The drive to reach Debdale

Loughborough to Debdale

July 2018

I booked a rental van today and was asked my location. A simple question but one which is always a bit difficult to answer when out boating. There is the place we are now, the place where we expect to be at a point in time and of course our home address.  I decided to start with our "now" address and said Loughborough. At the end of the discussion the location was repeated back to me and some garbled translation emerged which sounded nothing like Loughborough (clearly not a local). The problem is that I cant see the place written down without hearing the antipodean version in my head "LoogieBarruga". This particular little earworm is, of course, entirely due to a weekend we spent in the area with Sandra and Barry.

Loughborough Flood Lock

Anyway. With all this hot weather we decided to implement the "River Wey" strategy which essentially means starting off in the clool at 6.30am and then holing up under a tree from 11.00am and moving on again after 6.00pm when things have cooled down a bit. Well, we got the start right but the rest didn't go according to plan. We were off through the the Loughborough flood gates with the sun low on the eastern horizon, the misty River Soar winding its was south. All very idyllic. 

Soar above Loughborough

Somewhere along the way, and I have lost the exact location in a heat haze, we passed a short ice breaker moored on the off side with an elderly couple standing in the hatches. I was interested in their boat because it clearly had some history, but before I had an opportunity to ask about it they told me that they had the cabin section of The Jam Butty built to tow behind the boat they were standing on. For years I have offered the story of how the original version of the butty was 30ft long and was built to trail behind a short ice breaker tug and now I have found it. I love these little chance meetings where bits of a jigsaw come together.

The builders of the back section of The Jam Butty

We met some contractors our spraying Floating Pennywort at Cossington Lock and were so engrossed in our discussion about the week we completely missed the turn left sign. Instead we plodded up the attractive river in front of us till a warning shout from a moored boat alerted us to our error. "The last chap to make that mistake took two days to get out again!" We turned and retraced our steps with more than a bit of embarrassment.

Dont miss this sign, even if the river looks like it goes straight ahead

Our objective was to reach Leicester but in the event we entered the straight mile and found the visitor moorings both full and basting in full sun. The shady alternatives were on the west bank but these were adjacent to seats surrounded by bottles and debris - not an inviting spot for a hot Friday night.

Our enthusiasm for Leicester was not high in the first place and was not encouraged by a bunch of teenage boys swimming in a lock as we tried to empty it. They have no sense of the dangers involved and perhaps the most horrible thing was watching two dead rats bobble out from between our boats as we emerged from the lock. Yuck, yuck, yuck.

You may have noticed that I bough a Tilley hat in Saltaire and one of its selling points was that they float. Coming through Leicester I was hit by an unexpected gust of wind and off it went into the canal behind us. With the hat safely recovered, and rinsed, I can confirm that they do indeed float.

How to end a hot day (grandchildren's forgiveness sought)

So we pressed on upstream passing through another half a dozen locks stopping as the river section ended at Kings Lock at 5.00pm. With the waterway narrowing dramatically it was time to drop the butty into its astern position, the first time it has not been beside us since Skipton about three weeks ago. It may have been a long day but we covered 19 miles and 13 locks which is pretty much two days of normal travel. This puts us well ahead of schedule and means we can have a few shorter days.

Saturday dawned clear and bright (again) so we made a start on the Grand Union Leicester Section of canal. The canal is technically broad (14ft wide locks) but the channel is only really wide enough fro narrow boats (7ft) and many of the pounds between the locks were 12 to 18 inched lower than normal. We therefore inched from lock to lock eventually covering just six miles and nine locks to reach a bit of shade at Kilby. We stopped at 2.30pm, with just enough time to set up the TV and watch England play Sweeden which was a 2 - 0 win - but we lost signal 2 mins from the extra time and had to resort to old fashioned texts to our Dan to confirm the final score.

The evening was spent chatting to other boaters who, inevitably, came to look at the butty and stock up on preserves. All this passive selling has been constant this season which is very gratifying. 

