North again: Day 9

Another sunny morning, but still quite blustery.  We got under way at 8.30, and were soon passing the now defunct Hope and Anchor pub, which now looks as if it has no hope at all.  A little further along is the junction where the River Wreake comes in, so technically we were now travelling on that river.  The second lock of the day, Cossington, has a very awkward landing, not helped by a line of moored boats just above it.  After that, we were back on the River Soar, and it really opened out.

At Sileby Lock a boat was just going in — a single hander who was being helped by someone from another boat — and we joined him.  Below the lock, you get a decent view of the old mill, which is surrounded by a boat yard.

Mountsorrel Lock is next, but it was too early for the pub alongside to be busy — or even open.

Below the lock is an impressive bridge which carries a conveyer from the local quarry.  The conveyer seems to go for miles, and links to road and rail.

At Barrow, one house has a substantial boat house, while another has cherry trees along the river which are wearing socks, presumably to stop the birds getting the fruit.

When we’ve been here in the past, the river has been busy with all kinds of craft — but today all the swans, dragons, and cars were safely moored up at Barrow Boating.

Barrow Deep Lock took an age to fill, partly because one of the gate paddles was out of action.  Below it, there’s a bridge which feels quite tricky to get through because it’s on a bend and there’s quite a flow.

There are huge signs before Pillings Flood Lock warning that if the light is flashing it’s dangerous to proceed.  Levels are normal to low at the moment though, so the lock’s gates were all open and we could go straight through (so it’s not included in the lock count).

The run into Loughborough initially passes water meadows with cows wading about, and then the town arrives.  An old mill has been converted into flats, with big new blocks alongside.  It’s been very nicely done.

We moored up just before the Chain Bridge and after lunch went for a walk into Loughborough.  We headed for Queen’s Park.  There they have the cast for the Great Paul bell at St Paul’s Cathedral, which was made in Loughborough.

The war memorial vies with the one in Leek for being the most impressive we’ve seen — it’s a carillon tower, although it’s not clear when the bells actually sound.

There’s a new memorial being installed in the park too, again with a bell theme.  This one is to commemorate Covid victims.

Our route back took us through the busy town centre, and Adrian went and had a haircut, which he didn’t think was entirely successful.

11 miles, 5 locks.  (52 miles, 44 locks)

North again: Day 8

As forecast, the weather this morning was pretty bad, rain with strong gusty winds.  As we knew we wouldn’t be going anywhere very soon, we had scrambled eggs for breakfast.  Then we headed into Leicester and had a look around — and had quite a productive morning.  We identified squashable suitcases in John Lewis, I got a new waterproof jacket to replace the old one we chucked away when we moved on board, and we used Adrian’s John Lewis voucher for two free hot drinks.  We also bought and sent a birthday card, and went to the library to print out our new boat licences.

While we were out the weather improved dramatically.  We got back to the boat about 12, put some washing on, filled the water from the very convenient water tap on the pontoon, and made some lunch.  We were ready to set off at just after 12.30.  Just around the corner from Friar’s Mill there’s a massive new housing development on both sides of the river.  They’re quite nice warehouse style buildings.

At the first lock, North Lock, there were a couple of CRT volunteers maintaining the flower beds, and one of them helped us through.  There’s some quite skilful graffiti alongside.

At the next lock there was a boat coming up.  There are also lots of places with chimneys in this area, including, below the lock, the Wolsey one which now has new housing all round it.

There’s another chimney visible from Belgrave lock.  I liked the reflection in the water, but wasn’t so keen on the armchair stuck on the weir.

As we were about to go into the lock as big widebeam arrived below.  It’s only once you leave the lock you get a view of the National Space Centre, with its building that looks like bubble wrap.

The next section is very twisty and there are water parks alongside.  When we got to Thurmaston Lock there were two boats just coming in to come up — so the only boats we met all day were at locks.  We moored a little further along, with the Watermead Country Park just through the hedge, at a bit after 3pm.  We’ve had to deploy the tyre fenders, because the piling here is above the level of the gunwales.

5 miles, 5 locks.  (41 miles, 39 locks)

North again: Day 7

We set an alarm this morning as we had to be up and out.  We caught a bus to south Leicester and the Enterprise rent a car place.  We had a car booked (paid for a Corsa, got a Qashqai!) so we could go up to Braidbar to see the new boat in build.  I’ve put a post on the Kingley Vale blog.

Our route up took us through Chesterfield and the Peak District.  On the way back we came through Macclesfield and Leek.  We dropped the car back at about 4.30 and caught the bus back to the city centre.  Briar Rose had been fine on the Friar’s Mill moorings, and we’d been joined by another boat, with one more turning up later.

The weather forecast for overnight and tomorrow morning is not good, with some strong winds predicted.  So we might be a bit late leaving — or if things are too bad, it’s not essential we go anywhere at all.

0 miles, 0 locks.  (36 miles, 34 locks)

North again: Day 6

We had the best of the sunshine by starting early today.  With the run into Leicester to do, we wanted to be away in good time, so we’re ready to set off just before 8.  It happened that the boat moored behind us, which had also been behind us at the Crick show, were also just about to set off — so we were able to share the locks.  The first one was just around the corner.

The first three locks all needed filling, but the plus side was that the countryside all around was very pleasant.

We’ve seen plenty of back garden bars, but one in South Wigston has really gone for it with the signs.

At Bush lock we met a boat coming up.  It was one I wrote a boat test on nearly nine years ago, although it’s no longer with its original owner.  As there was a bridge above the lock and not much room, Adrian came into the lock as he went out, so we avoided having three boats all trying to get round each other.

