A few days ago we had a notice from C&RT saying that the public right of way across Newark Town Lock was open again despite the walkway not having gone back on the top gates yet. This will please many locals, especially one who was F*ing and B*ing last weekend about “how long does it take to mend a B*dy lock anyway!”.
Town Lock
On our way back from town today we decided to walk that way home. Plenty of other people had had the same idea. The lock closed for maintenance in mid October and reopened to boats shortly before Christmas, but access was by boat and ladder to work the lock. All the hydraulic rams have now been covered over in their troughs so there are no big holes to fall down. Fencing however has been put around the ends of the top gates, presumably this is health and safety to stop anyone from attempting to cross the lock where there is no walkway. I suppose that some moron after a few pints might try to walk across the top of the gates for a laugh and fall in, so better safe than in court! The walkways are around three foot wide with handrails and when the gates are being used there are red flashing lights on both sides of the lock to alert the public not to cross.
Fresh lick of paint
You can now walk up the tow path to the dry dock. The same two boats that we saw back in September were still sat there. The tug has been blacked and given a fresh coat of BW blue, very smart it looks. The bridge over the dry dock gates has new walkways and chains to help pull the gates open as there are no beams.
Cromwell Boom in a skip
Along the next stretch were two skip boats and the crane boat. These have been down at Cromwell to mend the boom over the weir. In fact the large floats from the boom were in one of the skips. Spikes to deter birds from sitting on them were visible, don’t think they stop the cormorants from drying their wings.
Will they be reused or replaced?
Tomorrow we should be leaving the marina, but we have decided to stay another week. There are various things happening this week that we want to be around for. Newark Antiques Fair at the show ground happens every two months and is the largest in Europe, being 84 acres with 2500 stalls. We doubt we’ll buy anything but it will be very interesting to go. The following Sunday there is a boat jumble sale at the show ground which we want to have a look at. Also being around for another week in case we need to meet Ken and Julia again about Oleanna would be good. It also means that we won’t have to fight our way on Lillian with storm Henry on his way.
0 locks, 0 miles (when will I start to fill those in again!), 1 rotting pair of walking boot soles, 4 walking boots tried on, 7 tabs velcro replaced on waterproofs, 2 year wait ended to take 3 inches off trousers, 1 roast chicken it must be Sunday.
NB Lillyanne 