Updates - April 2011

      
North Yorkshire Waterways
 
Page 48, and Map 15.  River Foss, in York.  The navigational text refers to "very tight height restriction under Layerthorpe Bridge".  For clarification this is a photograph of a blue-painted footbridge, with the low Layerthorpe Bridge in the background.
 

  
 

Updates - February 2011

 
Chesterfield Canal Guide
 
Map 11. Staveley Towpath Closure.  To allow construction of the new basin at Staveley, the towpath will be closed between Constitution Hill (bridge 11) and Eckington Road (bridge 13).  There will be no access to the towpath from Hall Lane (bridge 12).  The closure will be from 21 February to 21 August 2011.
 

Updates - December 2010

 
Norwood Tunnel - Four Centuries of Challenge
 
The restoration of the tunnel from its eastern portal has been complicated by the Heritage Lottery Fund removing financial aid - the result of tighter restrictions on funding caused by the national economic situation.  The Chesterfield Canal Trust will, of course, be working to change this decision by the HLF.  The "Four Centuries of Challenge" continue.
 

Updates - November 2010

 
Lincolnshire Waterways
  
Page 28, Map 10.  Boston.   New Visitor Moorings have been installed at Boston, and are a vast improvement on previous facilities.  They are floating pontoons and cater for various types of craft, especially narrowboats.  The previous moorings were short and didn't suit the growing number of longer narrowboats visiting the town, which had to moor at right-angles to the bank and therefore partially obstructed the channel.  The new moorings are also easily extendable to cater for future growth in boating. The £160,000 scheme has been developed by the Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership to encourage boats to visit the town before going on to the Black Sluice Navigation which is the first part of the future Fens Link Project.
 
Chesterfield Canal Guide
 
Map 12. The towpath between Dixons Lock and Hollingwood Lock is closed until 31 March 2011. For the latest information contact Tapton Lock Visitor Centre 01246 551035 - only weekends and Bank Holidays after the end of October, until Easter.  Or Derbyshire County Council 08456 058 058.
  
An alternative route via Station Road is signed on-site.  This closure also applies to the Trans Pennine Trail.
 
The closure is necessary as work is undertaken to construct Hollingwood Hub, a building which will extend from the old Hollingwood Lock-house to half of the length of the lock. This will provide many facilities for the local community as well as canal users.
 

Hollingwood Lock, with the steelwork in place for the Hollingwood Hub building.



Updates - August 2010

 
Lincolnshire Waterways
 
Page 28. Boston moorings.  During August BW is working on improving the moorings. This is due to be completed by the 25th. Contact Boston lock-keeper for progress (see p53).
 
Page 30b.  Cafe at Black Sluice.  It is reported, but we have not yet seen, that a cafe is soon to begin trading alongside the moorings on the Black Sluice side of the lock.

Page 38.  Sleaford.  A new slipway and moorings for trailable boats has been installed on the river Slea in the centre of Sleaford.  The new facilities give access to one-third of a mile of navigable river, down to the un-restored Cogglesford Lock.  Contact Sleaford Navigation Trust for details (see p53).  It has been reported that rowing boats may soon be for hire at the same location, but check with the local Tourist Information (see p53) as this is not yet confirmed.
 
Page 53.  Boating Contacts.  The online aegre timetable is available from http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/, then search the site for "aegir" (the spelling they prefer).
  
Narrowboat on the Trent
 
Page 37.  Trent Boating Association Charts (Sissons charts).  These charts are now published by The Boating Association, and available online from http://www.theboatingassociation.co.uk/, then click on the Merchandise box halfway down the right-hand side of the Home Page.  The charts are £5.00 each, but care - the postage is a hefty £3.00 for one chart, £5.00 for two charts).
 
Page 38. The online aegre timetable is available from http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/, then search the site for "aegir" (the spelling they prefer).
 
Chesterfield Canal Guide
  
Page 8.  The future restoration reports Next Navigation - East, and - West, are available online at www.chesterfield-canal-partnership.co.uk/restoration_map1.html 
 
Page 16.  The Hop Pole pub, by bridge 59 at Retford, has re-opened after extensive interior renovations, and improvements to its moorings.
The Gate pub, near bridge 62 at Clarborough, is said to be re-opening in the near future but nothing has been confirmed.
 
Page 41. The online aegre timetable is available from http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/, then search the site for "aegir" (the spelling they prefer).
 

Sleaford - New Waterways Area

 
A Lovely Day for Trailable Boats, and Canoes
 
On a sunny 3rd of July the official opening took place of facilites to give trailable boats and canoes access to the Slea Navigation.  Sleaford is still isolated from the main network by the four miles and six locks still awaiting restoration, but now the campaign will be promoted by residents seeing craft using the river in the town centre.
 
A ribbon across the new slipway was cut, and Richlow's trailable flagship Schandelle was the first boat to descend to the river Slea.  The new liftbridge was raised and Schandelle had the honour to pass beneath.  By the slipway new moorings have been installed, there two Wilderness trailboats added to the colour of the event, as did a number of canoes.
 

Richlow's Schandelle launched at the official opening of Sleaford's new slipway.

Sleaford now has a lovely riverside area, with easy pedestrian access and adjacent parking off Eastgate.

Schandelle passing under the liftbridge, just downstream of the new slipway and moorings.  The new bridge, in a busy pedestrian area, also allows usage by pushchairs and wheelchairs which the old bridge did not.

One of the Wilderness trailable boats which added to the event, on passage back from Cogglesford Lock.

Updates - June 2010

  
South Pennine Ring - Part 1

Map 8.  Navigation Notes.  Access to lock 86 has always been difficult. Now a new fence along Canal Road, constructed to prevent drunken revellers from falling in the canal, prevents lock crews getting to the lock!
  
This is a picture of the original lock access point. Although there is a gate in the fence, we cannot recommend using it to access lock 86. Instead travel there by boat.

Map 9.  Navigation Notes.  Swing bridges 14 and 15.   When we surveyed this earlier in the year, the swing bridge locks were broken and a Watermate padlock and chain were fastening each bridge. Permanent locks have now been fixed which are opened using a handcuff key.

Generally the Ashton Canal was in good condition for an urban waterway and we had little difficulty navigating it. A number of lock paddles were inoperative (for some unknown reason these were always on the bottom gate on the towpath side!) We only had to go down the weed hatch once.