Day 15 - Newton Harcourt to Glen Parva

Wednesday 17th August

6 miles, 13 locks

Another blazing hot day. Set off about 9.30 through beautiful countryside passing a hire boat about to set off so did the first two locks with them. At the next they went on to go down with the single boat ahead and we waited for Elizabeth Austin, Nick and Ann, who we have seen a lot and chatted to over the last week.

Lunch at Kilby Bridge

On arriving at Kilby Bridge met the hire boat only to find a woman had fallen at the third lock and was waiting for a taxi to take her to A&E. Found out later it was a soft tissue injury not a fracture.

Tucked into the reeds at Glen Parva

Sat out at Kilby Bridge for lunch before doing more locks with the hire boat (Ann and Nick having turned round to head back to Napton). Stopped at a shallow, rural mooring on a tilt! Hadn't moored long when bulls either side of the canal had a stand off. What a racket and a lot of stamping the ground.

Paul was sorting the anchor out ready to join the River Soar tomorrow when he heard a splash. A boy had come off his bike into the canal. Sent Paul off with a towel and Ribena. He was alright, just shocked.




Went for a stroll around Glen Parva nature reserve before eating a curry that I had cooked using the Sri Lankan spice mix that Rob and Claire had bought me for my birthday.

Day 16 - Glen Parva to Leicester

Thursday 18th August

6 miles, 4 locks

Freeman's Meadow Lock

Another blazing hot day, had arranged with Tony and Jan NB to go down the locks into Leicester with them around 9ish.

Slow start as cruiser passed just as we were getting ourselves off the bottom and used the lock which was set in our favour. Met several boats coming up all saying that they had enjoyed Leicester.

Leicester City FC

Leaving the lock

Man asked if we had seen a chocolate labrador swimming in the canal. We said "no". About half an hour later there it was. Called out to the owner who looked exhausted as did the dog and they were reunited.

The Mile Straight

We moored at Castle Gardens, Tony and Jan went on to the new pontoon.

Leicester Guildhall

Set off to explore Leicester visiting the Guildhall, Cathedral housing Richard III tomb and pall and the Newarke house museum. Also saw a wedding outside the New Walk museum. The gardens were well kept, the market fantastic and the shops varied. We had heard so many negative comments about Leicester we were pleasantly surprised.

Richard III tomb

... and commemorative window

... and shroud

Leicester Cathedral

Leicester City Centre

Our mooring at Castle Park

A pint of Rob

We strolled along a couple of streets in the evening with bars, shops and restaurants from all over the world, stopping for a pint of Rob in the micro brewery and calling in the Black Horse where a music night was going on. Picked up a Chinese takeaway from Yumchi which was very good. Ate out on the pontoon.

Unusual urinals!

Day 17 - Leicester to Leicester Marina

Friday 19th August

4 miles, 4 locks

Canal side mural

Our first wet cruise of the trip from Leicester City centre to Leicester Marina. Canal/river still very pleasant particularly around the Birstall water park. Passed the National Space Centre.

Sock factory

The National Space Centre above Belgrave Lock

Long stretch of water between the mainline and the marina itself. On arriving at the marina it was soon obvious it was not of the same standard as Stoke.

Paul went to get hire car, a white Clio, then got lost on the way back so we wasted an hour of the afternoon. Had a very busy, wet drive down to Birmingham, Paul not liking the car whose engine cut out (intentionally) every time we stopped.

Nice to see Anna. Had an enjoyable curry from the Dosa Village, Rachael and Ross treat.

Day 18 - Birmingham

Saturday 20th August

Had a lay in! Anna didn't wake up until 8.45. Rachael and Ross went off to Lucy's wedding. Still showery and very windy.

Taking the baby for a walk

Walked to Shirley in the afternoon managed to dodge the showers. Got some wedding photos printed off for mum, took my original outfit to Acorns and bought Anna a doll which she loved. She has lots of words now.

Enjoying a babycino

After a tiring day - Anna didn't nap- I'm afraid it was another takeaway. I couldn't relax enough to go to bed in the loft so dozed on the sofa until Rachael and Ross got back at 1.15 am.

Day 19 - Shipton Moyne and Swindon

Sunday 21st August

Another showery day, Anna slept until late again.

Drove down to Mum's where we had lunch and put contacts on her phone to avoid nuisance calls. Paul mended broom.

Next Paul's Dad where we saw a bit of Rebecca wedding video and Ann cooked a lovely roast.

Nasty drive back to Leicester, roads busy and very wet.

Day 20 - Leicester Marina to Mountsorrel

Monday 22nd August

5.5 miles, 4 locks

Dry again today but cloudy. Took advantage of having the car to do a big Sainsbury's shop in the biggest Sainsburys we've ever seen.

Got a text from Jo to say that Jonathan had died on Saturday morning.

Sileby Lock

After taking the car back we were pleased to be leaving the marina and getting back on the cut. Very pleasant cruise to Mount Sorrel - managed to moor outside the Waterfront pub.

Mountsorrel

The Buttercross Market with Castle Hill behind

Had a wander into the village. There is an old Buttercross Market and a war memorial on top of the mount. It seemed rude not to call into the pub where Paul enjoyed a pint or two of Old Original.

Mountsorrel lock from our mooring at night

Day 21 - Mountsorrel

Tuesday 23rd August

Too hot to move

The weir below Mountsorrel lock

Hot, hot, hot, 29 degrees. Walked a 5 mile round trip from Mountsorrel to Barrow on Soar for a slimming world meeting, well worth it as I lost 2.5 pounds and got my two and a half stone award - yippee!

