I know you’ll overlook the fact that the images below are ever so slightly out of synch with the most recent post of our trip from Newark to Saxilby. All the following photos were taken by Barry – which become more significant as you’ll discover once you reach the end …
The view from Barry’s mooring at Trent Lock, looking up river (I was at mum’s at the time)
Areandare moored at Trent Lock, with the spectacle of Radcliffe-on-Soar Power Station in the distance
Barry went for a walk round the corner, and took this colourful shot of two historic working boats – we think one features on his canal greeting cards from a shot in 2009
Looking towards Radcliffe, from the Erewash Canal
Looking up to Trent Lock, showing the entrance to the Erewash canal (which we navigated slowly right to the end, Langley Mill, and back in 2009), with the Steamboat Inn sitting adjacent to the lock
On a walk past Trent Lock, looking out onto the River Trent
Looking down river – to the left is Nottingham, straight ahead is the weir (keep away!), turn right and you’ll be taken onto the river Soar towards Leicester
Radcliffe-on-Soar Power Station in full swing!
Nottingham Canal Basin with The Canalhouse pub on the left – the canal extends INSIDE this pub, housing two narrowboats
Outstanding old British waterways buildings, now converted into that looks like offices
Nottingham city centre
An abundance of amazing structures in the centre – you just have to look up to notice and soak in the architectural atmosphere
Can you believe it? We’ve seen second hand book shops, defibrillators, cashpoint machines, now a café in a Telephone Box! Diallingin opened on 10th April 2017 and is run by local Luke Thorpe. Love it!
Up to Nottingham Castle, with is not really a Castle at all anymore sadly … Here’s a memorial to the most famous local legend, Robin Hood
Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem – purportedly the oldest Inn in England (there’s rather a lot of establishment’s also claiming this title!)
The pub is partly built into the walls underneath the ‘castle’ and is definitely worth visiting
Through the lock and entering the River Trent – the Nottingham Forest Football Club ground stands proudly overlooking the river
The entrance to the Grantham Canal, currently under restoration
On the River Trent, having to work the massive locks manually – not a chore whatsoever, much easier than the muscle power needed for canal locks!
Cormorants perched on the weir barrier (or if you’re reading from New Zealand, you’ve got a shag on almost every float!). The fish don’t stand a chance. Apparently these birds are seen as a pest in many countries, and can even be legally killed (though there’s a particular method you have to follow). Cormorants can apparently kill up to 100 fish a day and may gorge themselves until stocks are exhausted. We don’t see that many on the canals and rivers to be fair to them.
Our overnight mooring at Gunthorpe
A panoramic view of our mooring being overlooked by Newark Castle Curtain Wall. This wall was re-built in the 14th century. We reckon this has to be one of our finest mooring vistas ever
A stroll around Newark Castle and surroundings …
The old Corn Exchange – such an amazing structure shamefully now derelict and crumbling
Recent losses
That’s all for now from Barry’s lens. I’ve many more to add from previous trips, most especially Scotland July 2017 (which will I suspect turn into a bit of a memorial for a certain lady who shared the week with us and 18 others, who tragically lost her life on board her historic narrowboat last week).
The other sad news (which pales into insignificance compared to the apparently accidental loss of life) is that Barry’s Panasonic Lumix G1, purchased in 2009 for our inaugural six-month sabbatical, recently died. It’s well and truly given up the ghost. Having been with us on all our thousands of miles around the Inland Waterways since the start of our live aboard adventures, and almost left/lost/mislaid at countless lock gates and a myriad of places along the way. Its luck has finally run out.
He’s on the case for a replacement, though with a very limited budget it’ll be interesting to see what he comes up with … Chances are he’ll source an improved version and we’ll see even better pictures at some point in the future.
Watch this space!
As an aside, we’re now moored at Boston at the end of the non-tidal River Witham. Barry sauntered here while I was away in Malpas living on land for six days. It’s our first time past Lincoln, so another waterway ticked off our list. There will be many more this year. Exciting times!
Make sure some of those photos make it on to greetings cards that we can buy when we catch up later in the year, hopefully.
Stay warm!
Barry will be organising a new batch to be printed soon, so he’ll bear it in mind Phil. Warm in the boat, on the back it’s going to be ‘crisp’ today 🙂
Crisp! Yes, I bet!!
Stunning photos! I love the water in the lock at Trent Lock – it’s almost moving! Wish I could have a pound for every time I reffed at Forest! Sorry to hear that one of your Scotland crew has passed away.
As the Beast from the East approachesI know you don’t want to know that the summer rolls on here and swimming in the sea is a daily necessity!
Great to catch up with Gav and Helen at the quiz last week – and to see Helen’s engagement ring!
They’re brilliant as usual aren’t they? Wow! You reffed at Nottingham Forrest? Something to be proud of.
Good old Gissy, you relish every moment of sunshine there.
Yeah, we heard the news about the recent engagement, and will be catching up with Gav and Helen when we’re in Leeds so will see the ring then and give our congratulations. About blooming time lol! xx