Wednesday 23rd March
Today we have travelled 13 miles and 3 locks to Newark and are moored on the pontoon moorings outside The Kiln. Not the most picturesque place being, as it is, opposite a (noisy)scrap yard but as all the other moorings in the town are on high walls (not dog friendly) we were lucky to get the last 2 spaces here. Talking of dog friendly however, there is quite a trek along the pontoon then up onto the path for George to negotiate when he wants to go and then it is quite another trek to find any grass! Hope he can manage all right.
The weather has once again been really good, warm and sunny with little wind. Pity it’s not going to last!
This afternoon we went into town to look round the market and would you believe it – there was a Wetherspoons in the market place, how convenient! B and B also went to the market and said as soon as they saw the Wetherspoons they thought we would be in there! What do they mean?
On the market we bought some very tasty, if somewhat expensive, cheeses after being offered a taste of them. Some real mature cheddar called Double Barrel and some Smoked Lincolnshire Poacher. We also bought some lovely purple sprouting broccoli which has since disappeared down our necks! Oh and I bought a cardi as well.
When we got back I phoned Cromwell Lock and arranged our passage down onto the tidal section of the Trent. We need to get to Torksey, where we turn on to the Fossdyke and Witham canal, before the lock closes at 4pm. If we leave Cromwell about 12pm we should get to Torksey in plenty of time. Timing is essential due to the tide times.
Once on the Fossdyke and Witham we will go to Lincoln, spend a day there and then come back and resume our journey on the tidal Trent to Keadby where we leave for the Aire and Calder.
