By the time we get to Ripon we’ll have been on 7 rivers this trip; the Churwell, Soar, Wreake, Trent, Aire, Ouse and Ure. Although you can’t really count the Ure, it’s the upstream Ouse above Ouse Gill Beck. So we’ll call it 6 then.
Another fine day, and just 4 miles to go so a gentle couple of hours.
There are handy offside moorings at Burn Bridge, but it might be a bit noisy with the A19 crossing here. It’s here also where you start to feel you’re getting near a town; anglers start to make an appearance, along with more dog walkers. And there’s a sculpture thingy on the bank as well.
There’s a recent by-pass bridge crossing soon after, named for the engineer responsible for building this canal.
By-pass bridge
As we got nearer the town boat traffic increased, in fact I think we’ve seen more boats this morning than all day on Thursday! Of course, if you going to meet boats coming the other way it has to be at a bridge…
Oncoming traffic at Brayton Bridge
We topped up the diesel tank at Selby Boat Centre, not the cheapest we’ve had, but at least we could self-declare our splits.
Selby Boat Centre
We had a bit of a hold-up at the swing bridge just before the basin. I hopped off as Mags gently brought the boat up, stuck my key in the lock, pressed the relevant button and the flashing lights and warblers started…. then nothing. The barriers stayed up, the bridge stayed obstinately closed. I hit the stop button which shut off the lights and warblers, then tried again… and again. Another boater came and had a go without any more success. Luckily the busy bridge was still usable by wheeled and pedestrian traffic, so it wasn’t a disaster.
The lock-keeper had heard the bridge warnings and had spotted that there was no further action, so walked up and reset the thing in the control hut. We only needed to go 100 yards further on to moor in the basin, behind Mick and Maggie and NB Rose of Arden .
Selby Basin
The lock drops the canal down to the tidal Ouse, two boats were sent on their way soon after we arrived.
NB Sunflower heads upstream with the flooding tide
Selby Lock
Following Sunflower was another boat, MV Rose. She looks like a short Humber Keel, and in fact that’s what she is. Built in Thorne in 1895 she was a tank boat, designed to supply ships anchored out in the Humber estuary with drinking water. After several owners she was refitted in her present form in the 1990s.
MV Rose, a fine boat with lots of character
I’ve done a bit of shopping this afternoon, and we’re not due to pen down until noon tomorrow so I can get a bit more in the morning. Morrison’s is near the impressive bulk of Selby Abbey.
Open to the public, it’s got to be worth a look. Maybe on the way back.
Ray and Jayne, thanks very much for the donation on my justgiving webpage. Only a week to go now for the Great North Run….
Locks 0, miles 4
2 comments:
Fantastic journey Geoff told really well in your pictures and words - it’s like being along with you both! Good luck next week, hope that foot holds out. Love to Mags.
Thanks Carol. We're rather enjoying being on "uncharted waters"!
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