We had a morning with no alarm set, although we still woke fairly early – force of habit probably. We were hoping to see a few of the sights of Boston, in particular the Stump, the Museum, and the windmill.
Before we could do those things, we needed to visit the facilities, which were half a mile back near the Boston Sluice. Rather than walk, we took the boat down there and moored on the lock bollards. We disposed of rubbish, and emptied cassettes, and then cruised back through Boston “Marina” to the water point, which was on the way back to the visitor’s pontoon.
We had agreed to go up the Stump with Mark and Rosie, and we said we would meet them there after our jobs were done. There are some interesting buildings in Boston.
Old
streets in Boston
The
old courthouse
When we arrived at the church, we discovered that we could go up the tower (the Stump) as it was closed for repairs. Indeed, the whole church was undergoing refurbishment. It is apparently the largest parish church in England.
We found that the museum was also closed on Tuesdays, and so was the windmill! Moreover, the tide was out! We returned to the boat and had a meal on board.
0 locks, 1 mile Dep 1015, arr 1130
Wed 14th August Boston to Dogdyke
The Stump from the visitor’s moorings
Farewell to Mark and Rosie on Ace
We wanted to be in Lincoln for Sunday, so we left Boston, after saying farewell to Mark and Rosie. The River Witham is wide and deep, with high banks on both sides. The moorings are all floating pontoons, large enough for about three boats.
We passed the entrance to the navigable drains at Anton’s Gowt, where (great excitement!) the navigation turns a corner. A further two miles straight took us to Langrick Bridge, where there is another bend.
Anton’s Gowt
Langrick Bridge
At Langrick Bridge there is a small shop and garage, where we bought some milk and one or two other things, and we filled up with diesel. The owners spotted our Canal Ministries fleeces, and revealed that they were Christians and they knew Adrian and Chris Dann, people we hope to see in a few days’ time.
After another hour of straight navigation with an occasional minor kink, we arrived at the junction with Kyme Eau, which is part of the Sleaford Navigation. Our Nicholson Guide marks a mooring here, but we saw only private moorings. Half a mile further on there is a public mooring, but this belongs to Orchard Caravan Park at Chapel Hill, and they charge £15 per night. It was empty, unsurprisingly.
Kyme Eau
Chapel Hill moorings
Half a mile further on we came to Dogdyke, where we stopped on another floating pontoon. We were just in time before the rain started, which was heavy.
Heavy rain at Dogdyke
0 locks, 10 miles Dep 0900, arr 1145
Thu 15th August Dogdyke to Bardney
We had discovered that the mooring at Dogdyke is almost at the end of the runway at RAF Coningsby. Four very noisy jet aircraft (Typhoons?) were evidently doing what used to be called circuits and bumps, and passing overhead as they took off each time.
Moored at Dogdyke
Noisy jet on takeoff
James went ashore to see what was there and found that the pub was closed today, with a chain across the car park. Even from the mooring there was a sign saying no public access. The pub sign facing the river was in two parts.
Dogdyke visitor moorings
Packet Inn
We set off, passing the entrance to another drainage channel and a small marina, and we soon cruised underneath Tattershall Bridge.
Marina entrance
Tattershall Bridge
There are many drainage ditches connecting the Witham, some of which look as though they might be navigable, but low bridges and lack of places to turn probably mean otherwise.
A large drain called Billinghay Skirth
The now sealed off and buried end of the Horncastle
Canal.
Kirkstead Bridge
A more scenic section near Ferry Farm
A railway line used to follow the navigation and it is now a footpath and cycle track. There is still evidence of the train service that used to run here. It was mostly freight, serving several industries along the route.
These look a bit like railway buildings
An old station sign at Southrey
Sugarbeet factory at Bardney
We arrived at Bardney visitor moorings, where we had planned to moor, hoping for a pub meal somewhere in the village.
Bardney Visitor Moorings
We walked into the village, and found a pub called the Old Angel Inn, where we had a pleasant meal. We had seen it on Street View, where it had been called the Bard, and there was a large Sky Sports banner displayed. We found that the current owners had been in charge for over five years, and they never had Sky Sports, so the Street View pictures on Google Maps were very old.
