Right, we might get laughed at but life jackets on, anchor ready and tied on. Open those Meadow Lane locks gates and out onto the beautiful but very big, Trent. We are right next to Trent bridge and opposite Nottingham Forest F.C. and cricket ground. Turn left and head down to the first of the many HUGE and thankfully, mechanised locks: Holme lock then Stoke Bardolph.
Firstly, we awoke to an oil slick gently oozing past the boat
This oil tends to dissolve the blacking on your boat so, not nice. Not nice for the wildlife either. Reported it to CRT but . . it may have come from this oddly moored boat:
Off we chugged through the centre of Nottingham, past the Fellowes, Morton & Clayton old wharf . . .
And on thru the last lock, out onto the Trent – Trent Bridge in the background
It really was a serene day but it is a deep river, so life jackets on:
Viv fancied this bijou residence . . .
The first big lock – with traffic lights! Green and red? I think it means, no, you can’t proceed but the lock is being prepared for you. There was a boat coming up.
If you take a wrong turn just before this lock :
Very quiet . . . very scenic cruise. Under the Radcliffe railway bridge . .
Then into the Stoke Bardolph lock – already green lighted and open – the previous lock keeper having radioed ahead. Neat.
A gathering of swans at this water outlet . . . strange behaviour? They don’t eat fish??
Ah, we spoke too soon about seeing not a soul – here comes a wee boat from Gunthorpe
A pair of grebes, great crested I’m told
Under Gunthorpe bridge, then moor up on the visitor moorings
A nice spot, just us and one other narrowboat but not for long. Within the hour four more had joined us. It is a bank holiday after all.
Time for the promised dog walk and the very much promised swim! Oh how Toby loves his swim. It takes him a tad longer now but he remains keen.
And a squirm and a shake
We then had a lovely luncheon in the Unicorn Hotel ! For the technically minded, we bought the Boating Association’s charts of the Trent, not cheap but very useful – each page is about 40 minutes chugging and even has a red line to emphasise which side to travel. Plus all the phone numbers and info for the locks. Neat.
