Monday 6 June back to Zouch
Today was a busy day! Liana walked Honeypie with Sue. John bought six boxes of Roses as thanks to the young gardeners from six local primary schools, who had prepared planters and hanging baskets for our local Garden Festival.
He then returned these to the schools, while Liana cleaned, washed, hoovered, cleared the fridge and packed clothes for the boat. Then John’s cousin Karen cut our hair. Her husband Andrew, our good friend, gave us a bush tomato plant for the boat. John filled the car boot with planters for the boat.
After lunch, we popped in to see Liana’s mum on the way to Leicester, where we dropped off Honeypie and daughter Rachel cooked us a delicious tea.
We travelled 30 minutes to the boat, nearly missing the rain.
Tuesday 7 June Zouch to Loughborough (3.5 miles, 3 locks)
First, John worked on our faulty vacuflush loo, and managed to fix it. Hoorah! John moved Annie up to the car by Zouch flood lock, so we could load Annie.
Leaving the car, we passed the weir and Soar Boating Club , St James church and The Plough pub moorings, taking our time and enjoying the scenery. John was in sandals, shorts and t shirt, while Liana was too hot in her jeans.
We soon reached Bishop Meadow Lock, with a boat behind
us.
The lady from the oncoming boat was very helpful, while the boat behind shared our lock without helping. Ho hum.
After avoiding a fibreglass Waterbug, John dropped Liana off before Loughborough Lock, where three kind gentlemen helped her. The crew of other boat, which turned out to be ex-Ownerships share boat Solace, also helped.
We moored in Loughborough Canal Basin, then had a good Chinese meal with Sarah, including cocktails, at the Chinese restaurant yards from the boat, at the basin. Definitely worth a visit, and handy, too!
Wednesday 8 June Loughborough to Barrow-upon-Soar (4 miles, 2 locks)
Thursday 9 June Barrow to Mountsorrel (2 miles, 1 lock)
After a late awakening and cuppa, we had a walk around Barrow. There are quite a few kebab shops along the Main Street! After walking up to Humphrey Perkins School, where our eldest daughter Sarah works, we found the excellent Secret Garden cafe down a narrow passageway, which served a tasty cup of coffee and scone. We recommend it.
We loved seeing working pair NB Aqua Vitae and her butty, plus that very well used Peter Le Marchant tripboat.
Barrow shows a picturesque face to passing boaters. Lovely gardens, houses, chalets and boathouses pass by as you move through water meadows to Meadow Farm Marina. This has new chalets being finished.
Under the A6, you pass under a rather grand Victorian bridge carrying granite along the old quarry conveyor to the railway.
We pass by the weir and marina, up Mountsorrel Lock to a mooring just beyond the Waterside Inn pub, which now has loads of wooden picnic tables and benches, a good venue for any family.
Later, we walked up Sileby Road to the main road, turned right and walked to John’s House , a Michelin starred restaurant.
We visited the farm and motor museum, coffee shop, farm shop and childrens farm. John enjoyed the old cars, tractors, motorcycles and stationary engines.
After finishing our walk around town, we had a quiet night in.
Friday 10 June Mountsorrel to Sileby Mill and Watermead (5 miles, 3 locks, 180 litres diesel @ £1.40)
A warm, sunny morning saw us set off for fuel at Sileby Mill. CRT volunteers were working hard as we left.
John was quite polite really, just wishing them Good Day and suggesting they kept to their right and didn’t cut corners. Lucky we were idling along! We didn’t expect an adrenaline rush today!
At Sileby, the friendly young lady filled Annie with diesel. We also bought more stern gland grease in her chandlery.
About thirty young schoolchildren arrived as we were ascending Sileby Lock. We chatted to them and their staff, and were waved off - sweet!
The River Wreake section is quite narrow, twisty and tree-lined.
We met oncoming boats at both Cossington and Junction Locks, so helped each other through.
Passing the Wreake Junction marina and the Hungry Horse pub just before Watermead, we saw a widebeam trip boat moored, before mooring ourselves by Watermead Country Park.
Saturday 11 June Watermead Country Park trip and on to Birstall. (5 miles, 3 locks)
This windy morning, John checked Annie’s engine and polished brasses, while Liana tidied and put away stuff inside, ready for Sarah and her Ukrainian family visitors. We had arranged to pick them up, pop up through Thurmaston Lock, turn and return for a meal at the Hope & Anchor Hungry Horse pub close to our moorings. We descended the lock with a lovely Gosty Hill tunnel tug, one of six once owned by the Stuart & Lloyd’s pipe works at Halesowen. Irina and Vitaly’s three children, 5 year old Sacha and 3 year old twins Adelina and Angelica were very excited, and loved the experience.
We all had a hilarious time. We were going to have a walk around the park after the meal, but rain stopped play, so they all returned home.
Once the rain stopped, we winded Annie at the Wreake Junction by Harris’s boatyard and continued South through Thurmaston Lock (again) to moor below Birstall Lock, by the White Lion pub.
Loads of walkers passed by, and John chatted to two young fishermen and a lady PCSO, who was investigating complaints of towpath motorcyclists, probably the three we saw and heard yesterday. John watched a scoreless, fairly lacklustre soccer match between England and Italy.
Sunday 12 June Birstall to Aylestone Meadows (6 miles, 7 locks)
Today started bright and warm, but soon clouded over. We planned to pick up daughter Rachel near Abbey Park, after her church service.
We moved on through Abbey Park Lock (Lime Kiln Lock), helped by bystanders, then had fun backing up the arm to moor on the new moorings. For unknown reasons there is no security gate and access ramp to the pontoon from the far end, nearest to the Holsen Mile. In fact, CRT need to finish off their access, which turns out to be at the canal end of the arm, but is blocked off by weed and fencing! We stepped over a two feet gap by the CRT working boat and through the unlocked CRT galvanised gates, which have a hole big enough to step through, too! You have to walk through the new car park for Morningside arena and up Memory Lane (honest!).
Once Rachel arrived, we left Honeypie on the boat and walked up the Golden Mile past Mahatma Ghandi to an Indian vegetarian restaurant for a tasty meal, before setting off through Leicester. Most of the waterside between Abbey Park and West Bridge is being developed, so high rise flats overlook the navigation. We had been warned that North Lock 42 at Frog Island had very stiff gates, but it was fine joint uphill. The Friars Mill and Castle moorings were full, so we continued past the Leicester City Ground, across the weir to St Mary’s Mill, then through windy overgrown bends to King’s Lock, below which we moored.
As usual, Rachel won when we were playing Settlers of Catan back on the boat.
Pip, our friend, kindly repatriated Rachel and HP.
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