Geo-Trips :: Boating up the River Trent
River Trent
A boat trip from Torksey, Mon, 24 Sep 2012 by Graham Horn
preceding leg | This trip is part of a series. |
The last of two and a half days helping a friend move her boat from the Chesterfield Canal and up the River Trent. This section of the River Trent from Torksey to Newark is mainly tidal, so we had to delay our morning start until the tide was favourable. However, strong rain further up the Trent was also coming down the river, making our progress very slow. We took an hour and a half longer than the guide time for this section. I was on deck for most of the time and got very wet, as did some of my photos. However, it was great to have done this section of waterway at last.
Click the blue circles to see a photograph taken from that spot and read further information about the location. The blue lines indicate the direction of view. There is also a slideshow of this trip. ( )
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Torksey Lock
The calm side of the lock. The Fossdyke Navigation comes in from the right, where... more
Towards Cottam power station
Rounding the first bend after leaving Torksey, we get the first view of the power... more
Approaching Cottam power station
Starting the long left-hand section of this horseshoe bend to the east of the... more
Approaching Cottam power station
Notice how the prevailing rain has beaten against the north-eastern side of the... more
Sluice at Cottam power station
This appears to be a water outlet of some sort, a pumping station associated with... more
Danger sunken island keep left
The warning signs on this section of the river are very clear and very explicit.... more
Sunken island
The island that we had been warned about on a sign shortly beforehand is actually... more
Sunken island
This island is quite visible today, but may not be under flood conditions.... more
Wet all around
The rain was starting to set in, mainly from the east but veering to the south;... more
Fishing in the rain
These two cormorants seemed unperturbed by the lashing rain, and remained... more
Raining on the Trent
We were taking a boat from Torksey to Newark. It was raining, hard, and there was... more
Houses at Church Laneham
The map suggests these might be called Maltkins, although that may be further back... more
Houses at Church Laneham
The map suggests this may be the manor house. Certainly there is a caravan park,... more
Church Laneham landing stage
There is a slipway here and a pontoon landing stage that goes up and down with the... more
Tractor on Laugherton Marsh
There had been a few fine days, when I hope this farmer managed to harvest... more
Meeting a big boat
We had left early and were punching the last of the ebb tide, so we half expected... more
Big boat on the Trent
Going away from us, this boat does not look very large in relation to the size of... more
Edge of the Trent
Unusually there are shallows on the outside of this bend, marked by a row of... more
Dunham Rack
The tidal river is wide, straight and uninteresting along this section, Dunham... more
Dunham road bridge
This is a toll bridge, on the A57, so everything is slowing down for the toll gate... more
Dunham Bridge
Carrying the A57 over the River Trent. Traffic is stationary for the toll gate... more
Dunham pipe bridge
Carrying a water (?) pipe across the river, immediately south of the road bridge,... more
Dunham bridges
Looking north, back downstream on the River Trent. The nearer bridge is a pipe... more
Construction work on the river
I could not work out what was going on here; there is clearly something elated to... more
Bend at Dunham Dubs
There are two sharp bends on the river here, the first one to the right. As we... more
Bend at Dunham Dubs
There are two particularly sharp bends in the river in quick succession here, this... more
Bend at Dunham Dubs
There are two particularly sharp bends in the river in quick succession here, this... more
River Trent at Fledborough
The yellow sign warns of a sunken island. We didn't see it, but kept right as... more
River Trent past Fledborough
It continued to be a grey day, although the rain had eased. Power lines dominate... more
Trent Viaduct
Otherwise known as Fledborough Viaduct. This used to carry the former Lincoln to... more
Site of High Marnham power station
This pumping station is all that remains of the former High Marnham power station,... more
Marnham boat club
The floating pontoon used by Marnham boat club. There is also a slipway nearby.... more
Up the Trent
On a rainy day, and fighting a strong flow, we plod on up the tidal river.
