Fenland Tour 2001 Page 6

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Tour 2001

Fenland Tour Summer 2001

6 - Dogdyke to Boston - River Witham and Witham Navigable Drains, inc Billinghay Skirth, Dogdyke, Castle Dyke, Newham Drain, Sandy Bank Drain, West Fen Drain, Medlam Drain and Maud Foster Drain.

Tuesday 3rd July 2001

We left Dogdyke at 07.30. We went back upstream to Billinghay Skirth and checked the weedy entrance through another set of flood gates, it seemed better up stream so we proceeded. About a third of the way up there was the last place a 60ft narrowboat could turn, by a pumping station. (O^S 177560 Sheet 121) It was much narrower above and a fair flow on the river, so the weed had been kept down. After a very incised high banked drain, with some sharp turns (difficult with the river flow) we arrived at Billinghay. It was really very pretty, a bit like Upwell on the Middle Level.
Eventually the first of two bridges before a possible 60ft winding point was reached. It was no go for Earnest even if we removed cratch. Frogmoore II went right up to the bridge, but no good (09.15). Around another 5 inches of headroom was needed. A bit of a rattley time getting passed a surface drain outfall (this was actually the Car Dyke again!) as it was shallow plus debris.
Earnest reversed fairly well, with Pete Sykes on the bow steering pole. Frogmoore, with it's shorter length had trouble, so Neil stopped and we coupled up on a fairly long rope. This worked quite well and it was not too a painful trip back to the 60ft pumping station winding point. (10.50 to 11.05) We eventually got back to the River Witham at 11.40.
We waited at Tattershall Bridge Visitor Moorings (10 minutes) for Frogmoore to catch up and had a de-weed. Next we have a go at Dogdyke (12.10), but only just get out of sight of the old railway bridge as the dyke is solidly choked with weed. Not too much trouble getting out.
We were back on River Witham heading west with gusto at 12.30. We passed the previously conquered Kyme Eau at 12.50. We arrived at Anton's Gowt at 14.40 and by 15.05 we passed DOWN this substantial structure and onto the Witham Navigable Drains. We turned immediately left onto Newham Drain. At 15.20 we turned into Castle Dyke, but are soon defeated by the 5ft 11ins air draught, first bridge. This has a much lower pipe crossing on the far side of the bridge. We checked the depth board and found that this level of the Drains was 11 cm up, even so this pipe must be new.
We the got back to Newham Drain and proceeded upwards at 15.50. It was easy going and plenty of depth to start with. We got to the cross junction (O^S 282527 Sheet 122) with the West Fen Drain at 16.40 and turned left up the West Fen Drain. Next a normally 5ft 5ins footbridge just defeated us by an inch! (17.00). A friendly young couple came out of their farm cottage and chat about their front door bridge. Apparently it had just featured on the TV series 999, as it was half demolished by a crashing car. The couple told us that the new bridge will have a much higher air draught. It was then a reverse back to cross junction and then we continued up the Newham Drain, through the corrugated iron tunnel bridge under the road parallel to West Fen Drain (17.10)
This has a reasonable headroom BUT it needs to be taken lined up and with a bit of gusto for steerage, as it has handrail scraping sides. From now on the Newham Drain gets shallower. By the time we reached Dovecote Hall Farm, Frogmoore (20 inches draught) has pulled away leaving Earnest (2ft 2ins draught) behind. We began to pull up the fine blanket weed from the bottom and had a real struggle to get up to the junction with Sandy Bank Drain.
The blanket weed was just being pulled and pulled through the weed hatch. The only way to break free was to cut it all loose from round the prop and rudder, when pole the boat forwards. At one point we nearly give up! After just managing a pole / power wind and several aborted starts later, we managed to keep going, heading back.
We do not get back to the junction with West Fen Drain until 20.55!!! We then turned left down the West Fen Drain and head towards Frithville. It was incredible the difference another foot of water made and we were soon bombing along. Neil kept stopping to try to get the rest of the weed off, but the final ball on the shaft behind the prop escaped until the next morning!
At the bridge by Westville Farm we spot a potential trouble maker leering at us from the bridge. Pete Sykes tries conversation................It ends up it is Ian Clarke, who has given up waiting for us in Boston and has come after us!
At 21.50 we turned right onto the larger section of the West Fen Drain into Boston. Neil eventually got Ian on the mobile and he then ceased shadowing us and went back into Boston to search for a takeaway. Neil has already decided that we will spend the night IN Cowbridge Lock. This is because it was now dark, the lock only 12ft wide and would have required two lockings. There was no real suitable moorings anyway, until you get to the backside of Boston “No Mooring” steps up from the red brick drain walls.
Earnest got right into the lock and Frogmoore, just behind under the accommodation bridge. We eventually turned of our rather over worked engines at 22.10. More disaster!...............Ian Clarke fones in to say that all the fish and chip shops have now closed and the only thing he found is a just to close “leftovers” Mc Donalds!!!...................YUK!!! The team had assembled on the commodious front cabin of Frogmoore and despondency set in. We were just about to start the emergency Spag Bol, when Ian fones in to say he has just procured a Chinese takeaway. 15 mins later (23.00ish!!!) we were munching away.

