Clayworth to Worksop

Fri 29^th 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 30^th 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 31^st 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.