Dave123

No wonder it's hard work if you are doing it in 2 days???! Oh and in my opinion Diggle is one of the best moorings on the whole system!! There aren't many places you can step off your boat straight onto the side of a mountain ?

Overnight in Castlefield basin (of which I have heard rumours about more of it becoming permanent private moorings??) Then towpath by or in Telford basin, then Dukinfield Jn. Staylbridge by Tesco is generally ok for mooring when you go up the Huddersfield. And also outside Scout tunnel, by the pub in Moseley and Uppermill/Dobcross and Diggle all lovely spots. There are threads on this too.

Yes i saw, and the protest was to be timed for CRTs Leeds waterside festival thingy?. I wondered if CRT are obliged to provide the elsan to Clarence dock boats as part of the mooring contract and were under pressure from those boats to find a solution to the constant blockages?

I saw on Facebook another boat got stuck there and spent the night stranded with dogs unable to get ashore! Apparently no one would attempt a tow for insurance reasons? I'm amazed CRT haven't got better warnings up. All it needs is either the lock keeper (or a written note if on self service) at the lock before Stoke in either direction.

Yes it's definitely June, had dinner outside watching the sunset again??hoping for a bit of rain sometime so the locks don't get shut.

Yes I did hear a story from some boaters when I was there a few weeks ago; apparently its a well known local boater with a drug problem causing the vandalism. They said he was known to CRT and enforcement processes were on going against him for licence issues etc as well. Whether this solves things or not remains to be seen.

I had the email about this too and thought it was a typo! Lemonroyd to Dobsons locks is a ridiculous journey length to go with no facilities given that most boats will want to spend at least a day in Leeds!

I saw someone on Facebook say it's open now?

Good news about Bank Newton, can't be fussed to copy the email but they are repairing it rather than replacing the gate so should be open end of the week hopefully?? Didn't fancy single handing back down to Leeds and over the Rochdale!

This shouldn't really have become a debate about liveaboards and boats not moving enough/wanting to stay in Hackney forever. This is about the removal of general towpath moorings for all and any boats. And its a good thing it is getting some publicity as CRT really shouldn't be caving in to demands of rowing club when there is little evidence it's needed. Losing these moorings will make the situation worse for visiting boats as well as london based boats so i dont see how any users of the forum can't be supportive of what London boaters are doing to try and stop the loss of these moorings....?‍♂️?‍♂️?

That is pretty frustrating if hire boats are being let through but not other boats with equally pressing needs, like getting to a new permanent mooring etc!? Any rumours from the staff on the ground as to whether it's days weeks or months to fix? Gunthorpe lock on the Trent is shut currently but hopefully not a massive job to fix...?

Yes this isnt good news. Hopefully they can do a temp fix to the gate without needing a totally new gate? Or hopefully they have a new gate part way made at the workshop in readiness for the winter?? It was my only way back over the Pennines! The Wakefield branch of the A&C has a closure as does the R Trent??

From the photo shared on Facebook by the lock side cafe it seems the boat was going up the lock and somehow got the bow caught on the cill. Doesn't sound as if anyone was hurt at least!

I'm possibly causing some confusion by writing these posts a bit after the event, now safely at Keadby having broken the journey by staying overnight at W Stockwith Thanks for the tips though. I had the chance to chat to the lockie before leaving and asked about trying to arrive at W Stockwith for high tide/slack water (coming from Torksey) and he was doubtful, it would involve pushing the incoming flood perhaps for some time, or going past at low water to turn at some point and come back up with the flood? In the end turning into both locks wasn't as bad as I'd thought and I'd probably rather do it this way again than spending longer on the river pushing flows at high revs. Light winds and no coaster moored at Keadby definitely helped too

Well this wasn't what I wanted to be reading about the evening before going into West Stockwith!! Sorry you had such a bad time of it, at least it makes a good story one day? . But luckily we made it without drama, despite the rain, as it's small neap tides at the moment. Not had problems so far after 4 years since they were fitted. The brackets are bolted into holes in the roof. They have survived side on 60mph gusts, just need to be tightly screwed into their holders and angled towards the wind. They are flat and lowered in that picture from going through Harecastle earlier in the year.

There'll probably still be no water in the L&L by the time I get there?

Just had a brief forray down onto the Witham drains, shorter than hoped only due to time constraints with plans to be elsewhere delayed by the earlier bad weather. Really is the best time and conditions right now for anyone thinking of going this way. The cold spring has kept weed growth right down. Not a weed in sight! Only went down Frith bank drain and Medlam drain to its junction with West Fen drain. Frith bank is especially pretty, nice views and bendy like a canal. Plenty of depth too. Anton's gowt lock is heavy and slow but not too problematic.

Was told by Langrick bridge stores/boatyard that the lock is back open now A stone was blocking the gates

Some more rings along Cranfleet cut and doing something about Holme lock moorings on the Trent would be nice too. I've also wondered why there can't be visitor moorings in the cut above Sawley flood lock, I think it would be wide enough for narrowboats at least without blocking other boats, and Sawley is hard to find space so much has been given over to long term moorings.

Oh that's a shame, lucky not to get trapped up there! Apparently a work party went up in some boats this weekend so hopefully they can sort it soon.

Yes, and I think the weed is particularly scarce now because it's been so cold overnight so far, compared to this time last year. That's a shame! The flood gates were only open just wide enough for a narrowboat and wouldn't budge open any further. Not sure if this is due to silt or intentionally to stop wider boats that might get stuck further on? But height clearance was fine

And contrary to what the guide books say you do get nice views over the banks, and the narrowness makes a nice break from the Witham?

Just a quick post to encourage anyone exploring the River Witham to definitely make the trip up the Sleaford Navigation to South Kyme! Currently relatively free of weed and decent enough depth until the moorings in South Kyme. Moorings are good and although it is narrower and slower progress from here to the first winding hole still well worth the trip! If you can get the stern into the winding hole the current takes the bows round fairly easily, although it is getting a bit silted up. South Kyme is a pretty village and locals welcoming. Apparently the local vicar is a waterways chaplain and does services aimed at boaters if that's your thing. Also one of the few places residents have said to me they want to see more boats visit, and been offered a fill up with water from a house here too! Just needs more boats to keep the channel clear etc

They really do! I'm surprised more boats don't get stuck, especially approaching from upstream, and if they self operated either lock and so got no verbal warning.

It is still empty actually, but when I got here was full and the boat in front of me had to move up to make space. After seeing no spaces in Bardney and only half a space at Southrey I briefly had visions of having to carry on all evening to Boston?. Got too used to empty pontoons everywhere on the Trent?