I have now travelled the full length of the Witham and Fosse Dyke many times, with the majority of my boating downstream from Bardney lock, where I have been moored these last few years, since getting a boat.
Torksey.
This is where the Fosse Dyke joins the tidal Trent, and the start of your trip to Boston. This is a manned lock, with a lock keeper. To use it you need to book in advance. With good facilities, it boasts a shower, as well as toilet and rubbish disposal facilities. Free overnight moorings are available at the end of the permanent moorings. These are almost 1 kilometer along the riverbank, so you get your daily exercise when taking the morning shower.
When you depart for your journey to Boston, you are travelling on The Fosse Dyke, the UK's oldest canal, built by the Romans in AD120. At Lincoln the waterway enters the Brayford Pool, and exits onto the navigable Witham to Boston. At first, this old waterway may appear a bit bland, but take note of the kilometer posts, which count down to 'The Glory Hole' High Bridge over Lincoln's high street. Here they start counting upwards again until you have reached 51 kilometers, and you arrive at the moorings at Boston. But be sure to savour the many delights you will encounter on the way.
Much of this watercourse is in-between high banks, which can be disconcerting, even a little boring for the uninitiated, who are used to seeing the countryside. However a little lateral thinking will soon have you enjoying all this waterway has to offer. When you are travelling on the stretches where you cannot see over the banks, take a close look at the banks themselves, which are abundant with a wide selection of plants and animals. Also revel in the fact you are in your own little world, with the usual troubles out of sight. And let's face it, when you can see over the banks you usually see trees, houses, buildings and fields, which you must have seen a thousand times before.
Also give yourself time to stop at the frequent moorings provided, and the sights to be found, as much of the history is hidden away; sometimes only yards from a road.
The first few miles are arguably the worst, nothing more than planks and nettles, with a couple of houses, one on either bank. If you are lucky you may see the odd boat moored on the bank. When you reach a slight bend, the canal runs alongside the road. Shortly afterwards there is a roadside garage. This is out of sight up a steep bank, but a good place to refuel, especially for a can of petrol.
Saxilby.
You next pass a line of moored boats, before shortly entering Saxilby. Work has recently been undertaken, to make this popular mooring location even more attractive, with paved paths, and a small picnic area on the riverbank. The village on the opposite bank is fairly unique, in that it has been built with the front of the buildings facing the canal, rather than the rear. Several good waterfront pubs are amongst the popular haunts, including one that has live bands. There is a hardware shop that sells everything, including red diesel (from now on, only for your stove obviously). The village also boasts a garage, that sometimes? sells fuel. I say sometimes, as it has closed for fuel recently before opening up again. There is one of the best fish and chip shops in the land, plus late off license and other food takeaway. Making this a very popular stopping off point for many.
Leaving Saxilby you have another length of rural canal, before coming to the Woodcocks pub, and Burton Waters new marina. Veritably an upmarket new village, this new 'blot on the landscape' could indeed be far worse. This is the place to refuel, or visit the chandlery, but the quarter of a million-pound boats in the used sale line, give a hint of prices. Be aware you may encounter meeting some of these boats, or their pretenders on the trip from Torksey, for the few that dare to leave the marina. The Woodcocks was converted from a row of cottages a few years before Burton Waters, however The Pyewipe Inn, named after the Pewit, or Plover, is much more interesting, being an established old hostelry, with character a plenty. The rotting pile of wood you see on a trailer in the car park is in fact the Mary Gordon, the first electric launch. Restoration plans are afoot, however I shouldn't get you ticket yet. Another good overnight stopping off point, and in my opinion, better than Lincoln.
Lincoln.
Lincoln is easily seen from here, showing the southwest face, and probably the best, with the windmill, as well as cathedral being a prominent feature on the skyline of the Lincoln Edge. A short trip and you are passing the line of residential boats, that adorn the canal bank almost into Lincoln. Just before the new Road Bridge are the BW overnight moorings. These are alongside 'docklands' the new student accommodation. Most have a peaceful night here, unlike the Brayford Pool, which sadly is out of bounds for visiting boaters now. Unless you are extremely brave, or foolhardy, the new cinema and plethora of student watering holes, that now stand along the northern bank, make for a noisy and interupted night.
