Fri 29th Jul
Clayworth to Retford
|
Dawn at Clayworth |
It was overcast and we had had rain in the
night. Melita went past before we were ready to leave.
We followed on a little later, checking out
moorings as we went, as possibilities for journey back. The one at Hayton
Bridge has space for just two boats. We
also saw an unusual signpost, pointing to ruination in the direction we were
going.
|
Hayton Bridge mooring |
|
Ruination signpost |
We went through Whitsunday Pie Lock on our own.
This is the last wide lock. If we had rushed, we could have caught up with
Melita, but we knew that subsequent locks were narrow.
|
Whitsunday Pie Lock |
|
Mill and warehouses in Retford |
Retford Town Lock is the first narrow lock, and
we found Melita moored the other side.
|
Retford Town Lock |
|
All the locks on the Chesterfield have lockable paddle gear |
|
Melita above the lock |
We went looking for lunch somewhere, and found
the Ship Inn, very close to the lock, serving homemade pub food. James had a
chicken, ham and leek pie, and Hazel had a lasagne - both very tasty. There was
an amazing mural on a house nearby.
|
Mural |
We found a good butchers (called A W Bacon!!)
and bought some sausages, before going to ASDA for milk and wine.
We heard from Dave on a club cruise from RWBC,
that they had decided not to take four boats up the final locks due to low
water levels. They had walked up the first few locks and found a dry pound.
They suggested we meet them just upstream from West Retford Lock, where they
were moored on an embankment. We set off, and joined them on the 2 day mooring
which has bollards. Melita also found a space behind us.
We sat out on the path and had drinks and
nibbles, and we didn’t even discuss boat toilets or batteries! A pleasant
evening. Lots of citronella candles kept the insects away.
|
West Retford Lock |
|
Evening with RWBC members |
3 locks, 5½ miles, 1 swingbridge. Dep 1015, arr
1230 Retford. Dep 1455, arr 1540 embankment.
Sat 30th Jul Retford to Osberton
The club boats set off one by one, before we
were ready to depart. We had a pleasant cruise up through the four Forest
Locks, which are in a delightful rural setting. At Forest Middle Top Lock
(otherwise known as Charlie’s) we used the facilities. There was a queue for
the water point, so we didn’t use that.
|
After the club boats had gone |
|
Forest Locks |
|
Charlie’s Lock |
|
Forest Top Lock |
For a mile, the canal runs alongside the A1 at Ranby. There are a lot of willow trees
overhanging the canal here, but this time they had mostly been trimmed so that
we could see through them. The bridge under the A1 is on a corner, making it
tricky. There was a lot of green weed on this section, as well as islands of
reeds, and James had to visit the weed hatch several times.
|
The A1 bridge at Ranby |
|
Giant thistles |
|
Weed from the prop |
|
Reeds removed from Osberton Lock |
|
Osberton Lock
|
We wanted to moor up but there were few places.
We opted for some piling under an oak tree. No boats went past for the rest of
the day.
|
Moored near Osberton Hall |
5 locks, 6 miles, 1 swingbridge. Dep 1000, arr
1500
Sun 31st Jul
Osberton to Worksop Lock Keeper Pub.
We had acorns and twigs on the roof this
morning. Progress was slow, as there was still a lot of weed in the canal. We
crossed under the railway at Manton, where there was a new road bridge as well
as the old one.
|
Weed again |
|
Three bridges at Manton
|
As we entered Worksop, we passed Bracebridge pumping station, built
in 1881 as part of a sewage facility. Then came Bracebridge Lock, and some
Victorian canalside buildings.
|
Bracebridge Pumping Station |
|
Bracebridge Lock |
|
Canal buildings in Worksop |
Then we passed under the Straddle Warehouse,
once owned by Pickfords, before entering Town Lock, where we had some help from
two bored lads. The bottom gates are right under the bridge and there is only
one paddle which is difficult to access.
|
Straddle Warehouse |
|
The underside |
|
Worksop Town Lock |
Morse Lock followed, and was relatively easy,
and then came Stret Lock, where we got stuck in 2005. The lock has since been
widened, and we had no problem.
|
Stret Lock
|
Above the lock is the Lock Keeper pub, where we
had been advised to moor. There was a boat called Firefly there already, and we
were asked to moor nose on, as the moorings above were being used by the
Chesterfield Canal Trust trip boat, Hugh Henshall. They do this every Sunday.
|
Trip boat |
We had a carvery meal in the pub. Later we found ourselves at an angle, as the
trip boat was going down through Stret Lock to turn, taking water out of the
pound. When they went, we moved up to where they had been moored. We found a windlass on the grass, and guessed
it was one of theirs.
|
Evening sky |
5 locks, 3 miles. Dep 0945, arr 1245
Next: Up to Shireoaks, and a decision about
whether to do the final 23 locks or not. It has been suggested that we walk up
the first few locks to assess the situation.
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