1 August 2024 Setting out
Today we set off from our moorings at Retford & Worksop Boat Club, after being dropped off by our friends Scott and Carolyn. Thank you!
As John is recovering from his heart operation a fortnight ago, he is taking things very gently, of course. He has had a stent fitted to unblock his circumflex artery, after a recurrence of angina, this time including unstable angina, which involves shortness of breath and chest pain both when exercising and when resting, watching the Copa America soccer. Our local GP, Dr Morgan, referred me immediately to A&E, and I went from diagnosis to successful operation in 24 hours! Thank you, our wonderful NHS staff.
John appreciated the new pramtop on Annie, as we had one or two brief showers.
The day was cloudy as we reached Drakeholes moorings and tunnel.
Just after, we passed two farmers ruefully looking at a round ale of hay which had rolled into the canal.
After passing through the. wide Gringley and Shaw locks, we moored at the bollarded moorings just beyond, and enjoyed a sunny afternoon and evening. Later we were joined by the hire boat Maid Marian.
2 August 2024 West Stockwith up the River Trent to Torksey.
NB Maid Marian had left early. Two of the boats from Drakeholes passed us as we breakfasted. As we could not pass onto the Trent before the flood tide about 5.30pm, there was no hurry!
We enjoyed a sunny quiet trip the three miles to Misterton, where we visited the excellent butcher shop and Coop.
At West Stockwith basin, we popped in to The Waterside pub and had a good long chat with lock keeper Wilf before he let us on to the river.
John knows the tidal river up to Torksey pretty well now, and mostly you just need to stay in the middle, or towards the outside on bends. We’ve never had problems passing over the old Roman ford, either. We had a lovely passage in the evening sun, passing familiar landmarks. We reached Torksey cut and moored on the pontoon, closely followed by a liveaboard cruiser which had come up from Gainsborough.
Liana walked Honeypie, then cooked sweet chili chicken - nice!
Saturday 3 August up the Trent from Torksey to Newark
Using John Lower’s book “Boating on the Trent” (available from Chesterfield Canal Trust), John worked out Torksey flood tide to begin around 8am today. As we could not get anyone on the phone at Torksey or Cromwell, John left a message on the Cromwell lock mobile. NB Gazely Stare passed us as we got ready, heading our way, so they clearly agreed with us. We followed some distance behind, but usually in sight. We also use The Boating Association charts for both Tidal Trent (from West Stockwith to Cromwell tidal lock), plus the Non-Tidal Trent chart above Cromwell lock.
The rain showers tested our new pramtop. John kept dry, warm and wind-free, unlike the steerer on Gazely Stare, he told us in Newark Nether lock, when we compared notes on the trip! The rain-spotted front clear plastic window does reduce visibility, however.
After mooring opposite the full CRT moorings, We moved across when a boat left, to make it easier to get Honeypie on and off.
In Newark, we ate excellent interesting meals at dog friendly The Prince Rupert, which also boasted friendly and helpful staff. The chef even came out to explain why the steak and stilton sandwich was better with the steak cooked medium, rather than rare, as I requested! Well worth a visit.
Later, we enjoyed an exciting day at the Olympics on tv.
Sunday 4 August Newark to Gunthorpe
We had a pleasant walk around Newark with Honeypie, including Kings Lock, before John rang the lock and we left the CRT moorings.
We chatted to folk watching as the lock filled. John noted new buildings on the old CRT yard, just before Newark Marina. A huge flock(?) of swans greeted us as we passed under the ring road bridge. All along Newark Dyke fishermen were spaced 50 yards apart, but Annie’s hull makes a very small wake, unlike most grp cruisers.
We enjoy seeing Averham Weir and Staythorpe Power Station, which has changed markedly over the years as coal had given way to gas. More fishermen appeared around Farndon Marina.
Most of the moorings at Fiskerton are private, apart from one near the Bromley Arms .
Once through Hazleford lock, we carried on through countryside with lots of littoral water meadows and wildfowl, including Canada and Greylag geese, hills and a number of white egrets, which have appeared in the UK increasingly these last twenty years.
Once above Gunthorpe lock, we reversed and squeezed in behind the CRT pontoon near to the road bridge, helped by friendly boaters.
After a dog walk and a pint, we watched more Olympics on tv.
Monday 5 August Gunthorpe to Holme Pierrepoint
After a porridge and banana breakfast, John set off steadily upriver, under Gunthorpe road bridge. The four or five miles to Stoke Bardolph lock are very rural and scenic, so we enjoyed seeing the wildfowl and countryside, with occasional cattle thrown in.
After waiting below the lock, we eventually got the green light and entered, chatting with the lock keeper while the lock slowly filled.
Above here, it’s only 2.5 miles to Holme lock, past the cliffs at Radcliffe on Trent, under the quite impressive railway viaduct towards the famous National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepoint, where we pass through Holme lock and moor beside the usually busy white water course. Today there were lots of families enjoying a kayaking fun day. We had a coffee and a bacon nap with the thinnest, poorest quality bacon ever, costing a fiver! It filled a void 😕
Tuesday 6 August Holme Pierrepoint to Nottingham
We always overnight here, get up, walk the dog and see if any rowers or kayakers are about. John only spotted one sculler on the mile long main course, plus dog walkers and grass mowers.
We used our Misterton butchers sausages and black sausage as part of our full English breakfast before starting off the 2.5 miles to Trent Bridge, the Meadow Lane lock and Nottingham Canal.