Under the new road bridge and on the Brayford Pool, you will note the regeneration-taking place, largely due to the University on the right. For Lincoln this may, or may not be a good thing, depending on your viewpoint. New moorings and large-scale alterations are planned. There are still a large number of boats moored on the right; amongst them are the boats of the members of the Lincoln Boat Club. The clubhouse is on the left, just as you enter. Visiting boaters are welcome to visit on Friday nights except bank holidays when they are closed. Drinks at 'club' prices offer a good evening, with only a short walk back to your boat.
After passing the closed Harbormasters office you come to the entrance to the Witham, and the town. This narrow channel passes under another road bridge, and around a bend you come to what could be the best sight of any waterway in Britain, if not the world; the west front of the Glory Hole. This is High Bridge and you pass under the 4 story Tudor building and Lincoln High Street, with only 9 feet 9 inches of headroom. Safely through, there are two good mooring spots on the left bank, both under trees with an access gate. These ideal places are great as you can moor, then stock up with provisions from the local market, close by Co Op, or visit The Waterside a fairly new shopping precinct. Even treat yourself to a pint at the Witch and Wardrobe alongside. Simply the best way to travel to Lincoln, and the only way to park outside the shops.
Pass under a few more bridges and you come to Stamp End lock. This is a guillotine lock, and safety requirements ensure a very slow passage. Just for amusement, I have been down and timed the operation. From empty, the lock takes 7 minues and 46 seconds before the guillotine starts to lift. The gate takes 2 minutes 47 seconds from bottom to top. The time is about the same up, or down. From full, the lock takes 3 minutes and 3 seconds to empty i.e. when the gate moves. Add 2 lock miles to your journey time, unless you are very fortunate to meet a boat leaving, on the relatively rare occasion of seeing another moving boat on this waterway. You will need your BW key for this now unmanned lock. Shelter from the waterfall from the raised guillotine as you pass underneath, and let the fittest off to operate the stiff gates at the lower end.
Washingborough.
Under a new road bridge, and glancing left between two trees, you may see my house at the top of the dead end street. Under a pipe bridge, past the last factory on the left and you are in open countryside. Only two miles more and you come to the floating pontoon of moorings at Washingborough. Less than half a mile to walk to this delightful small village, with it's usual shops and pubs. Another few miles and you come to the marvelous new floating pontoon moorings that have been provided for access to the new nature reserve. Made from the hole left from excavating mud to reinforce and heighten the banks for flood defenses, there is peace and tranquility to be found here.
Until a short time ago I did not realize the river is still below sea level in times of very high tides, and much of the Witham, and surrounding land is indeed well below. In fact the water can only be drained to the sea for about 12 hours a day, hence the need to be vigilant for the automatic sluices operating in times of high rainfall. The newly installed traffic lights at Stamp End and the Brayford exit is to warn of high flow. Red means proceed with caution, flashing red, strong flow, do not proceed. Also in times of extreme flow, the river actually drops in Lincoln centre, due to the vortex effect of the channel narrowing.
Bardney.
Just a mile and a bit and you are at Bardney Lock. Another new pontoon has just been installed for visitor moorings, with electric as an added bonus. Past the permeanent moorings and at the lock are toilet and shower facilities, and a toilet waste disposal. Rubbish skips are just under the bridge by the road. I have had my boat moored here for 4 years, only having to leave due to financial pressures, and I have to say a better mooring spot would be hard to find. Security and privacy has been compromised by the newly opened cycle and footpaths on the old railway, however passing visitors do make it slightly less remote.
Sheltered from strong west winds by the railway embankment, complete with facilities, a lock to stop people for a chat; or to play and entertain, and a short trip along the old river Witham to the Trywhitt Arms pub, or follow the Witham under the railway bridge to the village only half a mile away. What more could you want. There are also two small platforms the Boston Canoe club use to get around the lock, when having their annual race. These make great staging for cleaning or working on the hull near the waterline. It is also one of the few places where you cannot hear road noise for most of the time.
If you do decide to detour to the Trywhitt, make sure you turn right just under the bailey bridge, or you will run aground on the large concrete cill of the sluice, which stretches right around the bend. You will need mooring pins, but there is a caravan park, with a shop as well, making for another nice overnight stop.
Through the lock, under the bridge and past Bardney floating pontoon and the sugar beet factory, now only used for storage. Five miles from leaving the lock and you pass Southrey on the left, with slipway, and the homemade moorings I have made. You are welcome to stay overnight, especially if the pontoon opposite is full. Both the Riverside Inn at Southrey, or the White Horse at Dunston offer friendly hospitality, and another good overnight stay. If your friends take the car, they face a 20 mile road trip to get from one pub to the other, only yards apart across the river. A friend now rents the slipway and bank at Southrey, so I have spent a few great nights there in the recent past.
