Stockwith

The weather was very much kinder today, remaining sunny and only a gentle breeze throughout the day. Our plan meant that this would be a 'split shift' day with a wait at Torksey for the tide.

St Botolph;s, Saxilby

Above West Door

Inside Saxilby Church

We walked into Saxilby before setting off to buy a newspaper and a few essential supplies. We also walked to the edge of the village to see the church. The outside is quite impressive but the inside is fairly plain, with an almost flat roof and few monuments. The guide books refer to its historic manuscript sheets of church music but on display were a couple of poor quality photocopies. Yesterday they had a teddy bear parachute day!

Fossdyke and Swan

We set off mid morning with just over an hour to go to Torksey. When we arrived we went to the diesel point where we filled up on the way down - almost the same amount to refill the tank. They were busy as we had to wait alongside another boat that had just come up the lock who also needed fuel - and another boat also joined the queue. It turned out they they had both been at Shardlow when we were all waiting for the river to re-open but had spent several days in Newark.

Above Torksey Lock

Inside Torksey Lock

After taking on water and using the sani station we went straight into the lock - fortunately we asked as the keeper was about to go off duty until the evening (for boats coming up on the tide from Stockwith). This meant that we waited on the pontoons below the lock for lunch and until it was time to set off.

Pontoon Mooring below Torksey Lock

Torksey Castle from the land

Torkey Castle from the river

Christine took a walk to Torksey Castle (probably using a footpath that crossed private land, but that's another story!) Now very much a ruin it was originally built in Elizabethan times more as a large house than a fortified castle.

Eventually four o'clock came and we were able to set off at speed down the Trent. We had good views of the power stations we passed along the way - the scenery generally is not unpleasant but there are not too many features to report.

Marton Mill

Burton Chateau

 We passed Gainsborough - it was only five years that we were here last but both of us commented that it seemed different from our memories!

Gainsbrough Moorings

At Morton Corner we reported in to the Stockwith lock keeper who said that she would instruct us on arrival about how to enter the lock. About ten minutes before we reached the lock we began to hit the incoming tide and our speed immediately dropped. The final stretch required us to up the engine revs just to keep moving.

West Stockwith Lock

When we came within sight of the lock the keeper indicated to us to come alongside the upstream piling and then to turn the boat around the corner - fighting the incoming tide - to move slowly into the huge lock.

The Chesterfield canal is a very different navigation from what we have experienced the last week. It is rather shallow and our speed correspondingly slow.

We soon arrived at the two Misterton Locks. The first part of this canal is broad and security locks have been fitted to all of the paddles.

Misterton Top Lock

The towpath bank side is very weedy and so we had to keep a sharp lookout for an overnight stopping place. However, we needed press on a bit (especially so given the slow pace) so that Mike can make his trip back to Barton Turn to collect the car.

We managed as far as a place marked in the Richlow Guide as a 'suggested rural mooring' but there seemed no change in the bank so we pulled in where the weed seemed a little thinner - it still took the gangplank and a boathook to moor up (and a wet foot for Mike who stupidly put in the water which his balance let him down!) By now mit was 9:15 and we were grateful that the chilli con carne was all ready for the table!

23.0 miles - 4 locks