The Final 5 (ish) miles

As planned we got out the bikes on Wednesday and cycled to the bricked up eastern end of the Norwood Tunnel, which, as can only be expected, is all very overgrown.

From Stret lock (where we got stuck) to Shireoaks Marina there are another seven locks.  The canal along this stretch is all very ordinary – the best bit is the excellent cycle path alongside the canal.  Shireoaks Marina looked very nice – small but nice.

Onwards and upwards after the marina are another eight locks.  The first lock is Boundary Lock and shortly after going through this you go over the Ryton Aqueduct and then ………….. pay attention, Ken, ……you are in Yorkshire!  Seven locks in the Turnerwood Flight follow.  It’s a very nice flight of locks but all a bit enclosed by trees until you get to the top where there are some lovely, lovely little cottages over-looking a small basin. 

Fifteen locks of the Thorpe Flight lie ahead and there is a mixture of single, double staircase and treble staircase.  They are really pretty and didn’t feel as enclosed as the Turnerwood Flight.

The last two miles up on the summit I found to be very disappointing.  It’s all very overgrown and very enclosed – no views from up here!  And, no where ‘nice’ to moor either.  I can understand why Richard and Linda on n/b “Mary H” didn’t stay but turned around and headed back to the marina.  You can read what they thought of taking their boat to the top on their blogsite:-

http://www.andmilliemakesthree.blogspot.co.uk

We headed off to the village of Thorpe Salvin where we met up with our friend, Ron and his colleague in the village pub called “The Parish Oven”.  The pub is built on the site of the old village farmhouse where villagers used to take their bread to be baked in the farmhouse bread oven.  Apparently no other pub in G.B. shares this name.  A lovely dog-friendly pub.

For those who like to do long-distance walks:-  The Cuckoo Way follows the tow path for 46 miles from West Stockwith to Chesterfield and must rate as one of the prettiest canal walks there are.

The weather today is utterly miserable – it seems that the whole of middle England is swathed in relentless rain.  There are so many flood warnings!  We are moored next to a little orchard owned by a pub called “The Chequers" awaiting the arrival of Mark, a very old friend and Kim, a very new one!  As a result of being moored amongst trees we have no TV or radio reception but, at least I am able to listen to the tennis on the internet.   Grateful for small mercies and all that ………………