Ripon visit and the journey back down Ure and Ouse to York and Naburn Lock

Saturday 2 July 2016 Linton-on-Ouse to York and onto Naburn Lock


Friday 1 July 2016 from Oxclose Lock onto the Ure through Boroughbridge to Linton-on-Ouse
John woke early and had a short walk in the early morning sun, enjoying the view at this quiet location.

early morning sun at Oxclose Lock, Ripon Canal

a quiet country mooring

dawn light

a calm morning at Oxclose Lock, Ripon Canal

Apart from the odd light shower, the trip down the Ure to Boroughbridge was fine. We topped up with diesel at the garage there (59.9p at o%), to avoid condensation problems in a half-empty fuel tank.

the unusual lift-up walkway on Oxclose lock top gates

Annie on the river pontoon mooring below Oxclose Lock

under the A1(M) near Boroughbridge

Boroughbridge Marina, just above the weir and lock cut

Boroughbridge weir and lock cut to left

We had our usual walk around this pleasant little town, before setting off down the Ure and Ouse to pontoon moorings above the lock at Linton-on-Ouse.

locking down onto the River Ure at Boroughbridge can be hard work

one of several herons

RAF trainer - without the telephoto lens :(

dark rainclouds as we approached Linton-on-Ouse Lock and Marina

there really are CRT Enforcement boats!

The RAF seemed to be busy, with lots of training aircraft buzzing about from the nearby airfield. There is a bar beside the lock here for the boaters and campers. The village is less than a mile away.


Thursday 30 June 2016 from Ripon, down the Ripon Canal to Oxclose Lock
Today, we bought a few necessities before moving Annie down to the award-winning services, where we filled up with water and emptied the loo holding tanks in the Elsan facility.

Liana and Annie at the Ripon CRT services

splashy, leaky top gates!

Taking our time, we passed down the locks, past Marina and Ripon Motor Boat Club, enjoying the pleasant Ripon canal to its terminus at scenic Oxclose Lock, where canal and River Ure meet.

Ripon Canal

Evening mooring above Oxclose Lock

Wednesday 29 June 2016 Ripon

Rain limited activity to a dash up to the Cathedral, tea and scones opposite and bargain buys for Liana at the art/cross stitch/embroidery shop next door retirement closing down sale. Ripon Cathedral is lovely, well worth a visit, as is the town. We enjoyed the year six pupils' voices and clergy's lively oration as we admired alters, stained glass, architecture and what we call in Lincoln the Angel Choir.

Primary School Year 6 leaving service

Back at the boat, John cleared out and sorted clothes in his wardrobe, having bought bags for socks, pants, etc. Amazing what you find!! The rain having set in again, pouring down, it is possibly the worst week's weather we have had, in Liana's opinion. Once the weather clears, we intend to return to York, Naburn Lock and Selby, mooring up for another week, CRT or Boat Club permitting, if possible. We have a schools sailing regatta to help at, plus Michaeljohn's and Claire's wedding to look forward to.

Tuesday 28 June 2016 Ripon visit to Workhouse and Prison museums

Sunny summer weather lured us out in shorts and T shirts to take Annie the short distance through two slow, wide locks to Ripon Basin, where John winded Annie and moored on the 48 hour visitor moorings (about 200 feet long) a few yards away, near NB Marge.

Leaving Ripon Motor Boat Club's excellent marina, about to pick up Liana at the entrance

Ripon Motor Boat Club clubhouse: We were made welcome, at no notice!

Annie, with grey and iron oxide primer paint, below Bell Furrows Lock

approaching the last lock before Ripon

Ripon basin: the most northerly Yorkshire canal

Winding (turning) in Ripon basin

leaving Ripon basin, the visitors moorings are ahead, on the left: Room for several boats

You can buy a Head of Navigation plaque from the boat hire office at the quay. Liana left the second lock emptying for NB Jennifer, who turned up as the first lock was filling very slowly! On our way, we passed well kept services on the offside, which had a 48 hour mooring, too. Apart from some road noise, the moorings are pleasant, and a few hundred yards from the town centre and Cathedral.

Workhouse front entrance

We made good use of our annual season tickets to the three town museums: This time, we visited the excellent Ripon Workhouse Museum, which is, amazingly, in near-original condition: Apparently, this is because it was handed over to social services, who used it as an old folks home. You see good displays in what was the casual users part, giving a clear idea of what it was like to be a tramp arriving for the night. The main long-term building is still in use, but the charity is hoping to buy it and make an even better visit for tourists and locals alike.

In between showers, hiding from the heavy rain, we visited the Ripon Prison and Police Museum, a short walk away. The jolly lady inside soon had John kitted out as a convict and Liana in Police garb, which we wore as we toured the place. As you can see below, we had lorts of fun!! All three museums have commentary available either using their ipods or Liana's Ipad. We have thoroughly enjoyed all three museums :)

Drying off that evening on Annie, after Chicken Kiev, Liana knitted while John read and watched a DVD.

Monday 27 June

It took us just two hours to reach Ripon from home in Lincolnshire, thanks to sunshine and motorways. We managed to find Littlethorpe and the Ripon Motor Boat Club. After unloading, while Liana knitted and did puzzles, John painted the boat front with dark grey primer undercoat in the sun, then watched England lose to Iceland at soccer: not their finest hour, sadly.