Worksop to Thorpe Salvin via Kiveton Park

Mon 1^st Aug  Worksop to Shireoaks

We didn’t have far to go today so we had a leisurely start. The first lock was Deep Lock. At 10ft deep it is not hugely deep, but the rest of the locks around here are less than 7ft. Some of the locks have the top gate doubling up as swing bridges.

Deep Lock

Haggonfields Lock

Swing bridge top gate

Just before the three Shireoaks locks we saw Python, a work boat belonging to the Chesterfield Canal Society. After the locks we moored up and took the windlass we had found into Shireoaks Marina, and left it on the trip boat.

Python

Shireoaks Bottom Lock

Shireoaks Top Lock

Moored at Shireoaks

Shireoaks Marina

We decided to take the train up to Kiveton Park and make a decision about whether to do the final 23 locks or not. We walked up to Norwood Tunnel, where the entrance is covered with bushes, and the end of the canal has a lot of dead fish. The winding hole looked fine, and the mooring nearby looked OK.

The end of the navigable canal

Norwood Tunnel

Winding Hole

We had a drink in the Station Inn, before Hazel returned on the train, and James set off down the lock flight on foot.

Station Inn

15 miles from Chesterfield

Another boat at Peck Mill Moorings

Boundary marker

Hazel’s train

Just before the top of the locks there was a derelict building with rusting farm machinery covered in brambles. James walked down the locks, checking the levels and looking for possible mooring places on the way down. There are four sets of staircase locks on this section – two doubles and two trebles.

Tractor

Farm equipment

Thorpe Top Treble

Thorpe Low Treble

Possible mooring places

A quarry nearby supplied the limestone for rebuilding the houses of parliament in the 1840’s. It was taken in horse-drawn “cuckoo” boats to West Stockwith, where it was transshipped onto sea-going vessels and taken down the Trent and out via the Humber, and down to the Thames. Sadly, in the restoration of this canal, they have used stone from elsewhere instead of the stipulated stone from the Anston Quarry.

Wrong stone

Turnerwood basin looked OK for water levels, and there was plenty of water coming down the bywashes.

Turnerwood Basin

Water flowing

In the light of the inspection, and having come all the way from Aylesbury, we decided to do the locks tomorrow.

A boat had arrived on the moorings, facing down, so we guess they had come down the locks. Another boat (Ruby) came up past us and moored up.

6 locks, 2 miles, 1 swingbridge. Dep 1020, arr 1210

Tue 2^nd Aug  Shireoaks to Kiveton Park

It was raining this morning quite heavily. We were surprised to see Ruby setting off in the rain, with the crew wearing wet gear. 

Rain

Wet departure

We waited until the rain stopped, and then we went to use the facilities. With a full water tank, empty loos and bins, we were ready to go. Chesterfield Canal Trust have made a new Cuckoo boat, using the old designs, and the old tools, even making their own nails. It was there in the marina.

Shireoaks facilities

Cuckoo boat, with entrance to the old colliery in the background

Leaving the marina

Low bridge

The first lock is called Boundary Lock, so called because we passed from Nottinghamshire into Derbyshire at this point. The locks after this have no walkways on the gates except for the top gates, so we have to walk round, or step across the boat.

Boundary Lock

No walking across

There is some pleasant farmland before Turnerwood Basin. The water level here was low, so we didn’t pause until after the next locks which were a staircase pair. We tied up and bought ice creams from the small kiosk.

Fields

Turnerwood Basin

Staircase double at Turnerwood

On the next section we encountered severe blanket weed problems, and James had to clear the weed from the prop and rudder several times in succession, as we went no more than a boat length before stopping again. Hazel went to set the Brickyard Double Locks while James cleared the prop once again.

Blanket weed

Hazel at Brickyard Double Locks

We caught up with Ruby who had been flooded in the cabin with water from one of the bywashes. They were pumping out and trying to dry everything. There was nothing we could do to help, so we passed them and went up Thorpe Low Treble. The paddles on the middle locks have a very small range, so you have to walk round to open the other paddle, wait all day, or walk across the boat roof.

Passing Ruby and entering Thorpe Low Treble Locks

The very limited range on the paddle gear

James walking across

At the top of the first treble

Between the two sets of treble locks, there are three single locks, in a lovely, wooded section. One of the locks is called Limehouse Lock.

Through the woods

Limehouse Lock

Leaf art

As we were negotiating the final set of treble locks, a man with a windlass came to help us, which made it easier as we had one person each side. He was from Deres Arv, the boat James had seen yesterday as he walked down. They were moored at the top, and were planning to go down in the morning. We said we would turn round and join them, but the first winding hole was too silted up. The next one was two miles further on, but we had to continue to there to turn.

Devils Hole Bridge

A glimpse of the countryside

Alongside the railway wall

Dog Kennel Bridge

Under the bridge

The final winding hole

We had struggled all day, and were too tired to go back for another hour to the top of the locks. Besides, we thought we might get a meal at the Station Inn, so we moored on the bollards almost opposite the winding hole.

Moored at Kiveton Park

We went for a meal at the pub, fairly basic, but very welcome. Back at the mooring we saw a kingfisher on a branch, but he didn’t wait for the camera. Later we had some smoke wafting over, and then we heard sirens from what might have been a fire engine. The smoke cleared.

Evening sky at the top end of the Chesterfield

Smoke

23 locks, 4 miles, 2 swing bridges. Dep 1030 arr 1040 Marina. Dep 1120 arr 1750 Kiveton Park.

Wed 3^rd Aug  Kiveton Park to Thorpe Locks

We decided to move back to the top of the locks and moor up ready for the next day. It was slow going as it was shallow, and there were lots of sticks and other things in the water. Deres Arv had disappeared, and we hope they went down the locks successfully.

Moored above Thorpe Locks

It was peaceful and we had a good rest. Ruby came past and continued to the end as they are going for the IWA Silver Propeller award. Late in the evening, three cyclists came past and told us that some of the workboats on the lock flight had been set adrift, and one had a compressor working. We reported the incident to CRT.

0 locks, 2 miles. Dep 1055, arr 1220. Less than 1½ mph!!

Next: Our plans to go down the locks the next day had to be modified.