Cyclist to the rescue




Castle Garden Moorings

Formal flower bed in the Castle Gardens

The mooring was peaceful even though we were in the heart of the city. The Captain took Lottie through into the park in the morning. She squatted to go to the toilet but leapt up when something clanged nearby and decided not to go in such a noisy spot.

The cruise out of Leicester was more industrial than the way in but nothing to complain about. At Freeman’s lock the peace was disturbed by the local football stadium practising its emergency evacuation procedure but otherwise all was quiet. At this lock we met a boat and the lock slave helped me open the gate but at the next I was alone.

Star floral attraction

St Mary’s Mill lock was leaking so badly it would not empty so I pushed and pushed but couldn’t move it. The Captain came to help. We pushed and panted but the gate stayed glued shut. The Captain resorted to shoving the lock gate with the boat but though it cracked open it shut again. 

What do you do when all else fails? Wait for rescue. I was still out of breath when a young cyclist stopped.



The football stadium

“Need some help?” he chirped. He pushed enthusiastically, with me adding my weight and the gate opened. He wasn’t much bigger than the Captain but boy was he strong! He patted Lottie and she wagged her tail enthusiastically even though she normally dislikes cyclists so she must have been grateful too. Even the Captain, who often moans about cyclists whizzing past locks was impressed by his help and muscles.



natural beauties

All morning we only met two boats. You would think we were in some remote location. Where is everyone? It was quiet at our lunch stop. Unlike many urban canals there were no walkers or cyclists taking advantage of the towpath.

We moved on slowly coping with the heavy locks. We also stopped for water at Kilby but although the clouds were building the Captain decided to push on. 


Out in the countryside again

We did four more locks each one seeming to have heavier gates than its predecessor. Some were slow to fill and empty due to missing gate paddles.



plenty of water - at last

As we went down the pounds (stretches of canal between locks) became shallow so that the boat churned up the bottom with its propeller. From the height of the run off weirs we could see the pounds were down more than a foot. The long pound where we hoped to moor was very low with mud exposed along its banks. There was no way to moor in the shallow water – we would not get near to the side.
 

Kilby services where we filled with water

Wearily we carried on down three more locks onto the part of the canal we had already explored from the south. All afternoon we only saw one other boat moving – did everybody else know there was a water shortage? At the locks the bottom of the ladders and the tops of the paddle gates were above water a rare sight indeed. It was amazing we got through but we did and moored up on a pound with plenty of water.

Leicester - ancient and modern

approaching Leicester

Heron swallowing a fish

We had lovely weather for our cruise into Leicester. the scenery was lovely, so why do folk say give the place a wide berth?

 

The land around Birstall formed a vast water park teeming with wildlife. The water must have been teeming with fish as it had quite a few herons fishing in the park. One speared a small fish as we passed and swallowed it whole. 

Do they look heavy to push open?

The whole park was peaceful and largely devoid of humans which was strange as we were less than five miles from the centre of Leicester.



the Space centre

The only problem with the Soar navigation was the heavy locks. At our first lock we met a boat and the lock slave helped me open the gate but at the next I was alone. I pushed and pushed but couldn’t move it so the Captain came to help. No we pushed and panted but the gate stayed glued shut. The Captain resorted to shoving the lock gate with the boat but though it cracked open it shut again.

What do you do when all else fails? Wait for rescue. I was still out of breath when a young cyclist stopped.

Old factories

“Need some help?” he chirped. He pushed with me adding my weight and the gate opened. He wasn’t much bigger than me but boy was he strong! He patted Lottie and she wagged her tail enthusiastically even though she normally dislikes cyclists so she must have been grateful too.

 

Approaching the city the first building we noticed was the Space Centre which towered over the trees like a giant condom. 

Beautiful bridges

We moored at Castle Gardens in the centre of Leicester at the end of a floating pontoon. Lottie was relieved that she could go into the gardens to relieve herself as a bare pontoon is not attractive to a choosy hound. The moorings were separated from the gardens by a huge gate at which Lottie waited keen to explore. However she hated being kept on the lead as the gardens were busy.



Medieval gateway

We went through the gardens and looked at the remains of the castle and old buildings in the city. Although it was early we stayed the night at the moorings as there were a lot of locks ahead between Leicester and Foxton. The Captain suggested that we go on from there to circle round to Fradley via the Oxford and Coventry canals so we may not come back this way.

  

 

Turret gateway

ivy carved lamp post



below Loughborough



Town centre mooring

navigation through Loughborough

After a peaceful night we cruised for five minutes to the end of the town arm and moored on a pontoon to go shopping. Lottie was keen to come but didn’t like hanging around outside the supermarket.

