Braggaboutlife

One of our main reasons for going to the Witham so early
in 2015 was to attend the Sleaford Navigation Trust (SNT) www.sleafordnavigation.co.uk annual boat rally and explore
the Sleaford Navigation which runs up from the
Witham at Chapel Hill, where it is often known as Kyme Eau.

It then runs through the centre of South Kyme but skirts
the next village Anwick, by which time it has become the
Slea Navigation.
The Old River Slea parts company at Cobblers Lk and
runs south of and parallel to the navigation up to the
large market town of Sleaford, where the two water
courses first parted in the navigations top pound.

The Kyme Eau where it joins the Witham is a busy
mooring area.
Behind the road bridge in the distance are the
obligatory set of pointing doors.

Just before the lock this old bridge had two timber supports
one each side of the clearway, the remains are now under
water & marked, so it is important to stay in the centre of
the channel.
Do not try and give the marker you see first a wide berth!

The river is wide and deep up to the first lock, named
in memory of the founder of the SNT, Derek Taylor.

Much to our surprise in 2015 we found one boat in the
wide lock and another about to enter so we had company
for the rest of our trip into South Kyme.
The guillotine gate operation is manual and in the past
required a lot of turns, it is now much easier to operate.

On this 2019 trip all the participants met at Taylors Lk
for a Friday evening BBQ on the lock island.
The SNT have done an excellent job of setting
up the island for such social events and many
canoe clubs use it for overnight stops.

From the lock the river is wide and clear all the way to Kyme Eau.

The high grassy banks between the lock and South Kyme
restrict views but Terry Booth Farm provides the navigator
with a few ponderable’s by which to wile away this part of the journey!

Who or what was Terry Booth?

Will this old granary and Dove Cote fall over before it is
rescued from its very sad state of neglect?

Was the adjacent farm house once a single story building or
did the builder just change his brick clay?

Check it out ?

The entry to South Kyme.
The first bridge after Taylor’s Lk.

One of the most popular events for the villagers
each year is the scarecrow competition.

This chap and his feathered friends welcomed us as
we entered the village.

South Kyme is entered via its lovely waterside village green which
turned out to be the venue for the 2015 weekend Bar-B-Q.

The river’s environs change dramatically as it passes through
Kyme Village.
The wide open landscape is replaced firstly by, very very neat
little bungalows which then give way to a beautifully and
slightly wild treed cutting.

The  Race

In addition to a quiz night and a fabulous lunch in the Hume Arms,
a Duck Race through the centre of the village is held each year.
The outcome of the 2015 race proved interesting and produced
much hilarity as the wind caused the ducks to
race up stream and not down.

The wind and current for the 2019 race were equally unpredictable.

The 77ft high Kyme Tower built between 1310 and 1381 is all that remains
of a large moated house which was demolished in the 1720’s.

At present this low bridge needs to be negotiated in order
to reach the winding hole just before Cobblers Lock.
The height of the lowest bridge is marked by a white
line painted on the upright frames of Taylors Lock gate.

Our 2015 trip up to Cobblers Lock.
The afternoon, light, the clouds and the sky combined to
produce a magic combination of dark but bright tones
and reflections.

Our 2019 trip was blessed by two hail storms, then
bright sky and much rain.
It also proved very interesting if a little damp.

The audience for our 2015 turn!

Cobblers Lock is currently the end of the navigable section.

The evening return to Kyme Village

Evening in Kyme Village slightly wild treed cutting.

The 2019 Big Event 

The 2019 event marked the inaugural use of the SNT new village moorings.
The decking is on two levels and can take about 6 narrow boats depending on length. The low level deck is for use by canoeist who often stop at the green for a lunch break.

PS.

The SNT ‘s next project is a new Winding Hole just past the village and before the low bridge, it is hoped that its opening will be the 2020 Big Event.

PPS 

The new Winding Hole has now been completed so the headroom restriction for access to South Kyme village has now been lifted.
An official opening is yet to be planned.

Sleaford Town Section

The Top Pound, Navigation Office and the Navigation Yard have all been restored in some form or other.
With the restoration of this section of the canal Sleaford, and its old water mill are now very much worth a visit, but by train or road.

The new lift bridge on the top pound opened in 2010.
At first sight this pound looks great and ready for boats
but in fact the water is below navigation level partly because
the lock by-pass, (the old river), to the next lock down
has been restricted by new roadworks outside the town.

The original Navigation Office,
now rescued and restored by the SNT into a very
good little museum and information centre.