kind couple on Two Can introduced us to Bob Medhurst and commodore John of RMBC, who quickly sorted out a mooring for us: Many thanks for our excellent welcome to Ripon! The enlarged marina can take 147 boats, including 24 larger narrowboats up to about 58 feet long. Once settled, John gave us a key and we walked the two miles into town to start our visit.
Leaving the Dawnay Arms moorings under cloudy skies, we soon arrived at the impressive Linton-on-Ouse Lock and Weir.
A huge 80cm salmon leapt twice fully in the air next to the boat, as John neared the lock. The weir has a salmon ladder. The bottom gates are huge and heavy, with wheels to move the paddles. Liana couldn't move a gate until Annie helped. Then a kind man helped her close the gate. The pub/shop opens 11AM until 9.30PM Fri/Sat, so we missed it. The river is a bit more interesting above the lock, with lots of boats moored at the marina.
A group of cyclists rattled over the wooden spars on Aldwarke Bridge, north of Ouse Gill beck, above which the Ouse is called the Ure.
While there are still sandy banks, the view improves as you go north. Cattle, sheep, herons and other wildfowl are more abundant, too, with Sand Martins catching flies and returning to river cliff burrows.
After twisty turns, there is no mooring pontoon below Milby Lock, just ladders onto the high jetty.
Again, the heavy bottom gate needed help from a friendly man and Annie to both open and close. At just under 60 feet long plus fenders, Annie fitted. Milby cut has no top lock, so levels cam vary. The bollarded visitor moorings are below the first bridge, opposite the CRT services and the Canal Garage (diesel 59.9p at 0%). We had lunch in the sun, chatting to local walkers!
The town is tidy and pleasant to walk round, with a variety of shops including Spar, PO, newsagents, ironmongers, etc.. The church is worth a look, with six bells, if you ring! On a back street, John bought local sausages, and Bryson's icecream was very tasty in the shop next door. The visitors moorings are reasonably quiet, opposite the CRT services, where Two Can , from Ripon Motor Boat Club, occupied the handy 48 hour mooring.
 |
| Liana at Boroughbridge weir (fish ladder?) |
 |
| we moored opposite the CRT Services and Canal Garage |
At Oxclose lock, we passed finally off the Ure onto the Ripon Canal. We were going to look carefully at Ripon Motor Boat Club (on the left) and Ripon Marina (on the right below Bell Furrows Lock), with a view to 7 day mooring while we visit the area, pop home and visit the Braunston Working Boat Rally. The kind couple on Two Can introduced us to Bob Medhurst and commodore John of RMBC, who quickly sorted out a mooring for us: Many thanks for our excellent welcome to Ripon! The enlarged marina can take 147 boats, including 24 larger narrowboats up to about 58 feet long. Once settled, John gave us a key and we walked the two miles into town to start our visit.
A huge 80cm salmon leapt twice fully in the air next to the boat, as John neared the lock. The weir has a salmon ladder. The bottom gates are huge and heavy, with wheels to move the paddles. Liana couldn't move a gate until Annie helped. Then a kind man helped her close the gate. The pub/shop opens 11AM until 9.30PM Fri/Sat, so we missed it. The river is a bit more interesting above the lock, with lots of boats moored at the marina.
A group of cyclists rattled over the wooden spars on Aldwarke Bridge, north of Ouse Gill beck, above which the Ouse is called the Ure. 
While there are still sandy banks, the view improves as you go north. Cattle, sheep, herons and other wildfowl are more abundant, too, with Sand Martins catching flies and returning to river cliff burrows. 
After twisty turns, there is no mooring pontoon below Milby Lock, just ladders onto the high jetty. 
Again, the heavy bottom gate needed help from a friendly man and Annie to both open and close. At just under 60 feet long plus fenders, Annie fitted. Milby cut has no top lock, so levels cam vary. The bollarded visitor moorings are below the first bridge, opposite the CRT services and the Canal Garage (diesel 59.9p at 0%). We had lunch in the sun, chatting to local walkers!
The town is tidy and pleasant to walk round, with a variety of shops including Spar, PO, newsagents, ironmongers, etc.. The church is worth a look, with six bells, if you ring! On a back street, John bought local sausages, and Bryson's icecream was very tasty in the shop next door. The visitors moorings are reasonably quiet, opposite the CRT services, where Two Can , from Ripon Motor Boat Club, occupied the handy 48 hour mooring.
No comments:
Post a Comment