Leicester and Floods

A later start today and we were soon in the company of another boat as we worked down the locks of the Leicester section. This made life a little easier even though there were only two on each boat.

As we approached Leicester we joined the River Soar which has been in flood after the recent rains. Although now down to navigable levels, it was very fast flowing and progress over the ground was very rapid! Navigating near weirs needed some confidence - the wide weir alongside the Leicester City football ground is quite intimidating as it is approached. In fact it was not as difficult as some of the narrower weirs later on.




The centre of the city has been very much improved, with many new developments. No-one wants to buy an apartment and overlook a tatty canal so no doubt there has been a lot of pressure to keep the area tidy! Sadly, some of the efforts have been spoilt by graffiti 'artists'.

By the time we reached Birstall the river was becoming more of a challenge. We moored for lunch below the lock as Christine expected to have a view of the school where she taught for three years at the end of the Sixties. She did not take into account that the open land that surrounded the school in those days is now covered by extensive housing estates! Over lunch she mused that some of the pupils she then taught (it was an Upper School) will now be in their late fifties and probably grandparents themselves.

We paused at Cossington to take a look at the Old Mill restaurant (listed in Nicholsons) which we went to several times when we lived in Loughborough. Imagine then, dear reader, our disappointment to discover that it has now closed and is a private home. Some very dilapidated signs were the only indication of what was once here. We obviously cannot dine here tonight as hoped.



As we emerged from Sileby lock we were confronted by the river blocked by a boat that was attempting to turn around but had become stuck with the incredible maelstrom of water swirling around below the weir alongside the lock. Eventually they freed themselves but it was a reminder of just how powerful moving water can be.

Concerned to find a safe overnight mooring we took the next available space - the last visitor mooring above Barrow Deep lock - not necessarily the location of choice under more normal circumstances but at least it feels safe!

Foxton to Leicester

Set off in time to arrive at the Foxton flight at opening time. The plan worked and as we turned the corner we could see the lockkeeper preparing the top lock, ready for us to run straight in. Three quarters of an hour later we had completed the flight! Rather different from yesterday!



The long pound to Kibworth flight was narrow and reedy at times but there was little traffic anyway. Saddington tunnel is very straight - luckily we were not troubled by bats - despite the note in Nicholsons that some interesting bats are supposed to live in it. Many stretches are very attractive with no villages close by.

The long run down to Leicester is marked with locks at frequent intervals. At first they are collected together in short flights but from Kilby they are mostly one at a time. As a result, there is little time to make coffee, tea or lunch on the way. Just before Kilby we stopped for lunch - and a needed rest break: working these locks seems
especially hard work!

After lunch we moved up to Kilby wharf to take on water before continuing for a short distance to South Wigston where we moored up to walk to the nearby shops. The main street looked very run down and soon we could see the final straw - a new Tesco's. Whilst we too joined the herd, we could overhear several people worrying about what would happen - no-one would open a small shop now.

One of the items we wanted was a key chain (one with the spiral plastic lead) - to keep the Watermate key safely whilst working the locks which are protected with extra security through this stretch. Whilst every member of Tesco's staff had such an item for their keys or carboard box opener, they were not on sale. The assistant uggested trying a stationers - but they all seem to have closed after Tesco opened! In fact we did find one at a harmacy store. The lass at the till wanted to charge only 10p for it! We re-negotiated the price to the 20p coin e offered.

This stretch of the canal is now largely adjoined by relatively new housing and is is generally much better than we recalled from 37 years ago when it was quite unattractive in places. Finding a mooring spot did not present too many challenges!

Leicester Section - Day 1

Overnight further rain and the locks were overflowing. This made the Buckby flight quite hard work. The flow was such that it was necessary to keep both sets of paddles (each side of the lock) open in order to open a gate. The result was slower progress although by the time we were half way through the flight other boats were coming down, so some of the locks were set for us.



This stretch of the canal sees a Roman Road (now A5), railway (with Virgin trains) and the M1 motorway all sharing the same route. The noise from the traffic is relentless and disruptive of the countryside. From a picture - with no sound - the canal closest to the morotway appears idyllic! One also wonders if, some time into the future, the motorway will be consigned to a holiday experience, just as with the canals which, when built, were the principal means of industrial traffic!

Whilst waiting at Norton Junction for the water tank to fill, Christine decided on a rather unusual addition to the diet: fried egg, bacon and fried bread! Yummy!

When we arrived at Watford Locks we discovered that there would be quite a wait - the lockkeeper indicated about 90 minutes but it turned out to be almost two hours before we could make a start. In order to maximise traffic through the flight - which includes a staircase of three in the middle - he operates a batch policy: the more boats are waiting, the larger the batch. Today it was fairly quiet so the batches were three up and three down.



Just as our slot arrived, the rain started! For most of the next hour it was a very heavy downpour - necessitating a change of trousers afterwards. (It was such heavy rain that a photo of us entering the staircase was impossible, but above is one of a preceding boat!) Of course, as soon as we set off on the 20 mile summit pound, it dried out, sun even broke out before long. Crick Tunnel, the junction for the Welford Arm and Husbands Bosworth Tunnel were the principal landmarks along the way. Whilst we did not quite reach Foxton, it will only be a short run in the morning. If we start off at the same time as the first two days then we should be there by the time the flight opens.

First Full Day

It was light very early and we were both rather wakeful - at 4.30 it was already light enough to cruise, although the first boat was not until an hour later. After a fitful period we decided to make an early start, but take it slowly to get up! Eventually we set off around 7:20.

