On The Cut

Burton-on-Trent to Lincoln and back on the water.

The night before the off. (Bronica)

[Unfortunately, this article will be too long for some emails. To see it’s entirety, please view on your browser]

There’s something about exploring Britain’s inland waterways that, once experienced, always draws me back when opportunity strikes.

The combination of seeing elements of our industrial heritage and the quiet, open countryside through which the canal system often finds itself wending it’s way, offers up something new each time.

This trip was no exception.

Fortunately our youngest son was able to join us for the outward leg. It was great to have his company on the journey and, not least, his help locking through and mooring.

After the first (short) day out on the canal. Aaron tucking into his evening meal. (Ricoh)

The first lock we came to out of the Marina was a single and was the only one of this type we encountered. From there on they were doubles, followed further down the way by shipping locks, the latter mostly manned by volunteers from the Canal and River Trust. This made life a little easier for us onboard.

Heading down through Stenson Lock no6. 1) Irene engaging in some needlework whilst minding the 'baby', our parrot, Percy. 2) Viv and Graham hanging on. 3) A rather leaky lock gate. (Ricoh)

His Lordship. (Canon)

Another member of the family who joined us was our parrot, Percy. Considering he’s never experienced anything like this in his little life, he faired surprisingly well.

Irene’s powerchair, Bess, standing on the lift platform that lowers down into the boat’s interior. (Ricoh)

Due to Irene’s disabilities our boat is fully adapted for wheelchair access right along it, from the stern counter right through to the bedroom near the bow. The only small downside of this arrangement is that all the furniture and seating is fitted to the port side of the cabin, which causes the boat to have a bit of a list to that side. It looks a bit odd the way it sits in the water but, fortunately, doesn’t affect how the boat handles.

Del Boy and Rodney spotted at the Trent Valley Sailing Club. Mm, I wonder what dodgy deal Del’s dreamt up now…. (Canon)

1) Moored at Trent Lock. Note the collapsed bank. It's a good job there was mooring space a little further back. 2) Provisions gathered whilst moored at Nottingham. 3,4,5) Waiting at the lock to go down from the Beeston Canal onto the Trent. 6) Footbridge over the entrance to Farndon Marina. (Ricoh)

Moored outside Farndon Marina for the night. (Bronica)

Our first week coincided with a heatwave, the temperatures up around 30 degrees centigrade. When you’re stood on the stern counter steering the boat for hours at a time, this can become a bit of a test of endurance.

1) Newark Town Lock. 2) Six boats in Cromwell Lock, all anticipating the vaguaries of the tidal Trent, below. 3) Aaron keeping an eye on the critical red line on the map. Deviating too far from this line could, due to the low water level, risk grounding out on a sand bank or similar. (Ricoh)

Heading off in convoy on the Trent. Sorry for the poor image quality. (Canon)

The biggest navigation challenge of the journey was the tidal stretch of the Trent river between Cromwell and Torksey locks. This had to be timed to match the high tides. When the tide’s low, both locks are unusable. To add to the equation this year, the water levels have been notably low, with some boats running aground on the shallower sections. As we left Cromwell, we found ourselves at the rear of a convoy of four, the lead boat fortunately aware of the optimal line of the river’s course.

Moored at the bottom of Torksey Lock. (Phone)

By the time reached Torksey, the water level was already too low to safely lock through, so we retired to the temporary moorings at the bottom overnight, heading through the following morning. In the lovely soft evening light, even the distant cooling towers of the old, decommissioned Cottam Power stations took on a strange beauty of their own, like an industrial Stonehenge.

There one minute, gone the next... (Canon)

[I was a little disoriented on our return a couple of weeks later, mooring again at the lock, though this time at the top. Looking toward the power stations I did something of a double-take. No towers. Was I imagining the whole thing, were they actually located somewhere else? Were there ever any towers? Was I losing my marbles completely and it was all a figment of my imagination? No. It turned out that, between our outward and return legs, the towers had been demolished. Quite the local spectacle when it happened, I imagine. The photo on the left maybe one the last ever taken of them standing.]

First night at Brayford Pool. (Canon)

Once through Torksey the following morning it was fairly plain sailing (motoring?) to Brayford Pool in the centre of Lincoln. On the surface of things Brayford has the look of a very modern harbour but, in fact, can trace it’s roots back to the pre Roman era. When I first saw the harbour I really wasn’t sure if I’d like it, but it soon grew on me. One day it would be nice to return.

1) Across the Pool, the city's cathedral in the distance. 2) Hungry residents. (Bronica)

It’s location allowed for easy access to the city centre and the old town area, although we mostly had an enjoyable time catching up with family.

1) All lit up 'n' pretty. (Phone) 2) & 3) Family lunch at the Pyewipe, with a deep brotherly discussion in Progress. (Canon)

Our neighbours on the jetty. (Canon)

With nothing scheduled other than returning to base by a certain date, the return journey was a slightly more relaxed affair, though with a man down. Unfortunately Aaron had to return south, back to ‘The Smoke’ and back to work before we left Lincoln.

Tea, anyone? Torksey old lock gates (no longer in service). The tea and coffee pots were gifts over a period of time from the old coffee shop just next to the lock cottage.

Whilst we were moored at Torksey the second time I managed to get a few photos around the lock itself. It’s the only one I’ve seen with what look like transverse ship’s wheels to drive the gates to and fro. There ‘s also a remarkable collection of tea and coffee pots adorning the now disused inner gates for all to see as you head through.

Torksey Lock. (Bronica)

Throughout our time on the water we were blessed with seeing so many wild birds - herons, egrets, moorhens, Canada geese, Egyptian geese, cormorants, terns, also the electric blue flash of numerous kingfishers zipping about from bank to bank. One species that we saw in surprisingly large numbers between Nottingham and Lincoln was the majestic swan. At one point I was blessed to bear witness to the gentle, graceful rite of courtship of a pair surprisingly close to the boat. They seemed completely absorbed in themselves and oblivious of us. Sadly no wildlife photos were taken while on the move as I’d have probably ended up grounding the boat broadside across the river while trying to take a half decent picture.

Moored near Shardlow. (Bronica)

Two more views at Sharlow. (1 - Phone, 2 - iPad)

My choice of camera kit probably wasn’t optimal on this trip. As much as I love using my Bronica ETRSi, I mostly ended up using more convenient kit, namely my Ricoh FF3 Super AF, Canon XS220HS, Samsung phone and even a few on my iPad. I’ll probably try a different combo next time. The film I used for both 35mm and 120 was Kentmere 200. I did also shoot a roll of Lomography Metropolis in 120, but that will have to wait for a future post.

…and then there were four (oh, and Percy, too!)

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for sticking it out through this rather long offering. I hope you’ve enjoyed your wander along the ‘Cut’ with me. Hopefully see you next time.

(There will be further images presented in due course in galleries with fewer words. Please join me for those)

                                                ~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~

If you enjoyed reading this please consider making a contribution to our collective future and help plant a tree. All proceeds go to:

                                                   Ancient and Sacred Trees