After the post-shopping cup of tea the Captain set off for the morning cruise. There were a lot more boats around including two wide beam charity boats adapted to take disabled passengers.

peaceful suburbs

Lottie enjoyed a walk with the captain while I steered the boat. All was fine until I approached a bridge where the Captain and Lottie were waiting to re-join the boat. As I pulled the boat tight to the concrete bank to so they could step aboard Lottie leaned over the edge to have a drink.
Somehow our surefooted hound slipped in – directly in the path of our advancing steel boat. I threw the boat into reverse and the Captain hauled on Lottie’s collar.

Lottie's narrow escape

As the boat scraped along the stone where she had been Lottie scrabbled out of the water. She thanked the Captain for rescuing her by shaking muddy water all over him.

different bridge complete with urban graffiti

Apart from Lottie’s dip we had a good cruise before approaching our first lock where a narrow boat for the disabled charity waited to go up.



While the Captain prepared the lock with them a fisherman set up his lines directly behind my boat on the lock pins. Although he wasn’t meant to fish there he had the cheek to say you won’t let your boat come back will you?”

Of course I won’t - I don’t want fishing line tangled round the prop – the captain would give me grief when he had to go down the weed hatch to untangle it!



the jolly pirate crew

We passed a small day hire boat was stuffed with revelling pirates. Lottie eyed it suspiciously then barked at the boat as it passed. Was it the laughter or the strange clothes she objected to? 

Old factories rising from the water.

refurbished work houses

Both our boat and the charity boat wanted to moor up after the lock but because other boats had spaced themselves badly there was no room for us. One boat had moored in the middle of a huge gap but its skipper didn’t look embarrassed when we commented on the lack of mooring.
Sometimes boaters in the middle of a space move along to help others. I would have thought he would have helped the charity boat by doing just that as they are providing a wonderful service for people that rarely get out.

Barrow upon Soar was very pretty with the town on one side and meadows on the other. The gardens leading down to the water were lovely and of course there were loads of moored boats.

Unable to moor we stopped for water only to find the Charity boat also needed to top up. Opposite the water point on the edge of Barrow upon soar was enough mooring for two boats so we moored tight to the other moored boats to let the charity boat slot in front of us.

unusual buildings

Just before the Charity boat joined us the boat that had hogged the big mooring chugged by and stared at us moored tight to another fender while there was 70ft free in front of us. The charity boat however needed all that space being the maximum length for the canals.

After our break we cruised on slowly drinking in the scenery. There were restored mills, bridges of vastly different designs and houses with unusual stepped upper facades.

 

Railway bridge

Approaching Junction Lock the river split in two and twisted round corners where there was only room for one boat to squeeze through the willows. It was beautiful and serene.

Afloat but stuck in the reeds

Suddenly a flash of vivid blue streaked low across the water in front of us swiftly followed by a second. They disappeared in a clump of bushes but I kept my eyes glued to their resting place. Kingfishers are small and hard to spot when perched in a tree. I was rewarded by a second flight of the pair and then a third as they escorted our boat off their territory.

 

Our mooring for the night was near a weir so we could hear the water cascading over the edge. It was musical and soothing.



weir

Deep lock trouble



On the Trent



approaching the River Soar

The weather was grey and overcast when we woke but there was signs it would become brighter. As we approached Derwent Mouth Lock a boat shut the gates and descended without us. By the time we had refilled the lock two more boats had arrived. As one was only 32 foot they fitted behind our 40 footer in the 80 foot lock so all three boats descended together sharing the work.



River Soar on the right, weir opposite on the left

We had a lovely cruise down the wide River Trent. The short boat stopped at the marina but the other shared the next lock with us. They turned off for the Erewash canal while we turned onto the Soar. The pull of the huge weir was strong even though we stayed near the opposite bank and the river was at normal levels

Cruiser waters

Last time we tried to cruise this river we had to turn back after a few hours as a huge storm was on the way. The Soar reacts quickly and dramatically to rainfall so we got off while we could.

and large barges

Though the weather posed no threat this time we soon heard of a greater problem. One boater coming towards us said there were problems with the lock gates at Kegworth deep lock. Another boater said the CaRT men could not fix it but boats were still getting through while a third boater said the lock had closed and boats were turning round.

The captain phoned CaRT for information but the local office went to answer phone. Perhaps they were out checking the lock. We cruised on to see for ourselves. A few minutes later we saw two CaRT guys walking the towpath and asked if they knew what was happening. They seemed sure a CaRT man had turned up to fix it so we carried on.

Above Kegworth Deep Lock

As we reached Kegworth Deep Lock a CaRT man was packing his van having just changed the collar on one gate. The Captain went to work the lock then chased back to the van with a windlass the CaRT man had left at the gate.

