Well, we didn’t moor at the County Hall steps in the end because research revealed that by Tuesday all the moorings were full. This was due to there being a Riverside Festival in Victoria Park this weekend.
We thought this may be the case and a walk down there for a recce mission confirmed our thoughts. Therefore we decided to stay outside Sainsbury’s for another couple of days then move on Thursday.
Another reason to stay until Thursday was the weather forecast which was for it to be cool and showery but improving later in the week. To confirm this just as we reached Trent Bridge it pissed down and having no coats we had to beat a hasty retreat in to the pub (shame)! Then on the way back it did it again and we had to shelter in The Company Inn!
Wednesday we started off thinking we would go to Loughborough on the bus so Ken could go to Go Outdoors and look for a new fishing pole. However when we got to the bus stop we discovered that the journey would be nearly an hour and a half so we decided to give it a miss and walked in to town instead.
Ken ventured back into the jewellers to buy the watch he had decided he liked the other day and I managed to come out with a pair of earrings and a necklace! He did get the watch as well.
Thursday started off nice and we set off on our trip. By the time we had negotiated Castle Lock it was pissing down again. This wasn’t supposed to be happening! We stopped under a bridge to put waterproofs on before continuing.
After stopping for water etc at Meadow Lane Lock we descended on to The Trent and travelled to Stoke Bardolph where we moored on the pontoons above the lock. When we arrived they were totally empty as were the wall moorings too, They did fill later, with yoghurt pots mostly.
A walk to the Ferry Boat Inn was in order so off we went. This is about a mile along the river and we went without coats again as it had now stopped raining and was quite warm. We sat outside the pub but it soon clouded up and started raining again so we went in. Fortunately it had stopped by the time we walked back.
Friday we did a couple of useful things. We put the metal cowl, which had fallen off and slid down the flue on to the top of the fire, back up. We filled the gap in the roof with fire rope, screwed the cowl back on and filled the gap between the cowl and the ceiling with plastic wood filler. I will be painting the flue where the paint has scraped off at a later time. A good job jobbed.
Another walk to the Ferry Boat Inn was in order so off we went. This time it didn’t rain and we had a pleasant time sitting outside the pub. Pleasant that is until a jet skier and his family turned up whereupon the peace was well and truly shattered!
Today (Sat) we were on the move again. This time we have travelled 9 miles from Stoke to Hazelford Ferry and are moored above the lock. The wall is a bit high here but having been on here a few times now we have mastered the art of mooring on high walls.
We would have moored at Gunthorpe but it was chocker there. All the pontoon and wall moorings were full, even the ones at the lock. While we were waiting for the lock a couple of cruisers left but there still wouldn’t have been enough room for us. We were probably too early but never mind. We need to be in Gunthorpe next Thursday for Ken’s birthday but being mid week it should be easier to get in.
After mooring at Hazelford we walked to The Bromley at Fiskerton, a walk of about 30 mins. There were a lot of fishermen along the river, mostly large gentlemen with not much hair and some in a state of semi undress, which I found quite perturbing.
My own fisherman (properly attired I may add) is enjoying quite some degree of reward for his efforts this evening, with a couple of nice bream already, despite the monsoon type conditions!
We will be staying here tomorrow to avoid the fishermen and the weekend cruisers and venturing forth to Newark on Monday.
