Left at 08:15
arrived at 12:45
Not a bad night at all, its very quiet on the canal in Yorkshire,
yesterday a couple of boats went down the lock, its mostly dog walkers, which
the dog soon let us know about. Derek up
as usual, me washed and ready for 8, Ive started to sort things round for home,
Ill do it on the way between locks. The
canal is very flat, a silvery path, disturbed only by the weary travellers on
the good NB Esmerelda, even the dogs still seem friskier now we are in the
Yorkshire air, its sunny and a lovely temperature, the tops of the trees are
starting to wave around in the building breeze.
I took a photo of Derek and noticed the clouds behind him are tinged
with grey, maybe rain later, its all of 8:32.
Passing Whitley BWaterways, lots of tools, work boats, cars and vans,
cant see anyone working yet, it must be coffee break to them all moving. 9:19, we had done the first lock, Whitley
Bridge, its getting very windy. Passing
the big factory unit at Whitley Bridge and under the pipe bridge beyond it,
there was a lovely family of swans, Mum, Dad and 6 babies, nearly as good as
the Newark Pair. They were swimming
across the canal, Derek nearly ran them over, he was severely reprimanded, and
they couldn’t hear him because of the wind.
The Whitley Bridge Visitors moorings had 5 NBs there, sometimes the stop
over is used to access the giant flea market /car boot that is held there on a
Sunday. The Rowan Trees there are
absolutely covered in gorgeous orange berries, some would say a sign of a bad
winter, I’m not sure, I just think they look beautiful. 9 40 Coffee time, Derek is cold on the back,
it is a few shades cooler here, I must admit, he still has his sandals on, not
giving them up yet till his holiday is officialy over! It took me weeks to get him out of his socks
and trainers, hes making a small protest I think? Just before Stubbs Bridge there was a Mr
Heron, he flew off, landing just in front of us each time, what was disturbing
was the fact that he seemed to have a broken leg, it was dangling down, he
seemed to be landing ok though so I hope he will manage. I shouted down the back to Derek he hadn’t
even noticed. 10 we are just passing Kellingley Colliery, the Hawthorn hedges
are bursting with berries as well, not as well developed as the Rowan but there looks to be plenty. Coming into Knottingley, theres a lovely wild border on the right hand side,
interspersed with cottage garden flowers, Japanese Anemones,Hydrangeas, Hebes
and Daisies which are now going over.
When we first started boating and coming down this canal I remember that
a lady used to cultivate a beautiful boarder, shes dead now I’m afraid but
obviously some of the flowers spread naturally, so nature has carried on with
her gardening, making the banking bring a smile to at least this weary
travellers face. Coming towards
Ferrybridge,the Power Station is looming in the background, a couple of boats,
1 NB and 1 Dutch Barge moored next to DB
Marine, they make them, and a few boats on the visitors moorings, it should
look daunting but it says, nearly home to me.
One boat on the moorings has its washing on a line fastened between the
trees and the man of the boat is cleaning it on the water side. The floodgates are open so no problems
there, then we come up to my wonderful
old bridge which is beyond the modern road bridge, another Heron is flying in
front of us, he has two good legs I’m
pleased to say. A couple of cruisers
come towards us one red and white the other blue and white; they looked lovely
in the greyish shunshine. Bullholme
lock, there were two lockies in the cabin I asked if they were doing it or me,
one lockie said would I do it please whilst he ate his giant sarnie, I
did. The lock seemed to take an age to
empty but filled up quite quickly. One
more, lets hope its not broken again (Woodnook Lock) I call it our Lock!! I had
just had a text from Charlotte, Isabella is walking, 20 steps the record so
far, go Issy, clever girl, we knew it wouldn’t be long, I cant wait to see them
all. Arriving at our lock, someone was
coming out it was NB Rivendell, the couple we met back in June when and who we
went on to the River with and on to Newark.
Derek shouted to them but he wasn’t sure they remembered us!! The gates
then miraceously opened for us, a guy at the lock offered to penn us through,
as he is waiting for his mates to come up from Castlefore, I cant remember ever
seeing Woodnook from the inside before,
Thank You young man, and easy ride to our Moorings, landed at 12:45. We had lunch, then started to sort things for
home, Matt has to collect Derek, the D has to take him home and come back for
me. We packed the boat bits from the top of the boat, chained the boat up,
Derek swapped his ropes, we have mooring ropes and cruising ropes, would you
believe?? Oh and I noticed that our sign
“Esmerelda 57 6” is missing, the chains are still on the side but no sign,
further investigation is required. We
will take what we can home tonight,
mostly dirty washing and personal stuff, then come back tomorrow and take the
rest and clean Esmerelda round for a rest, she may not need one actually,
but I certainly do, well a change at any
rate. Matt came for 4:45, we went back
to his, him driving, dropped him off, went for a Mc Donalds, eaten in the car
park, called to see the Taylor tribe and
got home for 8. We then had to
start cleaning the fridge, it was disgusting, it took us at least and hour or
more but it now sparkles. Well we will
end the 2013 Journey there, me with lots of washing, ironing and pruning to do,
Derek to trim hedges and mend the downstairs loo. Oh and a promise from the
Taylor Tribe to have a belated Birthday Party for me, I’m certainly looking
forward to that. Over and Out from
Margie, Derek Jess and Orlando Bell, after completing another meandering
journey of over 650 miles or more. Phew !!!! 
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