Lazing on a sunny afternoon ....

Another long break between posts.  I was to be found soaking up the sun on or off the boat! What a phenomenal summer.

Minnie was occasionally to be found in her 'safe place'.

We left Barnby Dun and cruised on up the River Don, through Doncaster to Sheffield.  Rivers differ but all have a distinctly different feel to the canal.  They are usually wider and seem to move more, even when they are not tidal.  They feel less closed in and sheltered, a little wilder.  The River Don is beautiful, it rises in the Pennines and runs 70 miles eastwards to Stainforth, passing through Doncaster, Sheffield, Rotherham and places in-between.  It originally flowed into the Trent but was re-engineered as the Dutch River in the 1620's and now joins the River Ouse at Goole.

 We spent a few days moored at Sprotbrough, opposite the Boat Inn

 https://www.vintageinn.co.uk/restaurants/yorkshire/theboatinnsprotbrough

The sun continued to shine and everyone seemed to be enjoying the River, picnicing, canoeing and cruising.  I wandered up to the Village and discovered that Douglas Baader spent his childhood in The Old Rectory here.  Evenings spent reading and listening to music on the well deck.  I have no idea why it is called that although it does induce a sense of well being!  Oh, and dinner in the Mehfil Indian restaurant, which was delicious.  Sorry, no link available. 

 Meandering further up the River we stopped at Conisburgh to visit the Castle.  Wild moored at an old lock at the bottom of the hill where the Castle stands.  

When we got back to the boat three teenage boys were stripping off preparing to go in for a swim.  It was so reminiscent of the days when growing up was an adventure rather than a minefield for anxious parents whose parental achievements are measured by indulgences lavished on their kids!

On up to Doncaster.  Secure floating moorings are available in the centre of the town; not aesthetically pleasing but very practical and with all the necessary facilities.

And ..... just below the Minster I never knew existed.  Sadly, nearly all the churches we encounter seem to be locked so you don't get to see the stained glass from the inside; or the architecture; but still pretty impressive.

We explored Donny market and a local delicatessen where if it's not stocked it probably doesn't exist!!  If I could find a link I'd put it in as this place is well worth a visit.  It is at the market end of town, with dried goods in sacks so you can buy any quantity you want, every kind of cheese you can imagine and the largest variety of herbs, spices and olives I have seen displayed in years! 

And a very good hostelry https://doncasterbrewery.co.uk/

To get to Sheffield we had to book passage up the Tinsley flight through the Canal & River Trust.  They have volunteers on hand to go through the locks with boaters.  There are 11 locks, originally 12 until locks 7 & 8 were combined  as part of a restoration programme.  We spent the night at Eastwood Lock to be at Holmes Lock for 09.30 a.m. the next day and meet our volunteer.

We tagged with another boat on the way up.  They were struggling with a tiller which got bent earlier that day.  They were coming up through a lock and the tiller got trapped under one of the cross beams on the gate.  The result was a slow journey but the South Yorkshire Navigation proved lovely so no hardship.

Sheffield steel?

Time for tea?

A wall with a view

Sadly derelict moorings

Into the distance ......

This could be handy in the event of a ruck!!

But always make up!

And finally .......

Sheffield was great.  Still to come land transport issues, meltdowns and summer turning to autumn on the Chesterfield Canal.