Seven waterways traveled in June 2014.

We started June still on the River Witham heading back towards Lincoln. The weather was fantastic and we had a few days stopping at the largely empty pontoons at Fiskerton Fen and Washingborough

The mooring at Fiskerton Fen is so quiet and is our favourite. It is on the off side (if you see what I mean) so you don'y even have pedestrians. There is a lovely nature reserve just over the bank and we spent the evenings watching a barn owl hunting along the bank and some common terns called it home and were very amusing to watch too.

We stopped again in Lincoln between Stamp End Lock and the Glory Hole and along with some shopping did some more exploring of the city. As you are about to enter/leave the Brayford pool the bridge has the words 'Where are you going' or 'Where have you been'. Quite relevant to boat with no fixed abode really. Brayford Pool can just be seen through the narrows.

We had a night at Saxilby, just finding a space on a very busy mooring before moving on up the Fossdyke to Torkey and the lock down into the Trent. From the lock you can  see the lay by berths where you can wait out the chgange of tides to get your timings right for going up or down the Trent. The eight cooling towers of  Cottam power station can be seen in the distance. Watch out for the many teapots etc that are placed on the lock gates.

We were on our own as we headed up river passing through areas of the river where water skiing was allowed. I think it was still a bit early in the season for them though. We passed under the toll bridge at Dunham that was built in 1832 and still charges tolls. There several 'sunken islands' that are indicated by boards on the bank to avoid but I felt it worth having the Boating Association Cromwell Lock to Trent Falls Tidal Trent map book with us. From Gainsborough upwards there are kilometre boards all the way that really let you pin point your position. This cruiser passed us round about Marnham.

We finally came to Cromwell Lock, the first lock on the Trent. We were penned through quickly and found there was no room on the pontoon moorings so tied up on the steps. It had been a great run down the river and felt that we deserved to crack a bottle of wine. I went up to see the lock keeper to see what he thought about the expected state of the river with all the forecast rain and any other gen he could give. We had a nice chat about this and that to find that he had also been at sea and various other things in common. The weir next to the lock looks bad enough today but in 1975 with a Force 6 gale and the river in full flood ten men from the 131 Independent Parachute Squadron of the Royal Engineers Territorial Army drowned when their assault boat got swept down it. A cautionary tale for a low powered canal boat to bear in mind when navigating near the many weirs on the Trent.

From Cromwell to Newark there is only one lock. As we came into town we passed the pontoon moorings opposite some old maltings that were full up. Luckily we found some room on the wall right opposite the ruined castle. The wall that can be seen in the photo is largely all that is left of the fortification after the Roundheads besieged the place three times in the Civil War before finally taking it in 1646. They then set about taking it to bits! The town is a lovely place to spend a few days with a great market place with some individual shops, antique place and pubs. It was with some regret we moved on after several days. We only went two locks further as we were caught in monsoon like rain around Fardon where I got wet through to my knickers with no where to go. The sun came out and warmed us up but by the time we got to the foot of Hazelford Lock we called it a day. We had a beautiful evening having the island to our selves, oh and the rabbits.

The reraches of the River Trent between Hazelford and Holme Lock as some of the nicest with the valley sides coming close to the river. Gunthorpe lock has pubs and cafes close by and is always popular with gongoozlers asking the usual questions. All the locks on the Trent are worked by volunteers, at least during the day. There are few places to moor other than around the locks.

We continued on through Stoke Lock to moor for the night above Holme Lock which is right nextdoor to the National Watersports Centre with its canoe/kayak white water slalom course and long rowing course. The mooring is right nest to it and there is complete access to all the areas so that you can watch the action close to. In the near distance can be seen the white water course and then just the tops of boats on the lock cut. The tall structure beyond them is the flood protection barrage for Nottingham following severe floods in the 1940's and 50's. Each of the bays cane be raised as the water rises otherwise they maintain a good navigable depth in the river.

It isn't then very far until you come to Nottingham itself. Here you enter the Nottingham and Beeston Canal just before Trent Bridge and are back on a canal proper. Everybody had been telling us not to stop in Nottingham as we would be doomed to something or other. As it was we found nice moorings a little out to the west of the Castle near to the Marina. It wasn't much of a walk in to the centre of town and there is again plenty to do to pass several days exploring the place of my birth. (I left when I was five though). This is Castle Lock in the photo above.

Again it was a short trip through Beeston Lock and back on to the River Trent proper past all the flooded gravel and sand pit to Cranfleet Lock and  then passing through the open flood lock you are at the wide open spaces of Trent Lock crossroads.We had decided to explore the Erewash Canal so it was hard a starb'd under a bridge and in the basin ready to pen up into that canal. We found a berth above the lock and had a lovely walk around the north bank of the Trent.

The next day we moved up to Sandiacre where there was the junction with the Derby Canal. Above is the old lock keepers and toll house as the Derby Canal ran off to the right of the building. The building is now home to the Erewash Canal Preservation and Development Society

We then had a bit of a tougher day as the locks came regularly spaced, eleven of then until we reached the current head of navigation at the Great Northern Basin. Here was the junction of three canals, Erewash, Cromford and Nottingham. It must have been very busy in its day. Now there are just suggestions of what was once there. The Cromford Canal disappears into the distance and the Nottingham Canal is the one running off to the right. For much of the route of the Erewash the Nottingham is on the opposite side of the valley. By now we were on a bit of a deadline so we didn't longer and made all speed to get to Burton upon Trent where I had a train booked to go home. We raced down back to Trent lock and after a night turned right heading for Sawley and Shardlow on the Trent and Mersey. We had a quick look round Shardlow before moving on to moor for the night just above Westomn Lock and a great walk round the area on a beautiful evening. We had another stop at Wiloington and made the walk into Repton for a great walk around the town and the school the most unsual thing was finding the Anglo Saxon crypt in the church.

I left Helen moored in Shobnal Basin whilst I went home for a few days. I had them do a couple of little jobs for me and on my return we headed back the way we had come. The first stop was Shobnal Fields then Swarkestone and the last day of the month saw us moored back at Sawley and a walk into the village for a pint or two. Oh the waterways we navigated were the River Witham, the Fossdyke, River Trent, Nottingham Canal, Beeston Canal, Erewash and Trent and Mersey Canals.