Preambling to Thorne

 

 After a quick trip to the States to sample the delights - of which there were many - of California its time at last to start this years trip.  First thing in the morning the mist came down but the sun was not far behind.

 

 A lovely day and its good to be underway heading for a couple of days in Lincoln.

 One of my favourite moorings in Lincoln.  The little island next to the Siemens carpark and a very short walk to the Archives.

  The river is flowing rather fast today as I enter Lincoln centre.

 A new cafe boat is tied up and with the narrowing of the canal the boat is slowing down.

 By the time I am at the Glory Hole the engine is working quite hard but making a steady speed.

 Its back to the long straights to Torksey.

 Stopping today at The Pyewipe Inn.  A brilliant place to stop for a meal.  Syd and Heidi are coming out from Horncastle to meet us. As usual the meal was spot on.

 The next day and it on to Saxilby to fill up at Tongs ready for the trip down the Trent.  The weather has cooled down somewhat so we stay and extra day til the sun comes out.

 and it does.  Sorted out the tide with Neil at Torksey Lock.  Haven't seen Richard and Ruth of nb Comfortably Numb.  Guess they must have already gone on to Newark.

 

 More lovely weather at Torksey.  Off out on the tide at 0930 ish but not much speed expected as its Spring Neaps.

 To keep on ones toes there is always the possibility of one of the big boys popping up.

The weather last and Gainsborough looks good.  One day I must make use of the floating pontoon.

 Ooh its a bit wide out on the Trent.  Spotted a fin in the water.  Fairly sure its not a shark :-) but could be a dolphin I suppose.

 West Stockwith Lock and a couple of hours in to the journey.

 Its getting cold by the time the M180 motorway bridge comes into sight.

 

 and the old lift bridge is even more welcome with only a mile left to Keadby Lock. 

Into the lock.  Slight problem as I get in.  Lined the bows up spot on and as I swung over to enter the lock the bows rise up.  I have found the sand bar at the lock mouth.  Slightly upstream and I get in.

 

 Moored up across from Phyllis and Spider T. Time to leave the car behind and plod on.

Couple of days and the last bit on to Thorne.  Waiting for the train to pass so we could have the bridge opened for us.

Moored in Thorne for a few days while I finished some of the bits and pieces that needed doing.  The water pump has taken to leaking and taking in air so that will keep me busy for one day. 

Then its off towards Leeds.

Preamble to the Summer 1

The one thing that stands out over the winter months was the large amount of water that ended up in the canal.  At one stage there was no way to get off the floating pontoon apart from a dingy we borrowed from further down the canal.

The piles holding the pontoon in place was usually about eight feet up in the air.  At its height the water rose by over six feet and the towpath was flooded and the cruisers on the finger moorings were floating over the mooring itself.

The water rushed straight through the lock and the river was only a few inches lower.  At some points on the Water Rail Way the canal was running over the path into the drain on the other side.  If the river had risen another foot it would have gone out into the countryside in general.

The dog was not amused in the slightest by the fact that she could only get to the grassy bits by boat.

Luckily we didn't run out of water as I would not have liked to try and manoeuvrewith that lot rushing past.

Water water everywhere.

Couldnt get to the boat by road either with the bridge flooded and the bins floating.

On to Nottingham

On the way there have been several deserted medieval villages.  This is one of them.  I wonder if it was plague or sheep that got the villagers moved on.

Not sure what this boat owner thinks he is going to get away with.  A more obvious alteration to a licence is yet to be seen.  Apart maybe from my father who once used a Guinness bottle label as a tax disc on the car in the early fifties :-) 

Waiting for the lock and the harvest is being got in in the nearby fields.  The tractor and trailers look much too big for the bridges and this was one of the smaller tractors.

Lovely little wharfs appear. Reached this one on the way up in a cloud burst.  Not impressed by the local boater though.

Another quiet mooring out in the countryside.

In places some of the weeping willow have need of a hanky.

Graffiti is evident so must be near civilisation.

In places its like being on a beck.  Interesting when you meet another boat:-)

The outskirts of Leicester.

Someone has been busy since we came down.  The whole of the land on the left has been cleared of trees and scrub.  More houses one assumes and what a lovely place to have some....

but it is handy for the football:-)

Leicester proper and the visitor mooring on the right.  Outside a memorial garden which is locked each night with an exit for a CRT key.

Stopped for a few minutes only and decided to crack on.

Now thats what I call Graffiti. Somebody has taken some trouble over it.

They don't care where they put the pipe do they.  It would look a rather nice bridge without it.

The start of :Loughborough.

Not sure what Loughborough does with these but they are pleasingly large and well able to pull a narrowboat along.

For some reason I feel that this is the point from whence we once visited Taylors Foundry.  Looks very unloved now but still clear of rubbish its only weeds that cover the place.

Another mill turned over to accommodation and much better than dereliction.

Now and again a bridge turns up that is somewhat different to the normal canal style.

I reckon I have rung here too.

Deep lock on the way out of Radcliffe

The power station at Radcliffe is visible for many miles around and takes ages to get anywhere near.

Last mooring before Nottingham and only yards away from the lock.

Below the lock the following day and bit of an oops has come over this work boat.

The flood lock before the Trent and its open.

The Trent feels large after the Soar and around the corner by the boat club and its back to canal.

Another flood lock and this one is the access to the Cranfleet Cut.

Somewhere here is a lock.  Sadly the pontoon for lock use is mostly covered with moored up boats.

Which bit of No Mooring don't people understand.

Along a bit of the canal that looks as though there was at one time a wharf every couple of feet a load of boats arrive.  Well the sun is out and its a weekend..

Not far now and the visitor moorings.  Plenty of room but a bit ambiguous as to which bits are 14 days.

The boat in front was across the canal and I retied it.  Someone is being slapped on the wrist by CRT as there is a DOCUMENTS ENCLOSED bag stuck on the window.

and a favourite girl turns up as if by magic and I get dragged to the pub.  I didn't want to go!! Honest!! :-)