It was sunny but windy, quite pleasant. As we reached Meadow Lane lock, NB Sarah Kate entered it ahead of us. Another narrowboat arrived from upriver and started to enter the lock, then realised we were waiting our turn, and moved away for us to enter. Once up, Sarah Kate took on water while we used the Elsan facility, before heading through Castle Lock to moor near Sainsbury’s.
After shopping and dog walking, we watched the Olympics on tv - excellent! John planted our new Geraniums and Begonias in our planters, improving our flower display vastly!!
Wednesday 7 August Nottingham to Trent Lock
We slept well. After a leisurely breakfast, we set off the three miles to Beeston Lock, past Castle Marina, Trevithick’s boatyard and Boots’ factory.
CRT were busy opposite the services, which had a faulty Elsan facility. Good job we had used the one at Meadow Lane! Lots of volunteers were busy tidying up the area around lock and serviced - well done!
We took our time up the river to Cranfleet, enjoying the countryside views. The pramtop protected John from both wind and the few raindrops which came down.
Approaching Cranfleet Lock, a boat came out, so John dropped Off Liana and Honeypie, then went straight in. Good timing! We chatted to folk watching as we passed through. Liana walked Honeypie up the cut to the CRT visitor moorings by the Trent Lock pub, where John was able to reverse Annie inside the pontoon. Once settled, we walked up the Erewash Canal, visited the scenic Mill’s Boatyard and chatted to a boater working on his boat in the dry dock.
Timothy Tailors pint went down well as we relaxed at the Trent Lock before returning to the boat and chilling. It’s a hard life!!
By the way, we have taken photos, but this iPhone will not work with blogger to add them to the blog. Any ideas?
Thursday 8 August Trent Lock visitor moorings to Loughborough
Friday 9 August Liana’s Birthday Loughborough to Barrow-on-Soar
Liana is getting an IPhone 15 , plus
Saturday 10 August Barrow-on-Soar to Watermead Park, Leicester
Sunday 11 August Watermead park to Castle Gardens Moorings, Leicester ( 5 miles, 5 locks)
Apparently, the Hope & Anchor is being refurbished, so will reopen John rolled up front and back of the new pramtop, for improved visibility when moving. Once breakfasted, we set off in the sun for Thurmaston lock, where an oncoming boat came out as we approached- what luck! Our luck continued, as NB x joined us at Birstall lock, all the way to the Castle moorings. Again, as we reached the often difficult North lock, a boat came out, making life much easier!
As we neared Lime Kiln lock, by Abbey Park, we picked up something big on the propeller. A burst of reverse cleared it, but our companion boat behind stalled when it caught around their prop too! Both of us went down the weed hatch and cleared our props and prop shafts. This particular place is a favourite for Hindu funerals, as this part of the Soar has been blessed as a substitute for the Holy River Ganges. The floating funereal rafts can disintegrate and cause boats problems, as we have found ourselves on several occasions here. We were soon on our way. Just above this lock the arm with its newish pontoon moorings was roped off, for some reason: Anyone know what is happening here? Friars Mill pontoon moorings round the corner were full up, but both our boats found plenty of room on Castle Gardens mooring pontoons, thankfully. You can get into and out of the park using your CRT key. Rachel’s friend Pip picked us up and took us to Rachel’s house for a garden party celebrating our favourite dog Honeypie’s tenth birthday. We had a lovely time with all Rachel’s friends, and the food was great as usual, with some recipes from her Persiana cookbook.
Rachel kindly took us back to the boat later.
Monday 12 August Rest day at Castle Gardens Moorings, Leicester
A blue sky day! We have been sat out on the front cratch, chatting to Jo on the mobile and listening to our grandchild Hope sing us nursery rhymes. Opposite, they are preparing long canoes for a day activity.
First, we walked through Castle Gardens and walked up steps to the old castle motte. This mound, on which the castle keep was built, was reduced in height from 25m to 10m in the 1800s to create a (wait for it!) bowling green!
We were made welcome in St Mary de Castro church, large with a double aisle, once the castle chapel.
We walked around to the Newarke (new work, once a walled religious enclave), to the De Montfort University, where we had a decent coffee and sandwich in the student bar. We visited the Royal Leicestershire Regiment museum and social history museum opposite, which was worth a visit, discussing Leicester’s multiethnic past and present.
After visiting the market and city centre, we wandered homewards to chill and catch up on diary (Liana) and blog (John). The sun was very hot!
Ps we have received no advice about loading images from the IPhone photo app into blogger, so far. ……
Tuesday 13 August Leicester Castle Gatdens to Kilby Bridge (9 miles, 12 locks)
Phil and Jean Board on NB Atmosphere were ready to go at 0900, so off we went up the Leicester Mile Straight in the sun, past Leicester City FC’s Kingpower Stsfium to Freeman’s Lock and weir. We seem to get on easily with Phil and Jean, and this makes working the locks so much easier and even more fun. The walls by St Mary’s Mill lock are covered in fairly artistic graffiti.
We have moored by Aylestone Meadows lock and above King’s Lock.
New fencing has made it harder to get to the canalside Aldi, but we managed, using our back steps and a stool. A young man from the overlooking houses came out with a stepladder to help us - what a gentleman!
Once shopping was done, we ate naps en route and continued through the rural stretch by Blue Lock and Gee Lock. There are lots of nice gardens to admire as you pass through Glen Parva and South Wigston. It was hot, so we were glad to get through Double Rail Lock and Kilby Lock to moor opposite the services at Kilby Bridge.
John was well ready for a pint or two at The Navigation pub, which is now doing food again, thankfully.
Our daughter Rachel arrived with tasty homemade burgers and dog Honeypie, and stayed for a meal and game of Settlers of Catan, which she won.