We were first through the lock after its repair but it took two of us to open the heavy gates. I pity the single-handers around here.



passing moored narrowboats

Safe as houses above any flood

We moored around the corner above the lock in a peaceful spot for lunch. It was so idyllic it was hard to move off again afterwards, especially as we had no idea where we would moor that evening as we had turned round at the next lock last time. However it was lovely cruising along taking in new sights and sounds. The river was wide one minute then narrow and meandering the next. In some places it was like a lake, in others only wide enough for one boat. Herons seemed plentiful so the water must be rich with fish.

After three more locks interspaced with rural cruising we stopped in Loughborough at the visitor moorings. It was amazingly quiet for a town.

 

The lower end of the canal



near Willington

quiet countryside

The morning was crisp and clear with a trace of mist rising from the water, perfect for cruising. As we reached Stenson lock the gates opened as the lads from the boat about to go down had seen us coming. With their help we descended rapidly. By the time we reached Swarkstone lock the sun had warmed us up.

deserted waterway

We had to queue there as the CaRT team were carrying out temporary repairs, but as the queue ended opposite the water point the Captain filled with water and I picked some blackberries from the hedge opposite. Lottie lay alongside the boat while we queued and worked the lock. For a speedy hound she can be very lazy.

restored canal buildings

After we finally descended we had a gentle cruise down to Weston lock where we stopped for lunch.

Shardlow - once an important inland port

After a sunny rest we went through Weston lock alone but shared the following lock with two Canadians. It’s amazing how many people come to England to cruise the canals. They had hired the boat for five weeks to go up the Trent, including its tidal reaches through Leeds and round to Manchester before returning to Birmingham. I hope they enjoy the trip – it has a great variety of scenery, and flights of locks over the Pennines.

At Shardlow we stopped in the historic inland port and set out on a quest for milk and bread. We walked a mile into the village but came out of the tiny shop with milk, bread and ice creams to fortify us on the trek back to the boat. Walking to the shops is all part of the boating life.

old working boats at shardlow

Burton of beer fame

morning reflections near Arawas

Under bridge viewing

 

After a warm and peaceful night we woke to clear skies. Boats started locking early to make the most of the good weather but Lottie wanted to explore the fishing lake we were moored by before we followed them. The canal wound through butterfly embellished foliage. One rested for a while on our roof but fluttered off the instant the Captain reached for his camera.

green village towpath

One of the slab sided concrete bridges was painted brightly with detailed scenes so he took pictures of that instead.



It was sunny all morning so Lottie spent the cruise sunbathing, sprawled across the cruiser deck. At locks she explored happily apart from one next to the bustling main road which had disturbed our peace for the previous mile. She barked to be let off the lead but we couldn’t risk her straying into the traffic.



Canal side thatch cottage

tight fit

As our boat entered one lock a boat appeared below. I welcomed the sight as usually a boat approaching ties up at the lock landing and a crew member helps open the gates. Not this time. The up-coming boat floated waiting to drive straight into the lock his lock worker settled comfortably in a cosy chair. I didn’t rush. Locks are dangerous places especially with a large hound attached to a lead. I opened the paddles on one gate then led Lottie round over the back gate to open the other. My progress was slowed by her finding a great scent to follow – away from the paddle I needed to work. Eventually I wound the paddle up while my audience watched critically from their boat.

 



Pipe bridge near Burton upon Trent

At last the water had all drained out so I opened the gate and let the paddle down. As the lock was deep my husband was marooned on the boat unable to help, so I trekked round the back of the lock again with my hound more interested in the cows on the other side of the hedge. I opened the second gate, wound the paddle down and rejoined our boat.

As the Captain eased the boat out of the lock the waiting boat turned straight towards us. It’s impossible to turn a boat when the rear end is still in a lock, so we waited bow to bow until they moved aside to let us pass.

tranquil water

“Sorry,” the Skipper of the upcoming boat called.

“A little help at the lock would have been nice,” the Captain retorted. Of course we would have been out of their way quicker if their lock slave had opened one gate.

 

Some of the bridges were only a hand span wider than the boat, and had to be timed carefully to avoid oncoming traffic.



Burton seems proud of its beer

Although the sun shone all morning it didn’t get too hot for locking until we worked through the last one. We stopped by a large lake in the shade and let the heat of the day pass by.



narrow entry to a boat yard

We moved off at 1.45 and meandered through Burton where we saw many dogs of all shapes and sizes. There were long legged hounds both hairy and silky, yapping terriers and a old English bulldog. We found Willington full by the pub but just outside the village there was plenty of good mooring. We found a place where Lottie could wander into the woods from the towpath so our hound ambled around contentedly while the Captain moored and I prepared dinner.

floral canal side

 
 
 
 
 
 



peaceful moorings