Sykehouse

It was supposed to be a slow start to the day as we planned to walk up the hill to Sprotborough Parish Church for their service at 10:15. However, despite yesterday's best endeavours at setting the weather clock and noting that it was the correct time when we went to bed, overnight he had 'corrected' itself and what Christine tho0ught was almost 7 o'clock when she stirred and went to put the kettle on, soon turned out to be an hour earlier! Hopefully we now have the correct time zone as well as the right time!

Yesterday, Christine noticed that the sink waste was dripping a little onto the shelves below and this morning Mike saw that the draining overflow was nor working. perhaps it was not the best of decisions but he set about unblocking it. This turned out to be a larger job than he imagined and, in the process, necessitated washing all of the contents of the cupboard below the sink!

Sprotborough Church

Eventually, we could set off. We had seen the church tower on our way down the river last night and it looked quite a steep climb. Doubting that Google had taken this into account when estimating the walking time as 10 minutes, we gave ourselves a good margin of error. In fact it did indeed take us only ten minutes but the hill, although steep, was not mountainous. This gave us a little time to look around the village centre. Several shops but nothing remarkable.

The church was reasonably full although, of the 65 or so in the congregation, perhaps just one hand would be needed to count those under retiring age. We were warmly greeted and directed to a particular pew to sit. Although competent, the service was perhaps not a style we necessarily fully appreciate - a strange mixture of evangelical preaching and catholic liturgical styles.

Toll House

We walked back down the hill - just before the bridge over the waterway we spotted The Toll House - we will have to find out what road this relates to and when it was used.

Sprotborough Lock

We set off and immediately into Sprotborough Lock - a better view came from the road bridge earlier. We noticed the onlookers behind the security fencing - and wondered who were the creatures in the zoo, us or them? In the event they had a longer show than usual as we had some difficulty persuading the automatic controls to recognise that the top gates were indeed properly closed.

We were now on the river so it was not possible to stop for lunch - we took turns making ourselves some eggy bread and then steering!

River Don below Sprotborough Lock

The main branch of the River Don turns right, heralding the entry into Doncaster. HMP Doncaster (Britain's first privately run prison) sits on an island between the river and the cut - the line of neat trees scarcely hides the residence behind.

HMP Doncaster

Few buildings remain that give testimony to the history of canal freight in this town.

Thorpe Marsh Cooling Towers - And then there were two

We continued along the route which we first explored a few days ago on our way to Sheffield. Long Sandall lock was the principal landmark but when we were approaching Barnby Dun mike saw this sight through the canal banks hedgerow. He began seriously to doubt his memory - was it really that bad? He was sure that there were at least four towers (there are six on the map) when we came by as he had taken particular note of their location and the fact that they were the only remaining structures of Thorpe Marsh power station.

When we stopped at Barnby Dun for the services (as well as to pass through the lift road bridge) Mike looked back at the photos taken on the way down. Indeed, if you look back to Monday's blog you will see four towers quite clearly! After we moored for the night, Mike discovered that the first of the six was demolished in April and the second in June. There was no report of the next two but at least we know that it was some time this past week - we have the evidence!

Don Doors

We reached Barnby Dun rather sooner than expected so we decided to go on to Sykehouse - we still need to be careful about mooring places as the oil tanker passes this way. Just after the junction we passed through the guillotine gates which protect the canal from the River Don that flows underneath. The were used only two or three weeks ago when the river was in flood.

Top Lane Lift Bridge

Although there were no more locks, there was a sequence of three bridges, two lift and one swing, to be operated.

A fishing competition was just coming to an end with each angler eagerly awaiting the arrival of the scales and weighing team.

Sykehouse Lock

We moored for the night at the Sykehouse visitor moorings - just in time as dark clouds were arriving and soon we were in the middle of a thunder and lightning storm with very heavy rain. We also heard on the radio news that there are reports of flooding in several parts of the country so we remain uncertain about whether we will make it to Leeds as planned! However, tomorrow we will turn right at the next junction and head for Goole.

12.1 miles - 3 locks