We woke up to a lovely morning and set off. Richard reckons that the canal was definitely built by the Romans as it is so straight! We had been warned that the Fenland canals can be quite boring as the banks are so high – you really can’t see very much :-( We had to call into Barton Marina to get a third water pump! Richard had brought a new one up with us but that was obviously faulty as it was taking ages to switch itself on. The second one he bought in Newark and that didn’t work at all – it sucked instead of pumping!! So today we have our third.
Just after Barton Marina we came across the Pyewipe Inn with BW moorings outside so we stopped and had a nice lunch in the sunshine. Me being me, I just had to look up Pyewipe on Google and the only thing I could find is that it is a derivative of Piewipe which is another name for a Pewit or Lapwing!
We continued into Lincoln and found that it isn’t a very visiting boat friendly place. We went round Brayford Pool where there is a marina but that is all. There is only one BW visitor mooring area which is only 50 metres long - only about 3 average narrowboats. It is right under the University Halls of Residence - according to the University website the students are in the middle of exams so I trust it will be quiet tonight!
We went for a brief walk around city and found The Glory Hole with The High Bridge over the top. The bridge is one of the oldest bridges in the United Kingdom which still has buildings on it. It was built about 1160 and a chapel built in 1235 dedicated to Thomas Becket was removed in 1762 with the current row of shops dating from 1550. Bridges like this were common in the Middle Ages, the best known being London Bridge, but most have long since been demolished because of their obstruction to the river flow and to shipping. It has a narrow and crooked arch which sets a limit on the size of boats using the River Witham from Brayford Pool to Boston and the sea. Since the 14th Century the bridge has contributed to floods in Lincoln and after any heavy rain the bridge is virtually unnavigable. A design by William Jessop in the 19th century to reroute the waters of the Witham through the south of the town was never implemented. The Glory Hole is the name given by generations of boaters the area under the bridge.
On our return to the boat Richard fitted the new water pump and it works – hurray!! We took the opportunity of being in a city to have a meal out and chose the Harvester on the waterfront – very nice it was too.
Just after Barton Marina we came across the Pyewipe Inn with BW moorings outside so we stopped and had a nice lunch in the sunshine. Me being me, I just had to look up Pyewipe on Google and the only thing I could find is that it is a derivative of Piewipe which is another name for a Pewit or Lapwing!
We continued into Lincoln and found that it isn’t a very visiting boat friendly place. We went round Brayford Pool where there is a marina but that is all. There is only one BW visitor mooring area which is only 50 metres long - only about 3 average narrowboats. It is right under the University Halls of Residence - according to the University website the students are in the middle of exams so I trust it will be quiet tonight!
We went for a brief walk around city and found The Glory Hole with The High Bridge over the top. The bridge is one of the oldest bridges in the United Kingdom which still has buildings on it. It was built about 1160 and a chapel built in 1235 dedicated to Thomas Becket was removed in 1762 with the current row of shops dating from 1550. Bridges like this were common in the Middle Ages, the best known being London Bridge, but most have long since been demolished because of their obstruction to the river flow and to shipping. It has a narrow and crooked arch which sets a limit on the size of boats using the River Witham from Brayford Pool to Boston and the sea. Since the 14th Century the bridge has contributed to floods in Lincoln and after any heavy rain the bridge is virtually unnavigable. A design by William Jessop in the 19th century to reroute the waters of the Witham through the south of the town was never implemented. The Glory Hole is the name given by generations of boaters the area under the bridge.
On our return to the boat Richard fitted the new water pump and it works – hurray!! We took the opportunity of being in a city to have a meal out and chose the Harvester on the waterfront – very nice it was too.
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