Heading home - back in Gunthorpe

15th Century frontage of the former Old White Horse Inn

We had an enjoyable weekend in Newark. The town centre is attractive with many medieval buildings. On Sunday we were the only people on two guided tours of the parts of the castle normally close to visitors. One tour focused on the dungeons and the other looking more widely at the life and history of the castle.

Both tours were led by the castle curator who had a wealth of knowledge on his subject. Particular smaller items that intrigued me were graffiti carved by Knights Templars in the dungeon in the 14th century and the blast evidence on the smoke blackened walls of how the parliamentary forces had destroyed the castle with gunpowder after Newark was captured at the end of the Civil War.

But perhaps the most notable event during our visit was the unplanned and unexpected meeting up again in the town with Martin and Lynne of the narrowboat Mulberry with whom we had crossed the Penines during the summer.

Waiting outside the gates of Newark Town Lock

But, we had to leave this morning. We would have liked to make a lengthy journey but the weather was windy and cool. So by lunchtime we were ready to stop at Gunthorpe where we had stayed on Thursday night.