Looking back to Mountsorrel under the old Grand Central

The collapsed railway bridge at Barrow on Soar

Castle Hill behind the Grand Central bridge

Decided to have a relaxing afternoon in the sunshine - only it was too hot to sit out! Paul cleaned the windows and brass.

Pub was buzzing all day, hardly a table, of which there were many, available.

Able to sit out for a late dinner only to be entertained by a pub goer showing off to his mates by riding his bike into the river only to shout "it's cold".

Day 22 - Mountsorrel to Kegworth Deep Lock

Wednesday 24th August

10 miles, 4 locks

Horses near Mountsorrel

Another very hot day! Cruised from Mountsorrel to Loughborough not that impressed with moorings and too hot to wander around the town so decided to cruise on to Zouch or Kegworth.

The lovely River Soar

Normanton on Soar

Interesting houses at Normanton on Soar

Finally moored above Kegworth deep lock, lovely rural mooring only downside was it was on the flight path to East Midlands airport which was very close too, we can read the logos on the planes.

Wandered down to Kegworth shallow lock - a flood lock that is open in the summer months. Called into the Anchor a proper local where we watched some of England v Pakistan ODI which England won by Duckworth Lewis as it rained.

Day 23 - Kegworth and Loughborough

Thursday 25th August

Queens Park and Great Paul cast

Walkd the half mile or so to Kegworth where we caught the bus to Loughborough. Market on and the town was quite lively. After having coffee we walked to Queens Park with its beautiful gardens and impressive war memorial in the form of a carrillon housing 47 bells. The museum wasn't open until 1.00pm. Went to the excellent Charnwood museum and had lunch in the park cafe.

War Memorial and Carrillon bell tower

Ladybird displays in the Loughborough museum

Casting a bell

Walked across town to the J. Taylor bell foundry where we joined a bus tour from Taunton who were there to see four of their church bells being cast. Interesting history and amazing to see the metal being pured into the casts.

The Carrillon

Back to the carrillon museum which was now open. Climbed to the top seeing the bells and the clavicle and three rooms of military history along the way.

View from the top of the war memorial

Got back to bus stop to see the 4.20 disappear around the corner so had to wait an hour.

Walked into Kegworth with its interesting square and large church, sampled a couple of the pubs before eating in the Jee Ja Jee restaurant - this means brother-in-law which the owner and manager are.

Day 24 - Kegworth to Trent Lock

Friday 26th August

2.5 miles, 2 locks

Another bright and sunny morning a bit cooler due to the breeze following overnight rain. Got to Kegworth deep lock with another boat only to find a lock keeper there. Told him we had moored around the bend for 48 hours, he asked if the planes kept us awake. I replied that we were awoken by a succession of planes around 4.00am even though no flights were scheduled. He said there was a lot of freight that went in at night.

The Nottingham Road

Cruised to Trent Lock passing the huge power station on our old road route to Nottingham with Rob and turned towards Nottingham. Not very nice moorings so decided to stay for lunch and then move on. Before lunch we wandered to the lock itself only to find some very nice pontoon visitor moorings outside the Trent Lock Inn. Paul rushed back to get the boat and we settled in.

... and power station

Trent Lock

Our mooring at Trent Lock

Evening sun on the power station

After lunch and a read we walked to Long Eaton which is a market town - interesting buildings especially housing the micro pub a Dutch designed black and white building with bright blue and yellow tiles at the top of the frontage.

Tried both the Trent Lock Inn and the Steam Packet before returning to the boat for dinner.

Day 25 - Trent Lock and Derby

Saturday 27th August

Rained not long after we got up quite heavily - soon stopped and we walked along the Erewash canal towpath to Long Eaton station where we caught the train to Derby.

Derby Cathedral

Wandered to the Cathedral only to find that it was the bell ringers open day - for £4 each we could climb to the top of the tower, see the bells and carillon, have a talk about bellringing and have a ring!

Ringing in Derby Cathedral

View from the roof with Ratcliffe power station in the distance

The cathedral

The cathedral itself had a modern feel very light and housed the tomb of Bess of Hardwicke.

Did a bit of shopping in the intu Derby shopping centre. Rain started as we went into the shopping centre stopped while we walked to the station and poured when we got to Long Eaton so grabbed a taxi back to Trent Lock.

Day 26 - Trent Lock to Trent Bridge

Sunday 28th August

9 miles, 4 locks

Passing Thrumpton Weir as we leave Trent \Lock

A brighter day just the occasional couple of spots of rain here and there.

Rachael rang to say they were coming to visit. Set off from Trent Lock along the very wide River Trent, not catching a glimpse of the Attenborough nature reserve which runs alongside due to the height of the river banks.

Trent Bridge

After two locks we were back on the canal the Beeston cut joining the Nottingham canal at Lenton Chain. Rachael, Ross and Anna joined us saying the moorings where we had planned to stop were not very salubrious - they were right, they weren't, so we carried on down a further two locks to rejoin the river turning right to moor on the county hall steps.

Moored near Trent Bridge

After an hour or so feeding the swans, geese and ducks with the duck food remaining from Bridge 61 at Foxton, enjoying a cup of tea and cake and blowing bubbles our visitors set off home.

Visitors

Feeding the swans

There were a lot of floral tributes round a tree and on googling found they were for a 39 year old who went missing last Sunday early hours and was dragged out of the river on Wednesday- very sad.

War Memorial

Walked the loop, saw huge war memorial and gardens on the opposite bank and then strolled to the Embankment pub which was originally Boots number 2 store. The bar was called the Dispensary. Paul had a pint of Choc Ice Cream craft beer at 6.2% and £8.50!

Our mooring from the war memorial

An interesting pint!