Lincoln, Boston and back in May 2014.

At the start of May last year we were still on the Chesterfield Canal and on our way back down to West Stockwith. We had a couple of nice moorings and with the good weather we found a couple of nice walks to do too. We eventually rolled into Retford again. As there was a handy station Helen went home and  I minded the boat and got on with a few jobs.

Old warehouse near to Town Lock. There is a good walking trail around the town that gives you a good insight into the history of the town. There also a fair few nice pubs to sample so I wasn't un-occupied.

We continued onward and ended up at this mooring at Hayton with the Boat Inn very handy. Again we had a nice walk round the area. There were very few boats moving but one came through the bridge just as we were getting ready to leave. It seemed they were looking to stop so we quickly left the berth free for them. We didn't go too far and moored up for a rural night. The banks of the canal are not conducive to mooring in many places which is a bit of a drawback, or would be if there was much more traffic. 

After stopping for water and services at Retford and Worksop Boat Club moorings we continued on to the moorings at Drakeholes. There was a wharf here and the tunnel in on a sharp bend so making life interesting watching any boats coming or going. We stopped near the basin at West Stockwith and had another walk. The White Hart In is very friendly and the food looked great too. It is the brewery tap for the Idle Brewery that is round the back. And good stuff it was too. The River Idle enters the Trent right near the pub.

We penned out of the lock with the river flooding up on our way to Torksey. The first 'hazard' was Morton Bight where the river makes an almost 360 bend. I remember coming down here on a sea going coaster and was terrified of meeting a cruiser coming the other way as with the strong current pushing us into the concrete lined bight it could have been very messy. Fortunately the problems are much less on a small narrow boat. Next we are passing through Gainsborough and under the stone bridge, the only one for miles around. There are more bights and a close pass by West Burton power station. We did meet a few cruisers and kept company with the narrow boat that left West Stockwith with us. The River Trent is quite open and we could see Cottam Power Station in the distance before arriving at the small cut off the river to Torksey Lock.

On arrival we finally found the lock keeper and he penned us up into the Fossdyke. We didn't hang about at Torksey but continued on to Saxilby for our over night stay. The Fossdyke is said to have been dig by the Roman's and this photo would seem to indicate that too. The bank is very steep to and the arrow on the left is indicating a deer ramp where animals that fall in the water are able to clamber out. unfortunately the rabbits, hares and deer can't read and we saw several of each in the water along here. We had a nice walk round the town and visited Tongs the Ironmongers shop as they seemed to have everything I needed.

We had a lovely walk through the countryside from Saxilby to Doddington Hall and back. The weather was at its best and the oil seed rape was in full flower. It is a good job we are not hay fever sufferers.

We booked a mooring in Lincoln as they are fairly scarce and as we wanted to hang about and had visitors coming we needed to be certain of a place. We are moored just west of Brayford Pool there are only three visitor moorings here and they are just behind us in the picture. There is plenty to do in Lincoln and we walked up and down Steep Hill a few times. We discovered parts of the city that we didn't know and had a couple of guided walks too. We also found a few nice pubs along the way. We had a trip back up to Saxilby for the day with our visitors before leaving the city and heading through the 'Glory Hole' bridge and down Stamp End Guillotine Lock.

When in Lincoln we had seen a Beer Festival advertised so decided to get to Bardney and then head slowly back to attend it. We stayed one night and then headed for Boston again. After Lincoln the navigation bcomes the River Witham. When back on the pontoon at Bardney we had a walk around the town which for a small place had a good walking trail. We were going to stop at Martin Dales to visit Woodhall Spa but there was no room on the pontoon. The draw back on the River Witham is that the only place for mooring is on pontoons so if they are full you have to keep going. We found an ad hoc mooring just a little further on opposite Timberland Delph Dyke. The photo above has us moored head to current on a bit of concrete edging that was deep enough for us.

Our next stop was at Tatershall Bridge where we went for another walk that took in Coningsby Airbase. As this is the home of the British Memorial Flight we managed to get on a tour of the aircraft in the hanger. It was great to see them so well looked after. One of the joys of the River Witham as you frequently hear a strange noise, look up and see Spitfires, Hurricanes, Lancasters and Dakotas.

We had a stop at Lngrick Bridge before getting to Boston. Above you can see the Boston Stump and our moorings. The talk of Boston is it is full of foreigners etc but we found it to be no worse really than anywhere else and a lovely little town with plenty to see and do. It was a very rich trading port in it's day and the buildings are still there to show it.

This photo was taken from the top of the Stump and shows the Haven that takes the waters out into the Wash. The Black Sluice leaves the Haven  from here via a lock and is navigable for a way. Next time we come I think I will use this and head across the Wash to save having to back track to Torksey again.

On the way back to the Trent we found a spot at Martin Dales and had a lovely day wandering around Woodhall Spa. Like much of Lincolnshire there is a close association with the Royal Air force having so many aerodromes there in WWII. Woodhall Spa is forever associated with 617 Squadron, better known as the Dambusters. This is the Dambusters Memorial in Royal Square. The Memorial is in the shape of the Mohne Dam that was one of the two dams destroyed. It was a great way to end May.