Up the River Trent to Nottingham

 

Wednesday 14 May Torksey Lock to Newark

Thursday 15 May Newark to Gunthorpe

Friday 16 May Gunthorpe to Nottingham

Thankfully, it is a beautiful, blue sky morning today, albeit with a cool but gentler wind than yesterday. This section of the Trent past Burton Joyce is particularly lovely, with sandy banks, water meadows, sheep, lambs and lots of wildfowl. I saw oyster catchers, Canada and greylag geese with young, swans, mallards and white egrets. How lucky are we!

There look to be useable visitor moorings at the Ferryboat, a Hungry Horse pub.

A tern almost hovered over the water, after fish, as we approached Stoke Bardolph Lock.

At Radcliffe we saw oystercatchers and three herons in 300 yards, unusually, as they are usually half a mile apart.

As we approached Radcliffe railway viaduct I could smell bacon frying, and my bacon and egg butty duly arrived soon after.

The cheery volunteer helped us through Holme Lock in the sun. We continued up to Meadow Lane Lock, passing rowers, other Narrowboats, the Trent trip boat, Sea Cadets base, Millionaire’s Mansion and all the new blocks of luxury flats.

Meadow Lane Lock was slow: one bottom paddle was inoperative and one top paddle was really stiff. We used the Elsan facility, then Liana went “jeffing” to the railway station, to fetch our car from Torksey Lock and drive it to Castle Marina. I chatted to a lady walking on the towpath with her windlass. After mooring outside the law courts for a cup of tea, Liana rang, so I then operated Castle Lock, chatting to the diners eating their lunch. Mooring near Sainsbury’s, I brushed all the goose poo into the canal and sat down just as Liana arrived. We had a quiet evening watching tv.

Saturday 17 May 2025 at Nottingham 

Today is our middle daughter Joanna’s birthday! Congratulations, Joanna. She is mountain biking in Italy with Mark, so we are leaving Annie in the care of Castle Marina, visiting our other daughters Rachel and Sarah today, then heading south to take over baby sitting duties from Hope’s other Grannie, Julie. Happy Days! The gentleman in the Marina office was most helpful. 

Later, we visited Wistow Garden Centre with Rachel and Sarah in her car. Rachel’s plant purchases will be her birthday presents from us all! Later, John watched Crystal Palace beat Manchester City in the FA Cup Final. Sarah made us a lovely tea.

Foss Dyke and River Witham cruise

Monday 21 April at Saxilby Rain stopped play!

We left home about 1030 in the sun. Once at Saxilby, the rain started coming down, becoming torrential for most of the day. We stayed and watched tv, and read. Liana eventually walked Rachel’s dog Honeypie late in the day!

Tuesday 22 April Saxilby to the Woodcocks and Pyewipe Inns 3 miles 0 locks

John rang Chris Potts at Burton Waters to organise repairs to our cratch cover: A clip had come off and a zip was sticking, probably slightly crushed. He suggested we moor at the Woodcocks Inn, a short walk away from him, and ring. His son Ryan walked over, assessed the damage and carried the cratch away, recommending a marina place for lunch. When we got back after a walk and a coffee, the cratch was back, repaired and refitted! Liana saw Ryan when we moored at Burton Waters Marina to fill up with diesel, and he said there was no charge. What service from Chris and Ryan at Marine & Industrial Covers! Thank you so much.

While taking on diesel, John asked the office if a fitter could check the electrics, as our oil pressure gauge was reading maximum once the ignition was switched on. John thought it was an oil sensor connection, but hadn’t found it. Their fitter sorted it in ten seconds, with no charge, again! So with full diesel tank, mended cratch and oil pressure gauge, we continued to the Pyewipe Inn, just outside Lincoln. We enjoyed the sun, then ate a good meal inside (it is dog friendly). We thought both Inns were ok, if rather expensive.

Wednesday 23 April Pyewipe Inn to Lincoln

After a decent night’s sleep and shower, John took Annie through Lincoln Brayford Pool to the famous mediaeval Glory Hole, beneath High Bridge on Lincoln High Street, one of the few mediaeval bridges with houses on it.

We moored under the weeping willow beside The Witch & Wardrobe Inn, in the centre of Lincoln. Our daughter Sarah joined us for the afternoon.

Thursday 24 April Washingborough CRT Moorings to Bardney Lock 8 miles

We awoke to sunshine, so had a fry up breakfast followed by a walk into the nearby village. We were made welcome in the lovely church by the gentleman in the office, who put the lights on for us. They have an active ringing team to ring their eight bells, I believe.

We decided to enjoy the sunny afternoon by cruising to Bardney Lock, where we moored close to the lock. We emptied the loo cassettes in the Elsan facility there. The gentleman living in the lock house had been gardening and cutting the grass, and the lock area looked very well cared for. His dog was lovely, too. Honeypie was impressed when he gave her a treat. A 1.5 mile walk took us to the Old Angel Inn in Bardney, where John had a good pint and Liana had a coke. The decent butchers opposite supplied us with three sausage rolls and flapjacks. After a pleasant walk back, we settled in for the night.

Friday 25 April Bardney Lock to Lincoln and Torksey (18 miles, 1 lock)

The morning began very foggy, but the sun soon burned off this mist and we settled in for off back to Lincoln, passing swans and their nests, mallards and a couple of herons on the way. Clouds obscured the sun, so it was quite cool as we approached Stamp End Lock at Lincoln. We struggled to make it work, so two hours later a friendly boater had helped us sort it. Liana asked East Midlands CRT to check it.

After lunch in Lincoln, Liana and Honeypie walked to the Pyewipe Inn.

Preparing for our 2025 summer cruise

 11 April 2025 Getting Annie’s BSS certificate and her hull blacked

Last Monday 7 April, we had Phil Read, our BSS inspector,  check out Annie for her Boat Safety certification. We had spent a couple of days sorting out problems last week, so we were pleased when Phil said that Annie had passed with flying colours. This year’s cost was £200, a big increase. Thankfully, our next inspection will not be until April 2029.

This Thursday 10 April, we left Retford & Worksop Boat Club for possibly the last time, en route for her blacking at West Stockwith Basin. We enjoyed another beautiful blue sky day, not rushing along this shallow but lovely Chesterfield Canal.

There were three boats moored at Drakeholes, where we passed through the short tunnel.

NB Rosa Blanca left the visitor moorings before Walkeringham as we approached. Both boats moored at Misterton, where John popped to the excellent butchers and bought Lincolnshire sausages, Hog Roast sausages to try, plus a minty lamb pie.

 We then travelled the short distance to West Stockwith basin, to moor alongside the two hire boats, Robin Hood and Maid Marian.

John tried the homemade pheasant and pigeon pie at the White Hart, while Liana had their chicken and black sausage pie. Both were delicious.

We were up early on Friday 11 April, getting ready for getting Annie out of the water for her hull blacking.

Liana caught the early 0742 bus to go to RWBC and return with our car. She got back just in time to see John steer Annie above the articulated trailer, and the tractor haul it up the ramp and out of the water. John  certainly went up in the world!

We will leave Annie for a week. We have booked to descend the river lock on the flood tide at 0940 next Friday 18 April, to go upriver to Torksey Lock and Lincoln.