Ready to cast off from Dogdyke Visitor Mooring pontoon. River Witham.

Entering Billinghay Skirth.

Entering Billinghay Skirth. (Image Pete Sykes)

NB Frogmoore enters the Billinghay Skirth flood doors.

Billinghay Skirth.

looking back at the progress of NB Frogmoore. Billinghay Skirth.

Billinghay. Billinghay Skirth.

Car Dyke entrance drain is dead centre. Billinghay. Billinghay Skirth.

The first of two bridges, this one proved just too low for Earnest. Billinghay. Billinghay Skirth.

The first of two bridges. Billinghay. Billinghay Skirth.

NB Frogmoore comes up for a try at the bridge. Billinghay. Billinghay Skirth.

NB Frogmoore comes up for a try at the bridge. Billinghay. Billinghay Skirth. (Image Pete Sykes)

Earnest towing out NB Frogmoore - Backwards! Billinghay Skirth.

The 70ft winding point by pumping station. Billinghay Skirth.

Exiting Billinghay Skirth.

Dogdyke - going passed the moorings opposite Hornblowers Inn.

We soon grind to a halt. Dogdyke.

Tattershall in the distance. Dogdyke.

Tattershall Castle. Dogdyke.

Passing the entrance to Kyme Eau. River Witham.

Looking back. River Witham.

Langrick Bridge. River Witham.

Leaving Langrick Bridge. River Witham.

Approach to Anton's Gowt. River Witham.

Anton's Gowt. River Witham.

Anton's Gowt Lock. Witham Navigable Drains.

Turning left out of Anton's Gowt Lock into Newham Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

The reportedly good Oak Tree Inn at Anton's Gowt. Witham Navigable Drains.

The first bridge up Castle Dyke has a new low pipe on far side. Witham Navigable Drains.

NB Frogmoore II stuck up Castle Dyke. Witham Navigable Drains. (Image Pete Sykes)

Newham Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

B1184 Bridge. Newham Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

Leaving the B1184 Bridge. Newham Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

We have just turned left up west Fen Drain towards Bunkers Hill. Witham Navigable Drains.

The first low footbridge up West Fen Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

Back at the junction with the Newham Drain, NB Frogmoore has turned left under the "tunnel". Witham Navigable Drains.

Newham Drain. Looking back at the tunnel at the cross junction with the West Fen Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

Newham Drain. Looking back at the tunnel at the cross junction with the West Fen Drain. Witham Navigable Drains. (Image Pete Sykes)

Newham Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

Newham Drain. Witham Navigable Drains. (Image Pete Sykes)

Never ending blanket weed. Newham Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

Newham Drain. Winding at junction with Sandy bank Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

Sandy bank Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

Tunnel before junction with West Fen Drain. Newham Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

NB Frogmoore coming out of junction with Newham Drain. West Fen Drain. Witham Navigable Drains. (Image Pete Sykes)

NB Frogmoore coming out of junction with Newham Drain. West Fen Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

West Fen Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

Junction with Westville Drain. West Fen Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

West Fen Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

B1183 Bridge. West Fen Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

West Fen Drain. Approaching junction with Medlam Drain. Witham Navigable Drains.

Steaming down West Fen Drain, nearing Cowbridge - yes that is the moon above! Witham Navigable Drains.

The Tour continues

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