Saturday, August 03, 2013

Whitwell Harbour, Rutland Water


Lord Bonkers writes:
Wainwright's Midland Second Places is right to say that Whitwell's heyday was during the herring boom of the 19th century, when it was widely known as "the Ullapool of the East Midlands". It has fallen on harder times since then, but to this day it is possible, in the one of the harbourside inns, to hear a hoary regular sing a traditional shanty - if you do not get away in time, that is.
I am not entirely convinced by that, but today I caught the Shorelink bus ("I heartily recommend it" - Norman Baker) and ended up at Whitwell.

And it does have something of the seaside, or at least the estuary, about it - even if it is hard to resist the thought that the countryside must have been lovely before the valley was flooded.

Above all, though, I thought of the 'New Sea' in Bevis by Richard Jefferies This is what it should look like,









2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I visit Rutland Water frequently. I have seen the Shorelink bus several times on my bike circuits. There has never ever been anyone on it! Was there anyone else on board when you travelled. Seems like an expensive, government sponsored luxury to me!

Jonathan Calder said...

There were several people on board when I used it. I am a big believer in these tourist buses.