This meant the next few locks were all in our favour, some with at least top gate open.  At one point there was a mill across the fields.

There are lots of water meadows around this area, and there were lots of people out walking in the sunshine.  At King’s Lock the lock cottage is a tea room with rooms.

After King’s Lock, the River Soar is used as the navigation, and parts of it are narrow, twisty, and rather overgrown.  But as you head to Freeman’s Lock, the last one of the day, it really opens out.

The weir next to Freeman’s lock is very wide, and Leicester City’s stadium is on the other side of the river.  The first time we came up here, on a hire boat in 2006, it terrified us!  There were some kayakers who wanted to go down the weir, so as we filled the lock they carried their kayaks over.

The Mile Straight through Leicester comes next, with some interesting bridges.

Our companions, Tina and Duncan on Fyssch & Chipper, were planning on stopping at Castle Gardens  and there was plenty of room on the pontoon there.  We wanted to carry on to Friar’s Mill, because it’s a bit more open.  We were pleased to find plenty of room here too, in fact there’s only one other boat here, a plastic cruiser at the far end.  As we moored up, the wind was incredibly strong, and we had a bit of a battle to get the boat tied up before it was pushed out across the river.  When we’d achieved our aim, it still wasn’t yet 1pm, so we’d made good time.

After lunch, we went for a little top up food shop, and walked through Castle Gardens.  But the conditions haven’t really been good for doing much — very windy at times, with occasional gusty showers.  People on the towpath haven’t known whether to wear t-shirts or coats.  I’ve done some cooking, watching the wind make waves on the water.

8 miles, 12 locks.  (36 miles, 34 locks)

North again: Day 5

It was beautifully sunny first thing, and we set off just after 8 — at which point it almost immediately clouded over for a couple of hours.

I walked ahead to set the first lock.  The house there is having major work done.  We were now back to wide locks.

One of the few things we remembered along this stretch was Bridge House Barn, with all its tipis.  I suspect they had an event last night, as there were quite a few cars in the field.

We were having to set every lock as we went down, and the gates have a habit of swinging open on their own.  Only occasionally did this work to our advantage; it was mostly a pain!  I got back on the boat after the first five locks, as it was then a couple of miles to the next one.  There’s some pretty countryside, and this house, which we weren’t entirely sure about.

At Newton Top Lock there was a boat coming up, doing the Leicester Ring from Yardley Gobion.  From then on the locks were full or fullish.

Bottom Half Mile Lock was not only full, its top gates were open, and it was a similar story at the next, the very pretty Turnover Lock.

Only Bumblebee Lock was empty, and it was a real struggle to get the bottom gates to stay shut so I could fill it.  Fortunately some runners had arrived and I got them to re-close one gate for me.  We got to the moorings at Kirby Bridge at around 12, so it had taken four hours.

This afternoon, I shortened the rope on the new side fenders we bought at Crick, and (having got the idea from Robbie Cumming one one of his Canal Boat Diaries this series) got my kitchen blow torch out to melt the ends.  Then one of Adrian’s former BA colleagues, Gina, who lives nearby, came to see us with her dog, Maisy.

Later we walked up to Wigston to pick up a parcel from a convenience store.  We had an ice cream to eat on the way back as it was now very warm.

5 miles, 12 locks. (28 miles, 22 locks)

North again: Day 4

Remarkably, there were only two boats on the moorings at Foxton Junction last night, us and one other beyond the water points.  That’s in spite of there having been a stream of boats past all afternoon.  This morning, we thought we’d wash the towels so started the machine before we set off.  As the tap was only a few metres away, we topped up the tank again too.  We got under way just before 9.

We haven’t been beyond Foxton since 2016, so quite a lot of this route feels new.  I have done a few boat tests at Debdale Marina, but even that seemed further away from Foxton than I expected.  Just after the marina, the canal is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and the reeds take up quite a lot of the canal.

I liked the way a tall white House sat up on the ridge of a hill, and then there was a horse enjoying a field of buttercups.

There are occasional breaks in the reeds, and boaters use these for moorings which must be very quiet and secluded.  We crossed the Smeeton Aqueduct and headed for Saddington Tunnel.  It’s not that long, at 881 yards, and is also wide; but it’s the overgrown approach to the tunnel where you’d have more difficulty passing another boat than inside it.

We stopped after Bridge 73, choosing the second of the places marked on the Waterway Routes map as it was more open and sunny.  We’d done less than two hours boating, but that’s the joy of being retired!  We needed something for lunch, so we walked from the bridge across the fields to Fleckney, where there’s a very good Co-op.  The village also has a duck pond, and a village sign which uses the medieval spelling of its name.

This afternoon, I have done more podcast work and tweaked an article I’ve written.  Then we thought we’d try out the tiny drone we bought at Crick, taking it to the field between the canal and the village.  More practice is needed because neither of us could keep the thing airborne for very long, and then during one of my flights it ended up in the reeds on the far side of the canal.  I went over and investigated, and having got the boat pole from the boat, managed to fish it out.  It’s had a dunking but all its lights were still flashing, so we’d let it dry out and see if it still works.

A bit later we spotted two Spitfires going over, and they were followed by a Lancaster.  Adrian found they were on their way to the Midlands Air Festival, so we might well see them come back again.  Not the best photo, because it was getting further and further away — but you can still see the shape.

5 miles, 0 locks.  (23 miles, 10 locks)

Totals since moving on board: 62 days, 319 miles, 238 locks.