Old Angel Inn with a dark sky
Almshouses in Bardney
Teddy topiary
Moored for the night
When we arrived back at the boat, there was a white cruiser moored further up. A man from there came up and said “It’s James, isn’t it?” It turned out that he had read the Canal Ministries website, and also found our blog. He approved of what we did, but he “wasn’t religious”. He had seen our intention to do the Chesterfield Canal, but he warned us that it was very weedy at the moment, and it would be hard going. We remember it was very slow when we went before in 2005. We may rethink our plans.
Sunset at Bardney
0 locks, 13 miles Dep 0930, arr 1205
Fri 16th August Bardney to Fiskerton Fen
Rain was forecast later on, so we didn’t plan to go far today. In less than a mile we came to Bardney Lock. The junction here is odd, as the navigation channel becomes a drain, and we had to turn to the right under the disused railway bridge and immediately left into the lock. The old course of the Witham also goes off here to a marina, a caravan park, and a pub.
The Junction at Bardney Lock.
Waiting for the lock
In the lock
The lock was manual with vee doors, and windlasses welded onto the spindles of the paddles. There was a sanitary station adjacent to the lock so we emptied cassettes and rubbish.
There was a boat club with a few boats, and a visitor mooring, which was full, so we thought we would have to continue to Washingborough, more than five miles further on. However, we found a mooring that was not in the Nicholson Guide, at Fiskerton Fen, so we pulled in for the day. There is a small nature reserve here with a bird hide and a lake.
1 lock, 2 miles Dep 0910, arr 1015
Sat 17th August Fiskerton Fen to Lincoln
James rose early and went to visit the nature reserve. There wasn’t a lot to see – just one lake and one hide. He saw a lapwing and some Gadwall ducks, and a large flock of Canada Geese taking off which was dramatic.
On his return he had a long chat with Tommy, the guy from the other boat called Champ Donne. It turned out he had been a seaman most of his life, working at one time on the QE2. He had also been the lock keeper at Cromwell Lock.
We set off for Lincoln, passing some unusual sculptures on the way, followed by the moorings at Washingborough, where we had moored once in 2005.
We spotted an ancient church at Greetwell, and had good views of Lincoln Cathedral, which certainly dominates the city. It is on a hill, and some of the streets are very steep. There was also some work going on to build a bypass for Lincoln, which will pass to the East of the city and cross the Witham.
11thC
church of All Saints at Greetwell Hall.
Lincoln Cathedral from the river.
Soon after this we found ourselves entering an old industrial area, with old warehouses and factories, close to Stamp End Lock, where a cruiser was coming down out of Lincoln.
We stopped to fill the water tank as we are not sure where the next one will be. Then we were into more ancient parts of Lincoln, culminating in the famous Glory Hole, a medieval bridge which has buildings on it. Underneath it had diagonal stone beams, a bit like a crypt or undercroft.
Then we were into Brayford Pool, full of expensive yachts, and surrounded by restaurants. We were looking for somewhere to moor, and we spotted a sign saying “visitor moorings”. We moored up, and went to the office as requested, and were told it was £10 per night on the wall, and £15 on a pontoon. These were almost empty. With a further enquiry we were told that the CRT moorings were just a few yards further on. We found a space there among other narrowboats.
We went for look around the market and to explore some of Lincoln, and we spotted Tommy cruising through on Champ Donne. Hazel visited the shops while James had a coffee, and then we went to a Chinese buffet restaurant and ate too much. Back to the boat for the rest of the day. We heard several groups of enebriated men shouting football chants, and we guessed there must have been a match somewhere.
1 lock, 8 miles
Next: Tomorrow taking the boat back to just above Stamp End Lock to visit Lincoln Baptist Church, where we will meet BCF friends Adrian and Chris Dann. Then a day or two in Lincoln to see the sights properly, before starting a more gentle cruising schedule south. We have decided to miss out the Chesterfield Canal as it is too weedy at this time of the year.
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