From walk to walk - 11 May

Friday 11^th May 2018

Above Stoke Lock to Fiskerton

10.75 miles, 3 locks

Today's destination had some flexibility – availability of moorings is always one of the main criteria.  First job was a good walk for Monty.  I went off to explore the woodland walk.  Enter from the towpath

 and if you don’t take the first turn on the right you very soon end up out of the woods and in a field.  

 At the end of the field

we re-joined the woods and made our way back to the boat ready for the 

off into Stoke Lock which was just around the corner

And out onto the Trent again.  Over the last 48 hours we have made quite a collection of Monty deposits due to a complete lack of dog boxes, so why is it that we spot one in the middle of nowhere which is absolutely no use to us?  It is the small red mark under the red arrow.

I cannot imagine who empties it, but it does look in a good state of repair.

Today's journey was mostly open countryside the habitat of swans (I wondered what is the collective noun for a group of swans? Mr Google says a bevy, a bank or a herd when not in flight)

Lambs

Cows and calves

I hope these two have the sense to turn round and go back the way they came or they will get very wet!

Dogs playing in the water 

And wind!!  Oh, she did blow creating white caps on the water.

Gunthorpe hove into view – a village just a few miles from where we used to live

Past the Unicorn Hotel

And onto the moorings – would there be room?

Yes, more than enough, however the decision had been made to push on and get as far as possible today as the weather will be worse tomorrow with a chance of rain.  When we were here 4 years ago it was even windier which made for a very interesting departure – see HERE if you are interested.

So we pushed on towards Gunthorpe lock to make use of the services.  The lock keeper at Trent Bridge was right – the water pressure here is very good.  We failed, however, to find the refuse until it was too late – it is on the island side of the lock!  Even the lock keeper did not know and pointed us in completely the wrong direction!!

We were joined in the lock by another narrowboat – they left from Nottingham that morning and were heading to Newark that night – a journey that we were doing over three days!!

On through Hazelford lock and once again we glanced at the moorings.  There was certainly space, 

and there is a picnic and barbecue area, but we wanted to keep going.

Our aim was to get to Fiskerton, however when we arrived there was just one space in front of nb Narrow Minded.  We tried, however we failed – we were about 2 foot too long.  The crew of Narrow Minded said they intended to move on in 30-60 minutes but that they would bring their departure forward and push off straight away.  Boaters really are wonderful people.  The boat is certainly 'Narrow' and the crew are definitely 'Minded' of others needs.  

We both held off and waved them off with grateful thanks for their consideration and in we went – room for two if one hangs a stern over the edge.

So what is in Fiskerton? 

A pub – home from home for me as I was born and bred near Bromley in Kent

A small but very well supplied Mace & letter box (through the pub car park and it is on the left). Sue went to the village and discovered there is no church, just houses.

Our day ended as it started; with a walk. Chris came with us this time.  Straight on past the pub along the riverside path past a variety of grand houses

Most sporting a conservatory.

One has a dovecote

and some sort of garden room/folly

On to a car park at the end, then over a minor road (long, straight and for the most part quiet -apart from two young men racing very noisy motorbikes up and down) to find a selection of footpaths on the other side.  We went to the left past these rather quaintly named cottages.

 The former sporting a substantial lilac wisteria (thank you Carol and Jane).

Shortly after we turned around to retrace our footsteps back to the boat.