Friday 12 October: a blustery
journey Northwards from Leicester to Syston (6.5 miles, 5 locks)
Liana tells me we have hurricane Callum to thank for the strong wind
and flapping. Some passersby have umbrellas, too, but we can't see
much rain on the water: Definitely a warm, wet weather gear day,
though. Organised seeing our busy niece Jo and family, once we are
home :)
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Annie at Castle Gardens visitors moorings, Leicester |
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West Bridge |
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we spotted new moorings at Friar's Mill |
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Friar's Mill visitor moorings |
NB Cair Vie (Manx for “Bon voyage”, we were told) passed while
Liana was at Tescos. John moved Annie across the river to pick her
up, and caught them up at North lock. On the way, past two weirs, the
engine was spluttering and smoking a bit, so John went slowly.
Thankfully, it kept going, and John cleared the prop of a bit of
rubbish, and checked we had plenty of fuel, and revved the engine in
neutral to try to clear any contaminants. The tank was 1/3 full, so
maybe the fuel had water or sediment stirred up. The engine worked
fine from then on. We will fill up asap, to reduce the problem, but
we will clean the fuel tank, check and clear our two fuel filters
with water traps in the fuel line, plus replace the cartridge twist
on/off fuel filter attached to the engine. John added an extra fuel
filter with extra deep water trap last year, before we crossed The
Wash, to minimise problems due to wave movement stirring up sediment
in the fuel. There are excellent new floating visitors pontoon
moorings at Friar's Mill and along the Town Arm crossed by bridge 8,
just before Lime Kiln Lock.
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Wolsey's chimney is clearly an integral part of the new housing estate |
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new visitor moorings along the Town Arm by Lime Kiln Lock |
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Annie moored by Lime Kiln Lock |
The lock volunteer told us that CRT was
still negotiating access from this pontoon to the local shops and the
famous Golden Mile of Asian shops (!). Once sorted , this should be
great!
Belgrave Lock, by the big weir and Space Centre, has a short lock
mooring above it.
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new building above Belgrave Lock and weir, by the Space Centre |
Through the water meadows, the river twists and turns between reeds
and under willows, some split with branches hanging down across the
water. At Birstall Lock, we found a CRT workboat in the lock with men
fixing a new vertical thick plank to one of the top gates, plus a
cheerful, dripping Volunteer in raincoat and shorts! One thing about
Volunteer lock keepers: Where you find them sometimes seems very
arbitrary and unplanned. Perhaps that is to be expected.
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we waited while they mended Birstall Lock top gate |
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job done |
Past Birstall Lock, more bends led across the damp, rainy land
towards Thurmaston and Leicester Marina, down a side arm, now the
scene of …. building. We hope the land level is raised enough to
avoid flooding. Also, aren't water meadows really flood reservoirs?
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Thurmaston Lock |
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new MGM Boats wet dock changes the view |
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the view below the lock has not changed |
Followed by NB Cair Vie, who had also cleared their prop shaft, we
moored in strong winds and increasing rain, just before bridge 18 and
the Hope & Anchor Hungry Horse pub/restaurant, to ride out the
storm. Later, Rachel visited for the night and left Honeypie with us
while away in the USA. The workboat zoomed past and moored by the
pub, as did NB Mulcibar after dusk (we had passed her, moored,
earlier). Surprisingly, we have not had one boat pass us going the
other way, today.
Saturday 13 October: to Sileby
Mill, Mountsorrel and Barrow-on-Soar towards Loughborough (10 miles,
6 locks)
Harris & Sons' marina is at the junction of a stretch of canal
and the River Wreake. The newish, raised junction bridge is sadly
beset by trees in the water, with a floating barrier. We had heard
someone was going to build a marina up this stretch, before the first
lock, but this has not occurred, clearly.
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Pennywort weed infested the River Soar near Montsorrel |
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diesel boat plus chandlery behind at Sileby Mill |
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the diesel boat |
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arriving at Mountsorrel Lock by the Waterside Inn |
The next mile is actually the River Wreake Navigation, with Junction
Lock, strangely, half way along. The confluence with the returning
River Soar occurs half a mile downstream, by long term moorings just
before Cossington Lock and its weir!
Below Cossington Lock, large floating banks of Pennywort weed stick
out from the banks, with some drifting islands of weed, all the way
through Sileby Mill, where we filled up with diesel (85p/l @ 0%, but
we needed some). The chandlery has a useful stock of items, and the
boatyard do welding and blacking, etc.
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we passed a trip boat with Sikh gentlemen on board, who exchanged waves |
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fishermen in the Barrow-on-Soar watermeadows |
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John with cannons behind! |
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lovely riverside gardens at Barrow-on-Soar |
Pennywort was a problem all
the way through Mountsorrel to Barrow-upon-Soar, where we spotted NB
Cair Vie, about to set off after using the CRT services.
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Annie pushed the weed through bridge 28 at Barrow |
Both boats
struggled to pass huge islands of weed blocking bridge 28, and the
entry to Barrow Lock. Last year, on the Fens, we saw Great Ouse
Environment Agency workers clearing every scrap of Pennywort, so we
were surprised that CRT seem unbothered. Despite this, we do like
this whole scenic stretch of twisting river and water meadows.
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the weed we left behind above Barrow Lock |
Pilling's Flood Lock had top gates open, so we went straight in. The
lock is used normally from October to beginning of March, although
today, the drop was only a few inches, Liana said.
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Pilling's Lock Marina |
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passing under the GCR rail bridge in Loughborough |
The last three
miles into Loughborough take you past Pillings Lock Marina, Sea
Scouts, Peter Le Marchant Trust Charity Community boats (now with two
widebeam and a narrowboat moored, plus poly tunnel floating wet
dock), which give cruises to handicapped folk. As you pass under the old rail
bridge, you can see rolling stock owned by the Great Central Railway.
