Saga Run

We’ve been back a week now and so time for a trip out – it’s only an hour, door-to-door to Nottingham. Chance for Steve to pick up some pipe tobacco and then to go on to the river Trent to give Toby a swim.

Quite a modern and bustling city
A good visual clue as to where we are! Good parking on Castle road.
At the rear of the Council House is Gauntleys!

And then on to Gunthorpe – for boaters, it’s a left turn out of the Nottingham canal and out on to the mighty river Trent . . through locks (Holme and Stoke Bardolph – all manned) down to Gunthrope – nice floating pontoon here for moorers, behind a locked gate.

The approach to the lock – nice place to drive to as well – there’s a pub, a restaurant, an Indian restaurant, a cafe and lots of walks
The automatic gates – no need for any windlass here
There’s a shallow beach after the lock and chance for 5 Toby swims!
Master & his dog
He does love a swim
We saw one narrowboat lock down – helped by the lockie
It was still early so we pressed on the Grantham Canal – we used live up this way, so it was “old haunts”, hmm, not visited this pub for 30 years!! Under new management (just 4 weeks) – Good selection of beers and food too.
Here’s the large basin at Hickling – observant folk will notice the water point. Odd since the last boat here was around 1922. Maybe they’ll restore it all? This section looks ideal for a horse drawn boat for tourists?
Ideal too for walkers & cyclists