Sunday and another day of intense sun. There was no church within 1.5 miles of our mooring and Helen's ankle wont carry her that far yet, so we were up at 6am with the aim of finishing the last 12 wide locks on the ascent to Market Harborough. We managed this in the relative cool of early morning, passing a large group of Galmping adults using Gas Pipe Lock as their personal swimming pool. They were little better than the kids in Leicester as one still dived in after I had raised the paddles to empty it! He didnt like being told to stay out.... I did observe that I had pushed past the bloated carcass of a dead sheep two locks down and no doubt there were others further up, and then went on to mention the symptoms of Weil's Disease. The "leader" said the risk of Weil's was overstated and he swam in the canal all the time and that he was a live aboard boater - as if that makes a difference! He clearly hadn't warned or informed his  friends didn't because they blanched at the talk of dead bodies, rats pee and diseases. I don't know if we had any impact but if they do have any symptoms later on they may just seek help.

The plan was to stop in shade as soon after the top lock as possible but could I find any? Could I like heck. The canal margins were all reeds and where there was a firm edge there was no shade. And so we drifted on, and on. We went through the Saddington Tunnel which offered some welcome shade but beyond the towpath switched sides and shade was elusive as ever. In the end we continued to Debdale Wharf, a location which was the end of the canal for several years when the builders ran out of money. Then, just before the winding hole the trees arched over the water from both side and we had found a mooring with shade and even a hint of breeze. 

We set of the paddling pool on the back deck and put in a couple of gallons of cold water which was used to cool some hot feet and provide a fit of respite from the heat. It may look daft but it felt great.

Moving up the Trent and Soar

Trent and Soar to Loughborough

July 2018

Its been a week since I offered an update, an omission which is due to the fact that we have been pressing on upstream for days and days, first the Trent and then The Soar. All this moving in the heat has been knackering and left little time, or inclination, for blogging.

Gunthorpe 

Tuesday saw us complete the trip into Nottingham, passing Stoke Lock and Holmes Lock before turning off the river into the Nottingham Canal. We moored in some shade near Sainsburys and settled down to watch the England Columbia football match with Helen's sister and niece. 

Waiting to enter Stoke Lock

Thin picking for sheep on the dried out flood banks

During the first half there was a knocking on the boat which turned out to be canoeists wanting to buy jam and then the boat behind us wanted some. Fortunately these transactions didn't mean I missed any of the goals! As I took £20 in the process I guess you could say I made a score!

We started with a rendition of England 2 Columbia 0 - in fact it went to penalties but we won!

Wednesday was another relatively short day which saw us leave the Nottingham Canal at Beeston where CRT reps bought more preserves along with an impassioned attempt to recruit me into the CRT Friends scheme. Now, a few words on Friends. I am fully supportive of the Friends initiative, bringing both commitment and cash to the Trust, but its promotion frustrates me. Here we are with 30,000 licence paying boaters, all of who could be advocates of the scheme but who typically already pay the trust £800 a year. In my opinion every licence payer should be made a Friend free of charge and encouraged to go out and sing the schemes praises to those they come into contact with as they travel. But the snag is that you wont sell something you havn't already sampled and the consensus is that "after paying £800 a year there is no way I am paying out another monthly sum". I fear the Trust is missing a trick here but my oft repeated suggestion appears to miss the mark. 

Swallows and Amazons island on the River Trent

Then it was back onto the river, passing a Scouting island which always reminds me of the onedescribed in Swallows and Amazons.The lack of rain means that river water levels were not only low in the green but were at least a foot below the bottom of the green marker. This lack of water meant that the flow of water below Cranfleet Lock was swift over the shallow shoals and the passage of the deep drafted butty pulled up great clouds of silt.. 

Bridge roller on the Nottingham Canal section

We moored on the river near Trent Lock where the plan was to see Suzie, Jack and the grand children. In the event Helen damaged her Achilles tendon as we erected the gazebo to offer some shade. This mishap resulted on a trip to A&E and the subsequent programme of rest and ice presented some challenge in the coming days.

 Normanton on Soar

Thats one steep slipway

Thursday was spent negotiating the lower reaches of the River Soar, pushing the breasted pair up the river to Loughborough. We called into the basin to use the services but the place was  sun trap and we were pleased to leave it behind and moved on up the canal section to a shady spot just below Loughborough flood gates and a return to the river.

Loafing in Loogaborugga

Loafing in Loogaborugga

April 2013

Loogaborugga I hear you ask, where is that?

Answer, its the Kiwi prenunciation of Loughborough and I should know - we just spent the night moored in Loughborough town Basin with Sandra and Barry on Areandare (R&R). 