In comparison with the day before, it was a wonderful sunny Sunday morning. Milton Keynes has certainly treated the canal kindly, with leafy corridors in between the different housing areas.

After two hours we reached Wolverton where we knew that a large Tesco was just a few minutes walk away from the railway station bridge. It was yet only 9:30 but the doors open then, staffing the tills from the designated start of trading: 10:00! If we were anything judge by, this half hour shopping time does them no harm - with shoppers adding more items to their baskets as they wait for the checkouts!

Soon we reached the first lock of the day, the quite modest Cosgrove Lock. A further cruise and we arrived at Stoke Bruerne Bottom Lock. Alas we were to share the locks with another boat whose crew seemed to have no idea about operating locks, despite having been out for several days and it being their fifth year of such holidays. Christine was still answering questions about which part to operate next at the top of the flight. As a result it took a lot longer than expected to pass through the flight.



Stoke Bruerne is always a popular spot but is was especially busy today. Sounds of accordian music greeted us as we rose up in the top lock - there was a small boat rally this week end. In addition to boats moored all the way to the entrance of Blisworth Tunnel, there were various stalls. The Cheese Boat offered 'try before you buy' samples - alas only to the customers on the towpath side of the boat!

The tunnel took 45 minutes to navigate - it was busier that we have ever seen with up to 6 boats in each direction in the tunnel at any one time. Half way through we caught up with a slower boat - the queue behind closed in on us, obviously impatient with progress.



The pound from the tunnel is a long one. We soon passed Gayton Junction where the branch to Northampton takes off. Alas we then came upon a very slow boat which made no effort for the next two hours to allow us to pass! It even slowed to a snail's pace a hundred metres before any obstacle and seemed to be quite nervous of bridges! High House Bridge and they, at last, decide to moor. We could hear them asking the crew on another moored boat if there was a shop near the bridge! At this time on a Sunday?

As it was clear that we would not be able to pass Buckby Locks tonight, a mooring site below was needed. However, both the M1 and the main railway line are close by and nowhere is quiet. We opted for a spot just after Bridge 21 as being the least exposed, mooring just after 7. Although we are a little short of our possible target, it has been a long day, especially after the efforts of the past week.

Saturday Departure Day

Arrived at Leighton Buzzard boatyard by 1 o'clock and began unloading the numerous crates and boxes! It did not seem to take too long and, much to our surprise, there proved to be sufficient stowage room for it all!

Although we were ready by 2.30, we had to wait for our 'pilot' to show us all the routines for operating the boat - this took a little longer than usual as we needed to go through procedures that most crews do not need to know as they are done by the boatyard at the end of each week or fortnight hire.

Eventually we were actually off - just as we were winding (the boat was pointing the wrong direction) the heavens opened and for next hour we had some of the heaviest rain we have seen for some time! Just as well we had some waterproofs. Ten past four and we were on our way in the 'right' direction.



Very quickly we reached Leighton lock and then Soulbury Three Locks - a couple of novice boats were making their way up and so it took a little while. Christine had earlier 'complained' that last year (when we had the rest of the family with us, including the two girls) she had not had a chance to steer into and out of the locks - so this time she tackled all today's. (With no
difficulty, of course. I say this because at one lock a man said, "How long did it take you to get your wife to do that? Mine will not think about trying it" So at least chauvinism is alive and kicking on the canals!)

After Stoke Hammond Lock some prep for the evening meal was tackled but we still wanted to make as much progress as possible - this stretch is familiar from last year.

Fenny Stratford Lock is hardly a lock at all - built to control the flow of water after early problems with leakages, we understand.

By now the evening was quite pleasant as the canal meanders on the level through the leafier parts of Milton Keynes. However, spots of rain convinced us it was time to stop and we moored just beyond Peartree Bridge shortly before half past eight.

Although we are still somewhat in the manic phase of winding down, it feels good to have started - after about 9 months of planning.

Nearly There!

Packing the car was in interesting exercise although, in the end, all the planning and preparation of filling a series of plastic crates meant that it was straightforward and fitted fairly easily into the back of the car - no rear seats thought! Final shopping included collecting the meat order from Gary Dutton - hopefully the carefully boned and rolled shoulder of lamb will provide the usual tasty raost on Sunday.

We drove up from Cornwall to Oxford - staying overnight with Joanna, Adrian and Alice. The first part of the trip was quite horrendous - two accidents (first just 10 mins into journey and the second on Bodmin Moor held us up for 50 mins) and heavy rain with the inevitable spray.

After the Nailsea junction the traffic levels fell and we began, at last, to move qiuicker than 40 mph max. In the end we were only an hour later than planned!

We all went out for a meal at the Trout (a classic gastropub on the river bank) - Alice thoroughly enjoyed feeding bread to the ducks and later tried to hug a peacock! Food was pleasant (quality fish 'n chips!) and not as busy on the patio as it might have been if the weather was not so unkind! Still, large umbrellas and heaters keep nature at bay!

All we now have to do is make the last leg of the journey toLeighton Buzzard in the morning.

Final week

We are now into our final week of preparations! Hooray!

We have the spare bedroom back again and Christine is using the space to spread out more of the packing. I am checking through again that all the communications facilities are in place and we know how to operate them. So far so good.

My hospital check at the eye casualty was happily a negative outcome - nothing special untoward coould be seen after a very thorough examination. The only recommendation was to use artificial tears gel to compensate for possible reduced supply of natural tears (another part of the dreaded aging process!)

Roll on Friday when we set off for here on the first leg of the journey to Leighton Buzzard.