May Day! Not the nautical cry for help, but the beginning of another month. We celebrated in the traditional manner of the English, and went to the laundrette. We passed by a pub and I thought that it was worthy of a photograph. A personal view of how a pub should look, an honest building, bearing a sensible name and reminding me of the style to be found in most towns before breweries imposed the new designs on us all. End of rant……….
Leaving the Doncaster town mooring we had just passed the Strawberry Island Boat club when the familiar smell of diesel wafted around us. The canal was covered again from bank to bank, lasting for some distance; there was a gap of sorts and then more diesel until we reached the tractor plant when it finally petered out. This part of the canal can have a large industrial plant one moment, turn a corner and there are fields and trees, around the next corner and another industrial plant. It has variety in abundance, and could be the reason that it appeals to us. Through Long Sandall lock and then Barnby Dun lift bridge: better to pass through in this direction as the control pedestal is on the far side. That means you do not have to cross the stream of cars driven by the motorists that you have delayed by raising the bridge. One mile further, the Sheffield & South Yorkshire canal forks right for Keadby and the Trent; the New Junction canal forks left for Leeds and Selby. We tied to the left hand bank short of the fork where the canal is wide and very peaceful. One boat on the move, it is really quiet around here; it may change over the bank holiday weekend.
A dry but overcast day.
The 2008 journey thus far: 77 Locks & 187.5 Miles & 11 Swing Bridges