Its been great to see Sandra and Barry back on the water after a couple of years in New Zealand, safely installed on Areandare instead of Northern Pride. Hopefully this move afloat will be permanent and I think we can safely bank on seeing some more examples of Barry's great photography on their blog in the coming months.

After an evening of sampling Helen's fruit flavoured tipples and my home brew we settled in for a session of six handed rummy. I am pleased to report that the huge amount of intellectual effort I invested resulted in a predictable moral victory for the Capt - its all skill when you win.  Although I should credit Sandra with joint victory, if measured on points alone. 

Sunday morning saw us wandering round Loughborough, eyeing up the homebrew supplies in Wilkinsons and generally sampling the ambiance. Its a nice town but a bit lacking in character if I can offer an opinion. That said, there are notable aspects to the town and lets start with the 

canal basin. 

Loughborough canal basin

When we passed this way about two years ago the basin was a wilderness and nothing would have persuaded me to spend a night there. I eyed an uninviting stretch of water from the junction and thought nah - why would anyone want to motor along such a desolate strip. Now the area had been redeveloped and I have to say it is quite stunning and a modest sort of way. The arm is lined with apartments and flats and a Travelodge flank the basin itself, and Tesco is just a few hundred yards away. The pontoons are those very short ones which make mooring a challenge, but all in all is a good spot to spend the night and an easy walk into the town centre.

 Loughborough's Carillon Tower

The other gem is Queens Park, complete with its Carrilon tower which celebrates both the bell making which was the town's main industry at one time, and also serves as an impressive war memorial. The town still makes bells, with John Taylor Bellfounders supplying both St Pauls in London and York Minster. The park is dynamic too, celebrating the Olympics with a tribute to the Team GB synchronised swimmers who were based in the town during the 2012 event.

 Loughborough's tribute to the 2012 Synchronised Swimming team.

Then it was back to Mountsorrel on a windswept Soar, steering Areandare and putting her unusual engine and hydraulic transmission combo through its paces. All in all a great weekend seeing old friends, playing with a new boat and even a bit of new water (although it was only 200 yards long).

Here is a link the Barry and Sandra's blog.

Leicester Ring - Loughborough to South Wigston

Leicester Ring 2011

Loughborough to South Wigston

19th April 2011

21 miles - 19 locks - 10 hours

The mooring by bridge 34 proved to be a good move. Deep water, a soft grassy bank and total isolation bar the bats and the crickets who made their presence known in their own inimitable fashions.

Barrow on Soar Lock

With supplies or fresh produce running low again we stopped at Barrow which offered an excellent traditional butcher who cut meat to order and a very handy co-op for all our grocery needs. The town isn't particularly beautiful, bisected as it is by four high speed railway lines, but it is a bustling and thriving community with a diverse high street.

River Soar near Mount Sorrel

The Soar improves north of Loughborough, shaking off the last hints  of Trentishness which cling to the lower reaches. Locks crop up every mile or so as the river winds its sinuous way south, passing curiously names towns like Mount Sorrel. It may sound biblical but it is no mount of olives. The town is literally built on its quarry which offers a peculiar pink granite which has been used for miles of road kerbs and more interestingly, edges most of the locks in the region.

Mount Sorrell railway viaduct

We had a bit of a surprise at Thurmaston Lock when two individuals emerged from MGM Boatbuilders and quickly set the lock ready for this. There was more to this exceptional customer service than met the eye - but that deserves an post all of its own!

Pastoral scenes on the River Soar

The navigation takes its leave of the river again at Cassington where it weaves its way through Watermead country park which offers many "branches". None of these are navigable but most appear larger than the main channel. The cut is surrounded by numerous water filled gravel works which are now nature reserves and water sports centres.

This northerly entrance to Leicester is really rather attractive. The surface litter builds up a bit but nothing got on the prop as we passes the futuristic National Space Centre and then to Abbey Park complete with its bustling funfair which was well patronised on this hot and sunny spring afternoon. Leicester also offers a good selection of old industrial buildings but their days are numbered - when the economic downturn finally ends they will be swept away to be replaced by yet more formulaic blocks of flats, like the ones which now line the Straight Mile.

Leicester's Straight Mile

Leicester was almost pretty in the shimmering sun and it was almost a shame to exit the regenerated zone in the shadow of the Leicester City stadium. Take care if the emptying lock pushes you out beneath the weir - the water is wickedly shallow! Beyond this point the last vestiges of a river navigation are lost and the traditional canal persona is adopted - fittingly as it weaves its way through Leicester's gasworks and Aystone Meadows, a playground for the city's youth.

Two more miles and you are deep in the country with the canal turning sharply left, leaving the Soar behind and adopting the River Sense as its companion for the next leg of its journey to the Grand Union main line.

South Wigston Lock

We came to a stop at South Wigston, where moorings are few and far between. This is no pretty country town - its a working area which has fallen on hard times. The Jacobs Cracker factory still dominates the town but attempts at rejuvenation have been led by the construction of a dramatic South Leicester College which has merges some of the old into its ultra modern main building.

The Bobbin Factory - South Wigston

The town has one big saving grace - it offers a super abundance of take out options all within 10 mins walk of the canal. Chinese, Thai, Pizza, Kebabs, Pub food and of course traditional Fish and Chips which was or food of choice on the night.

Leicester Ring - Swarkestone to Loughborough

Leicester Ring

Swarkestone to Loughborough

1st May 2011

17 miles - 12 locks - 8 hours

The eastern end of the Trent And Mersey is a quiet place, just a steady trickle of what were the Canaltime boats moving to and fro their base at Shardlow. Shardlow was its usual picturesque self, an eclectic suite of photogenic warehouses before the final mile and a half run out to Derwent Mouth.

Shardlow Lock

Period warehouses, Shardlow

It was as we approached this final lock to the river that I remembered the anchor, or to be more precise - the lack of it. It was on board, but it was still stowed away under the front deck - did we really need it? The weeks of dry weather have reduced even the mighty Trent to a trickle and there was really little likelihood that the anchor would be needed. However, one never knows and having run the Trent in flood I adopted a cautions approach and sent Jeff off to drag out that huge lump of steel. Better safe than sorry.

David and Goliath at Sawley

Facilities on the Leicester Ring are few and far between so we called in to Sawley Marina for a pump out. As we moved down the river I was confronted by a huge barge with a small narrowboat alongside. I assumed that the larger was towing the smaller but I couldnt see a skipper - just a bloke on the front. I dithered and then passed to the right only to find myself crowded into the moored boats. When I finally got by the truth became apparent - a tiny cruiser was running flat out dragging an unpowered houseboat up the river. Its a good job there was so little flow on the water.

Our trip down the Trent was both brief and uneventful. Before many minutes we arrived Trent Lock, where the River Soar and the Erewash Canal meet the Trent forming a huge watery cross roads. We cast a farewell to the Trent, to which we will return in the summer when we will run its whole length to Keadby. By contrast the Soar seems small and intimate, winding its way to the south. I am not really sure what it should be called - The River Soar or the Grand Union? Its roots lie in the River Soar but its canalisation was so significant that about half is man made cut. As a result the ambiance oscillates between reed fringed river with few wide bridges to smaller canals with their more traditional bridges. 

Ratcliffe power station at the junction of the Soar and the Trent

The hybrid nature of this water way and its location in the industrial East Midlands means that it is not particularly beautiful in the main, but then again it is never boring either.

The lower sections below Loughborough are more river like and the locks at Ratcliffe and Kegworth are shadowed by duplicates, all in filled but with rotten gates embedded in the earth. It appears that the locks were rebuilt at slightly higher levels as part of some flood defence works in the 1930's, and are accompanied by long low training walls retaining flood waters within the raised channel. Not that there was any evidence of flood water on this trip.

A notable feature of the lower Soar is the absence of boats on the bankside moorings. There are miles of linear moorings but no takers!

Normanton church

Normanton was a pretty village, dominated by its riverside church. We would have liked to pause and wander but time was not on our side so we pressed on past some houses which would rival the Thames. Unlike the Thames, there is also room for the little people and the banks are lines with small huts which have been built and extended over the decades.

Loughborough centre

Loughborough looking very Grand Union 

Loughborough mills

River or Canal? the dilemma is never greater than at Loughborough where the navigation leaves the river for nearly five miles, burrowing into the town itself. The plan was to stop in Loughborough but in the event the town has little to offer boaters. The water is polluted and covered in beer cans, and its connection to the Grand Union network is never more apparent. The town arm is being redeveloped but appeared a bleak and barren place but had little to attract us. Instead we pressed on past a number of old mills and moored up a mile or so to the south at bridge 34, where the canal escaped roads and railways, just before it rejoins the river at Pillings Lock.