You will now have a feel for the river, as it winds its way between the high banks, slowly getting wider and deeper until you get to Boston. But apparently it only drops 16 feet in the 30-mile trip from Lincoln. On the left is the old Stixwold station house, possibly one of the best restoration jobs you will see. The extension looks almost original.
Kirkstead.
A few more miles passing remote riverside houses along the winding river and you reach Kirkstead Bridge. Be sure to stop on yet another floating pontoon. BW do provide excellent mooring facilities along here. The old station is now a private garden, and even the old crossing gates are still in existence. I was one of the last people to use them, as I passed through in or around 1964, when they were building the new bridge. Woodhall Spa is a one mile walk, but this clean and nice small place boasts several unique features, one being the Kinema in the Woods, a small cinema, which I believe still gets grant maintained status to feature blockbusters. A filling station is just over the bridge towards Woodhall, for any running out of petrol or diesel.
Tattershall.
As the river winds its way downstream you will notice the banks appear more looked after, as you approach another new bridge, with the old one still standing. These are at Tattershall, again with ample pontoon moorings. All of these stopping places offer riverside pubs. Be sure to stop if only briefly, as the downstream view from the top of the old bridge gives a picture postcard scene, that can be missed only yards away.
Interest is regained as you quickly come to Dogdyke pumping station, the steam and diesel engines, that pumped Lincolnshire dry, and are still run the first (or last?) Sunday of each month from April until October. The oldest working beam engine.
In front you see Dogdyke marina with the entrance to the Bain on the left, and the Packet Inn with more riverside pontoon moorings. Round a few more bends and its Chapel Hill club moorings on the opposite bank. Just past these is the entrance to the Kyme Eau/River Slea. You will see a collection of antiquated boats, amongst them mine at present, although there are a couple of new livaboard narrowboats.
The detour up the Kyme/Slea is highly recommended, and must rate as one of Lincolnshires finest natural attractions. It is well worth the considerable effort it takes of travelling this little used backwater, but weed growth makes it all but impossible between June and October, even if the weedcutter make an appearance. Be prepared for hard work at the guillotine lock. Hand operated with an easy, but very low geared handle.
The small mooring, next to the land occupied by the lock keepers cottage, until knocked down in the early 1980s, makes an excellent stopping point, or even overnight mooring. Shouldn't be disturbed by drunks here. The pub in South Kyme has been recently reopened, and passing through this small, well kept village shows Lincolnshire at it's very finest. Once again these views remain almost unnoticed only yards away when passing on the road.
If you do make it through the village, be sure to note the old tower, looking remarkably well kept as it towers above the trees. If you happen to be coming back towards sunset, the glowing orange tower is again one of the hidden wonderous sights of the world, especially when viewed from a boat in the middle of the small winding river.
Back on the Witham you now have possibly the only part you may need a book, or other form of entertainment. Only about a mile and you round a bend to see the wide river stretching straight ahead, seeming almost to the horizon. Between the high banks, with little to break the monotony this does test the more challenged, or slow. However just think pleasant thought, enjoy the sun, or even rain and the joys of being away from the vagaries of mankind, and it will pass; eventually. At the end of what we call 'The Boring Straight' and you arrive at Langrick Bridge. Another floating BW mooring pontoon, with pubs and café. Visit Geordie's small chandlery, or fill up with petrol or diesel at the riverside. Passing under the bridge and you can see you next destination, Antons Gowt lock, access to the navigable drains. A very good mooring, overnight stopping point, and another good pub in this isolated place.
Again if early spring, or late summer, take the opportunity to go though one of the largest and heaviest locks to be found. Unlike the name suggest, the 'drains' are actually rivers, with variety aplenty. Turning right at West Fen drain and you come to Cowbridge Lock. Another guillotine lock, but only a few feet drop and easy operation. Right again to go to Boston by the 'back door' or left along the 'Trader Drain' to Sibsey and the Trader windmill; well worth a visit. Once back on West Fen drain you can continue to explore much more if inclined, although headroom under the bridges is usually the limiting factor.
Boston.
Back on the Witham and enjoy the wide river, as you are almost at your destination; Boston. Just around the bend you can see Boston, with the Stump clearly visible. The fit can enjoy a climb to the top of St Botolphs. Good safe moorings are provided on the edge of town, with a nice riverside walk to this pleasant rural town. New first class facilities here as well.
