Rojer's blog: 2011

The day was overcast and not quite raining - almost but not quite - not even a mizzle but wetter than a mist.

After the Monday morning cash machine raid and mini-statement (bad week last week - 2 direct debits) and buying cat food. decided to get the bus to Ranby and walk back to Worksop.

Here's a map I did earlier

View To Ranby, 7 June '11 in a larger map

It's actually from earlier this year when I went the other way.
(Worksop to Ranby!)

Weather warm enough to do without a top layer and not wet enough to need a waterproof, although I'd got my trusty shower top packed safely in my backpack. Speaking of backpacks, I feel naked without one, but, unless I'm out for a full day and need food and drink, rarely use anything I've brought. The pack I use is ideal: big enough to get (say) two packs of catfood, a 2L milk and a couple of pies or such from M&S when I'm shopping; yet small enough to not look silly with just a spare camera lens and the waterproof. I bought a bigger one last year but haven't used it yet although the current one's showing definite signs of wear.

Something I hadn't fully appreciated is the different appreciation that walkers and boaters have of the ups and downs of waterways. Walkers love locks and curves whereas they mean more work for boaters. A blogfriend (is there such a thing?) recently took a spin on the Ashby canal, which boasts 22 miles of lock free boating. Not my thing as a walker.

Anyhow, on with the walk:

Moored at the Chequers was a nameless boat:

I think I've seen it before. Very ...aaah ... yellow!

Willow trees are beautiful any time of year but when turning colour, either way, can be spectacular.

There are mile markers all along the Chesterfield canal.

Here's the '25' marker dedicated to and by John and Barbara Lower The name rings a bell.

Just: !

Even the bracken colours beautifully

Nb Satyr was moored at Osberton lock just across from Nb Pebley's pitch.
I saw her on Sunday above Turnerwood.

There's something about dead trees …

The 23 mile stone is just East of Manton Turnover bridge.
It proudly proclaims its position halfway between Chesterfield and the Trent

The last of the potato harvest was being gathered in alongside.

Manton rail viaduct:


The reinforcements are made of rail lines.

Kilton Low lock ...


... is entirely metal.I wonder why? And the paddle controls are heavily protected.

That's me almost home.

All the day's pictures (240+) are here

07 November 2011

Sunday To Turnerwood

The knee was feeling OK (back's still a bit suspect though) so I thought a walk up the Chesterfield canal(I put that in for the search engines) was indicated.

Couldn't resist this though before I left:

Gingerkit having a rest in the cat thing.

First thing of note was a father/son pair of anglers packing up (at 8:30!).
A cyclist in a hurry to get to work had ridden over the son's £600 carbon fibre fishing pole and splintered it.

To say they were livid is to understate the case

Just a mallard

November!

Day after bonfire night and the weather was terrific!

Narrowboat Satyr was moored above Turnerwood Double lock.

At quarry pound

There were apair of natives

Colours of Autumn

And back at Morse lock

Nb Atticus was heading back to Shireoaks Marina after a four week trip to Hebden Bridge

03 November 2011

Thursday Morning

Thanks to the twitterati, I was impelled to go out early this am.
The sky was overcast but rain had stopped



Two swans left on their route south …


… but the three left remained photogenic

Up the Chesterfield canal as far as Shireoaks:


Teasels! (or should it be "Teazels"?)

The Marina looked good in the sun.

And just outside were:


Nb Wineberry	Nb Satyr

Intended to go further but felt the knee going as I approached Shireoaks bridge so I turned back.

Back at Godfrey's pond the voles were in the hawthorn, but I didn't manage a shot, having to make do with a robin:

02 November 2011

Market & voles

Walked through Worksop market which has now expanded to cover the whole of Bridge street and leave the old market place altogether: much better.



I recently read somewhere that the average time of a mobile phone call was 73 seconds. The girl in the last photo above must have been on a roll - she was on for at least ten minutes as she walked through the market.

Slideshow: click the edge, not the arrow


Buttermere	Mary Hayes

At the moorings on Canal Road, another two boats had appeared. As well as Elizabeth Ann and Vera Verity, Buttermere and Mary Hayes were tied up.

Back up at the pond a young lady walking a dog drew my attention to a couple of voles up a hawthorn tree scrumping berries.



Unfortunately, I'd got the wrong lens on to get a decent shot but here's what I managed with a little help from the Gimp (poor man's Photoshop). Ain't they sweet?

01 November 2011

That was October, that was

This last month I've not been walking My knee's been acting up. More than about a mile and it makes me walk like Igor: all slumped to the side and alternating normal (left leg) and miniscule (right leg) steps: must be amusing to watch but no fun to cope with. (think Marty Feldman in young Frankenstein) It seems to be improving so I might give it a trial today.
Anyhow I've taken a few pics: