Excuse me

Tuesday, 03 August 2010 17:13

If I repeat myself - but only for for today

The Humber Princess timed it just right this morning. She came out of Mexborough Low Lock as we set off.

There was a lot of rubbish in this lock and it looked as if someone had been using it as childs ball park

Sprotbrough was next - I didn't spot the church as we left last week, but it is obvious arriving from the south.

No time to stop though, as we have a tight schedule for the next couple of days. The Sprotbrough visitor moorings were empty - where have all the boats gone? All on the move today, as we passed quite a few going up towards Mexborough.

Doncaster Town Lock is a strange shape and very large - again I did not spot this on the way up. John took a photo as I did the lock, it widens near the top gates.

Doncaster visitor moorings were nearly full with two narrowboats and two grp boats. There is a notice there asking boats to double up due to the limited space and the fact that it is a popular mooring. There was no sign of life, so I suspect they were shopping at the market! I am glad we chose to move on to Sprotbrough after visiting Doncaster, on the way up.

It was possible to see Barnby Dun cooling towers from Strawberry Island, just outside Doncaster. The former was our destination for the night. We will only have visited these moorings twice, unlike Gill and Geoff from nb Petroc, who seemed to make it a habit! Sadly we shall miss them, as they are off up the River Trent to Torksey before we arrive at West Stockwith - the tide means they leave an hour or so before we hope to arrive!

I love stopping the traffic at lift bridges and had started the bridge operation when a car arrived. He was a bit cross that I did not stop the bridge, as he tooted me! However, we have as much right to go under the bridge as he has to go over it, so he and a stream of other cars had to be patient!

Approaching Barnby Lift Bridge from south

So here we are again at Barnby Dun. Now which view of the mooring shall I put on the blog - this one I think, as last time I put up the view of the "pots"!

John went off to the Spar in the village to top up our provisions and I stayed home to make pasties! We have the side doors open; it is warm and occasionally sunny. This duck decided he was going to have a ride on the slight flow in the Navigation.

South Yorkshire Navigations, River Don, Mexborough Low Lock to River Dun Navigation, Barnby Dun

3 hours 6 minutes, 11.72 miles, 4 locks