From tpav@globalnet.co.uk Sun Jun 6 14:47:21 1999 Date: Fri, 28 May 1999 20:03:02 +0100 From: Trevor Pavitt Reply-To: canals@blacksheep.org To: canals@blacksheep.org Subject: Lady Elgar goes North - 12 Back on the T & M Left Saxilby with our new friends, Len and Ann on ^ÓFinlandia^Ô and moored at Torksey ready to go up to Cromwell Lock on Sunday. We had expected to leave at about 2pm on Sunday but the lock-keeper said that we would get so little assistance from the tide that we could go any time we wanted to, so we set off at about midday. The trip was extremely tedious and took some six hours as we were punching both wind and current. The scenery on this part of the Trent makes the trip round Milton Keynes seem exciting and the only thing that kept us on our toes was the presence of large numbers of water-skiers who treated our two boats like a slalom course. As an ex water-skier I enjoyed watching them but I did think that they ran us unnecessarily close sometimes. Moored on the pontoon above Cromwell. We found things much more pleasant above Cromwell ^Ö easy travelling on broad waters with lovely scenery. Shopped in Newark and finally moored on the delightful and beautifully tended island below Hazelford Lock. On Tuesday we reached the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont. This is well worth a visit and we enjoyed watching white-water canoeists on the slalom course. Elgar (the dog) had a great time romping alongside the mile long rowing course. We found Nottingham pleasant when seen from the water but were reminded of the fact that we are getting further South when I was nearly run over by a glossy female in a BMW in Sainsbury^Òs car park. We also miss the extreme cordiality of all passers-by that we encountered further North! Moored in Cranfleet Cut just short of the massive junction where the Trent meets the Soar, the Erewash and the Trent and Mersey. Our route takes us down the Soar but, as we are ahead of schedule we have decided to go along the T & M as far as Fradley as we have never done this section. Sad to see That Dobsons of Shardlow have closed down within the last few weeks. Still in company with ^ÓFinlandia^Ô we moored above the lock at Weston where we intend to stay for the weekend so that we can watch the Bank Holiday crowds go by (also the Spanish Grand Prix!) Toodle pip, Trevor Nb Lady Elgar