Apart from isolated bursts of rain, we’ve been boating in
glorious sunshine as we have made our way gradually southwards from Leeds to
Newark, our current ‘home’. David, Lizzie and James joined us for the first
stretch out of Leeds, unfortunately on one of the wettest mornings for weeks,
so the children were mostly confined to the boat!
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| Too rainy to come out |
We whizzed down the Aire and Calder Navigation and the ‘New
Cut’, enjoying the luxury of automatic locks, after all the hard work on the
Leeds and Liverpool Canal.
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| Looks a bit fishy... |
Once we were on the Stainforth and Keadby Canal
heading towards the River Trent we were horrified at the spread of the
duckweed(?) which covered the surface of the water for a distance of about 10
miles.
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| Our passage through the weed |
The boat crawled slowly along, with the engine in danger of overheating,
and once moored safely above Keadby Lock Roger had to insert himself once again into the
cramped space below the back deck to clear the propeller. There turned out to
be not only weed, but plastic bags, rope and yards of fishing line.
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Roger in the weed hatch
( makes a change from the dog house) |
Jean was
summoned by a blood-curdling cry to come to his assistance when he impaled his
finger on a fish-hook and had to cut himself free as he was unable to withdraw
his hand from beneath the water.
On Wed 23
rd we began the journey upstream along
the Trent,
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| Some sizeable boats still use the Trent! |
leaving ( along with 7 other boats) at 3pm with the incoming tide
for the first leg up to Torksey, a distance of 27 miles taking 4½ hours. We
were last to arrive so found the mooring pontoons already crammed with boats
awaiting the next day’s tide, and had to ‘breast up’ against another
narrowboat, waking the surprised owner from his snooze!
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| Entering Cromwell Lock |
The next morning saw an early start at 6.30am to take
advantage of the last of the tide to help us up to Cromwell Lock 16 miles away.
Once there we breathed a sigh of relief at coming off the tideway, and settled
down to a day’s rest ( and a chance to catch up with the washing!)
From there we made our way to Newark, where we have tied up
for a few days while we fulfil various child-minding duties both ‘up north’ and
‘down south’.
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| Maltby Brass Band |
There are excellent moorings very close to the pleasant town centre, which has many fine buildings near the large market square. It also boasts two railway stations - and has a programme of brass band concerts on Sunday afternoon in the Castle Gardens.
Excellent signage! Have a good time in France. xx
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