Whitley to Stainforth, and a small rant

Wednesday 18th June 2014
We rose at about 8.30 and after a leisurely cup of coffee we set off down the A&C. The weather was a bit cool with overcast. Once again luck was with us and Pollington Lock was in our favour.
Onward to the junction with The South Yorkshire Navigations. Here the weather took a turn for the better and the sun came out. Things then got a little busier . On this short stretch down to South Bramwith there are 6 lift or swing bridges and a lock. The lock isn't straight forward, it has a swing bridge over it. There is only one place to put the key to operate both sets of gates. First you have to turn your key, this unlocks the road barriers and you close them. This then releases the lock handle on the bridge and you can then lift it and push the bridge open until it locks in the open position . When all this is done the lock operates as normal. Then you reverse the palaver with the bridge to get your key back. In fairness the bridge is very well balanced and moves easily. Just last week I was speaking to someone who had just come across the Pennines on the L&L and one of the swing bridges there took 6 people to open it.
Small rant here. At the last (powered) swing bridge before South Bramwith, as we approached, the bridge was opened and through it came a little plastic boat. We were very close, but despite my horn signal they just continued to shut the bridge in our face. We were close enough that Cath was off our boat at the landing before the chap was back at his. Very bad manners, complete t*****s.
We reached South Bramwith much earlier than we thought we would so carried on as far as Stainforth before stopping for the night.