We heard steam train whistles, too.
We moored just before the junction, as Honeypie would have towpath,
grass and trees close by, unlike the concrete town basin.
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Liana, Honeypie and Annie moored in Loughborough |
A few tent
dwellers were pitched under the trees, nearby. Walking into town to
shop and have a drink, we passed the basin and noted that the
services were all out of order! Not impressive, when you pay your
license fee to use them. The basin is not large, so the pontoons are
short: Bollards or rings could be added at the side in places, for
longer narrowboats, without impeding winding. Bell ringing friend
Norman rang to sort out ringing for the 100
th Anniversary of WW1 armistice day on 11 November. Will
this be the last time? With Falklands War, two Gulf Wars and
Afghanistan, probably not.
Sunday 14 October: a rainy day at
Loughborough
Honeypie was a bit worried by the strong winds and heavy rain
buffeting Annie through the last evening, despite her large balloon
fenders. We all slept ok, but woke to steady rain. John had a rare
bacon and eggs breakfast :) while HP popped out briefly with Liana.
We wrote up diary and blog, and read. Rachel collected us after her
church, and we spent the day with grannie Flo in Nottingham, before
Rachel dropped us off with HP. Work, travel to London tomorrow, then
flight to USA for her. We saw sister Ali, too :)
Monday 15 October: a short trip
to Zouch (3 miles, 2 locks)
What a horrible day, rain continual, but we braved the elements and
took Honeypie for a walk along the canal, then to B&Q briefly.
John coukldn't remember the detail sander hole pattern, so couldn't
buy more shaped sanding sheets. Once the rain stopped, we decided to
set off for Zouch. Two boats passed as we got ready, so we didn't
rush. John wore wet weather gear and life jacket, as rivers can be
much deeper than canals. Rain began again, so Liana only emerged at
Loughborough Lock and Bishops Meadow Lock, where the water
point/service mooring was occupied, so we joined NB Mulcibar in the
lock and continued together.
We didn't spot the chain ferry at Normanton-on-Soar, but waved to NBs
Crockett and Joyce B, travelling together and moored outside the
Plough pub. We remembered the kindness of folk at Soar Boating Club,
where we have left Annie for a week, a while ago. Reaching Zouch
(pronounced “Zotch” by locals), we moored outside the Rose &
Crown pub and had a well deserved beer/coffee, plus a light meal
together, enjoying a light hearted chat with locals and staff. Hiding
from the rain, we had a quiet night in, reading and watching TV.
Tuesday 16 October: from Zouch
down the Soar to Trent Lock and on to Beeston and Nottingham (14
miles, 5 locks)
Liana walked Honeypie, finishing at Zouch Lock, while John got Annie
ready. Just as John set off from the Crown & Anchor mooring, two
narrowboats came round the corner and followed him to Zouch Lock.
Their lady lockwheeler kindly helped Annie through.
The lower Soar below Zouch is pretty, with meadows and wooded
islands. We passed the Devil's Elbow and Tongue Island ( looking very
peaceful), to cruise slowly past boats moored by The Otter pub and
adjacent East Midlands Boat Services boatyard and marina. Clive on NB
Mulcibar (going our way) was being pumped out, having sprung a leak
of some sort, he shouted.
The
gates at Kegworth deep Lock are large and heavy, but we managed
together, and had left just before the two boats following arrived.
The lower Soar winds slowly towards the A453 bridge and Ratcliffe
Lock, then twists and turns to the assorted pontoon moorings close to
the power station and East Midlands Parkway railway station. With all
sorts of bits and pieces, Redhill Marina has the usual services,
including a newly refurbished cafe, before you go through the open
flood lock and pass by waterside chalets in the shadow of the red
sandstone cliffs of Red Hill itself, to the confluence with the
Trent. We turned upstream past the large weir, the short distance to
Cranfleet Cut. This time, there were no volunteers to help, but Liana
managed fine. On the river, a strong current, probably 2 knots, was
flowing, despite the level being in the Green, so we made the five
mile journey to Beeston in just under an hour, without hurrying,
enjoying the wide river and views. Liana made tasty bagels with
smoked salmon and Philly spread lunch on the move. There is still a
scout (?) base on Barton Island. It is a shame you can't see much of
the Attenborough Nature Reserve as you pass, and there isn't a
pontoon mooring so you can stop and visit, either, sadly.
Soon, Beeston Marina, weir and Lock apeared. There is a small grey
landing craft (John thinks it was an LCVP, for vehicles and
personnel) by the marina offices. A cruiser emerged as we approached
the lock, so John hooted and they kindly left the gates open for
Annie. Liana got off at the pontoon, as this was easier for her. Once
through, we stayed a while at the adjacent services: Annie needed
lots of water, rubbish needed emptying, plus John had six 3 gallon
holding tanks to empty for our vacuflush loo. Liana walked Honeypie
around the adjacent sports fields, then kept an eye on the water,
while John did the same walk again with HP!
The Nottingham & Beeston canal is unremarkable, taking you past
pleasant overnight moorings near the lock, then past Boots and John
Player factories, through a cutting and past light industry to
Trevethick's Boatyard, where we saw NB Lady Lee, now away from her
long time mooring at our home Retford & Worksop Boat Club on the
Chesterfield Canal.
We moored on our usual spot between Castle Marina and Sainsbury's,
chilled and walked around the shops. John was impressed by the 65
inch TVs!! There are several eating places close by here, including A
Hungry Horse pub by the towpath. John watched Brazil beat Argentina
at soccer on TV.
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