Raining still
It is difficult to give an impression that it is persisting down, but here the... more
Promontory on the river
This seems to be the point where the old course of the River Trent rejoins the... more
Up the Trent
It is raining. We are taking a narrowboat from Torksey to Newark today, fighting... more
Sluice feeding the river
This is an outlet for a drain into the River Trent. Excitement on an otherwise... more
Approaching Normanton Sands
There is a large section of access land along both sides of the river from here... more
Drainage sluice
More excitement, another drain flows into the river and another photograph is... more
Flotsam at Normanton Sands
Flotsam (or is it jetsam) in the form of a log, stranded by a higher tide on the... more
Works discharge point
I think this is a point where sand barges load. Sand, or gravel, is 'pumped' up... more
Sand and gravel loading point
I think this is a point where sand barges load. Sand, or gravel, is 'pumped' up... more
Drainage channel
This is one of the larger drainage channels feeding the River Trent. All around... more
Bank protection
There are a number of sunken barges here, providing bank protection in an area of... more
Girton Stakes
The area either side is known as Upper Girton Stakes (right) and lower Girton... more
Girton Stakes
The area either side is known as Upper Girton Stakes (right) and lower Girton... more
Why?
Well, he might be asking the same question of us, as we plough on upstream in the... more
A fisherman's retreat
Why drive to this isolated spot then sit out in the rain? Well, he might be... more
Cattle on Smithy Marsh
You can't see much from a narrowboat with high flood banks. So cattle on the bank... more
Yes we're mad, what about you?
You can't see much from a narrowboat with high flood banks. So cattle on the bank... more
Why am I standing here getting wet?
You can't see much from a narrowboat with high flood banks. So cattle on the bank... more
Through South Holme
The river continues upstream, with high flood banks restricting the view. The... more
Post at South Holme
Square, red posts mark the eastern (port) side of the river, and are visible in... more
Rounding Springhead
The River Trent continues upstream, with high flood banks restricting the view... more
Passing Besthorpe Nature Reserve
We didn't specifically know it at the time. It was more of the same, high flood... more
Did I say it was raining?
It had been raining all day, and was well set in. We were thoroughly soaked as we... more
Did I say it was raining?
It had been raining all day, and was well set in. We were thoroughly soaked as we... more
Approaching Newark
Towards the end of the day, the rain had passed but the sky was still very... more
Cromwell Weir
We had fought upstream for five and a half hours since leaving Torksey, a journey... more
Besthorpe wharf
Barges collecting extracted sand and gravel operate from here. Still raining.
Steps to the river
These lead nowhere, and the footpath is along the top of the flood bank. There... more
Carlton Rack
This reach is called Carlton Rack. The long left hand bend takes us to the... more
Approaching Carlton-on-Trent
Despite the rain, the windmill gives us an accurate location. The OS symbol these... more
Carlton windmill
It is early 19th century, and listed, but even Windmill World... more
Carlton-on-Trent wharf
Passing in the rain.
Carlton-on-Trent wharf
Passing in the rain.
Gravel wharf at Besthorpe
There are sand and gravel extraction quarries off to the left. A conveyor brings... more
Gravel wharf at Besthorpe
There are sand and gravel extraction quarries off to the left. A conveyor brings... more
Gravel wharf at Besthorpe
There are sand and gravel extraction quarries off to the right. A conveyor brings... more
Up the Trent
Our journey from Torksey to Cromwell continues. Although the incoming tide should... more
Fisherman on the Trent
These are the professionals, a tent and all the equipment to keep the rain at bay.... more
Approaching Cromwell Lock
This marks the southern limit of the tidal River Trent. Cromwell weir can be seen... more
In Cromwell Lock
Having entered the lock this is the view back as the gates closed behind us. The... more
Cromwell Lock
This lock marks the southerly end of the tidal section of the River Trent. The... more
Cromwell Lock
This lock marks the southerly end of the tidal section of the River Trent. The... more
Above Cromwell Lock
Although the river is not tidal above Cromwell Lock, it is still wide and, with a... more
Farms at Holme
The east bank village of Holme stays away from the river. But the farms to its... more
The Muskham Ferry
A pub in North Muskham on the west side of the river. As its name implies there... more
The Muskham Ferry
A pub in North Muskham on the west side of the river. As its name implies there... more
Tree on the Holme side
Opposite the pub called the Muskham Ferry is the location of the landing point of... more
Up the Trent
South of North Muskham and Holme the river widens out again and becomes more rural... more
Boundary on the river bank
Strangely, the boundary that runs clearly east west either side of the river, and... more
Passing Winthorpe Lake
The high flood bank to the left hides, or contains, Winthorpe Lake, almost... more
Winthorpe Bridge
This high level bridge carries the A1 Newark bypass over the River Trent. I had a... more
Winthorpe Bridge
This high level bridge carries the A1 Newark bypass over the River Trent. I had a... more
Newark railway bridge
This bridge carries the East Coast Main Line railway across the canalised section... more
All images © Graham Horn and available under a Creative Commons licence .