On the River Witham by Kayak

Last year I canoed along the upper stretches of the River Witham from Belton, near Grantham to Barnby in the Willows near Newark on Trent.  At the time, I was going to finish the journey to Lincoln off a few weeks later.  Well, it never happened, until yesterday that is, when I completed the last 16 miles from Beckingham to Lincoln.

Before I start this write up I do have a slight confession to make.  I didn’t complete the second leg by canoe.  My friend Phil has found himself a job in Germany and my Snake River Canoe is just too big for portaging alone, so I used my ancient £20 kayak.

Ancient but still serviceable

My starting point was under the A17 road bridge at Beckingham.  If you are putting in here, go in to the village, not along the dual carriageway.  When you get in to the village, follow the road through and take the signpost to a dead end.  I think it’s the old Sleaford Road.  At the end of the road there is a small restaurant and an old bridge with a gate on it that crosses the river.  This used to be the old road bridge.  There are one or two parking spaces here.  I’ve left my car many times without problem.  The place to put in is under the main A17 bridge where you will find two sets of steps and a small gauging station.

The put in point below the road bridge at Beckingham

Yesterday the water was crystal clear and despite the lack of rain still had a reasonable flow.  I quickly put in and set off with minimal gear, the sun on my face and the wind on my back.  Ideal.

A view down the river

The first mile or so of the journey passed through the firing ranges at Beckingham.  Now I know what you’re thinking already and all I can say is I don’t share your concerns.  I’ve been on plenty of ranges before and this one is actually no where near the river, nor does it point in the direction of the river.  And the river is that far below the level of the range, and well shielded by embankments that the only way anyone could get hit would be by someone standing on the embankment and firing directly down the river.  In my opinion that just isn’t going to happen.

The first few miles were pleasant and typically meandering through open countryside below embankments made a little higher by the low water level.  The river depth varied and although the bottom was visible at all times I think this was more due to the clearness of the water and only once or twice did I feel a little scrape from below.

An hour or two of gentle paddling with a stiff breeze on my back and a big Lincolnshire sky overhead saw me on the outskirts of the village of Bassingham.  Bassingham feels like a rich village with a number of its houses backing on to the river with their manicured gardens, assorted sun houses and the occasional canoe or boat, forgotten amongst the grass, or tied half afloat to the bank.

Bassingham

Crystal clear water

The river cares not and meanders calmly away through the village under the occasional willow with the remains of a very small weir the only obstacle.  I easily slipped over this with just a single scrape to remind me that if I’d have taken better care about looking there was actually more water to the left.  The village boasts a pub but I couldn’t see where it would be possible to moor or how best to reach it and, although tempted, I stayed on the river.

Old weir in Bassingham

From Bassingham it was less than an hour’s lazy paddle to the village of Aubourn, which also boasts a pub, but this again requires a trek across the fields and somewhere to moor.  I again decided against.  It was here that the only portage of the journey was encountered at the Aubourn Tilting Gate.  Fortunately, the gate is clearly visible from upstream and not only was there plenty of space to land there was also a public footpath around the obstruction.

Aubourn Tilting Gate from below

Stile and footpath make portage easy

Throughout this first section the river felt close in, shallow, clear and never more than 15 or 20 feet wide.  Often there were lush embankments or woods to both sides or willows making natural tunnels over the river.  The only obstacle being the occasional thick mat of weed.  More a sign of the low water level than any real choking of the flow.

Soon enough the river started to open out a little with some clear wide stretches heading off in to the distance.  It wasn’t long before I met the River Brant, which joined the Witham over my right shoulder and from this point with an ever increasing wind on my back it was literally plain sailing.  It is from here I got my first view of Lincoln cathedral through the top of a distant stand of poplars.

The Witham opens up as it nears Lincoln

Confluence of the Rivers Brant and Witham

There is a saying that to enter a city by train is to enter it through the back door but to enter by river is to enter it by the front door.  This is true of the Witham.  Once the River opens up it’s not long before you start to enter the outskirts of the city and people appear along its banks.  Walking, cycling and jogging.  The bridge at Bracebridge soon appears and it is from this point the river snakes through back gardens and alongside footpaths towards my agreed take out point at Wyatt Road, just behind St Catherine’s Church.  Conveniently just before the sluice gate which marks the final barrier to the city by canoe on this stretch.

The Bridge at Bracebridge

The take out point in Wyatt Road, lincoln

Albeit a year later than promised this journey was well worth making.  Just short of 16 miles in 5 hours, with only a single portage at around the midway point.  An ideal opportunity to stretch the legs and back.  There is plenty to see with a variety of countryside from lush embankments to manicured village gardens, and through avenues of willows with their feet in the river and their leaves forming a tunnel overhead.  Well worth it.