April 2020 – nationaltrustlengthsman

Please forgive the poor mowing. It’s been longer that I would like between visits

Just wanted to share this with those of you who can’t be here at the moment.

There are a few places that I can feel the age of a place and the presence those that have been there before us. One is the fabulous ruined Knowlton Church, where I got married and loved as a kid. One is the road towards my favourite campsite in the world in rural, coastal Dorset. Both of which are out of bounds for me at the moment as a non-local. The other one in my top 3 is Newark Lock. Being there always brings me peace, even if I am running about like a mad person trying to cut grass and socially distance at the same time. I have to confess there was a small amount of diving into bushes on the narrow bits yesterday while trying to be a considerate space-sharer.

I hope through this you are able to find some peace, whatever that looks like for you. I’m daydreaming happy dreams of being in a tent by the sea and on a lockside with a lawnmower.

Lots of people who visit us here come from at least a car ride away, I know some are a long flight away. In these unusual times that means lots of people who love it here aren’t able to come and enjoy it as they usually would. I’m lucky enough to by the river and ‘at home’, as per the government guidelines, at the same time. We’re keeping the work to safety issues, weir keeping and the basics but that doesn’t stop me socially distancing with my dog and my camera. I thought I’d share a few pics for those of you who can’t get here for their fix at the moment.

Newark Priory and a couple of residents last week

Ernie the Oak at sunset – I’m not the only one who gives him the odd hug

Hatching 10 is a record – she must be enjoying the peace

With all the current negatives I’m trying my hardest to look for the positives. One of the bright sides is we are getting plenty of new visitors who live within walking distance. You can tell from the faces as they round the corner and see and hear the weirs that they’ve clearly not been here before. It’s lovely that so many people are having that experience for the first time, hopefully after this is over they might make it a regular thing.

I’ve also been trying to calm myself that despite all the many, many changes to our daily lives at the moment, there are constants. The river is one of them. It’s been a fully functioning Navigation since just after the civil war. It’s seen lots of challenges to the human and natural world and survived them all largely unchanged. As proof here is a picture from the late 50s and last week. I have to admit they had prettier boats though.