Syston to Loughborough

Tue 12^th Jul  Syston to Barrow

This morning there was no sign of the injured cygnet, or the swan family, or even the lady with a net. As we left our mooring, just beyond the Hope and Anchor, we passed The Ark, which had been involved in the chase yesterday.

Leaving our mooring

Passing The Ark

The river Wreake joined from the right. This used to be the junction with the Melton Mowbray Navigation. It was just near here where we were moored last time, when Hugo, our cat had a fight with a fox on the stern of our boat.

River Wreake

We had to fill Junction Lock, and we took Gabriel in, and closed the gates behind us. Just as we did so, a boat appeared behind us, so we opened up again. It was Annie, and we shared the rest of today’s locks with them.

Sileby Lock

Sileby Mill

Annie

Cormorants and crows

Mountsorrel Lock

Unusual weir

Railway Bridge at Mountsorrel

After Mountsorrel, Annie went on ahead, as they were on a tighter schedule than us, and we told Dave they could use the facilities at Barrow first.

When we arrived at Barrow, there was another boat already on the facilities, so we needed to wait for them to finish. He said we could moor alongside, but he had a cratch cover at the bows, and he had just painted the stern, so we couldn’t get off. These facilities are the first since Kilby Bridge, and there should be more mooring space available there. As it is, there are two boats moored permanently, using up half the space.

Waiting for facilities at Barrow

Leaving facilities

We did what we needed to do, and found a mooring above Barrow Deep Lock.  Lots of youngsters arrived having fun with some improvised dragon boats, made from two canoes.

Moored at Barrow

Kids on the water

We decided to go for a meal, and we went to the Soar Bridge Inn, but they only serve food at lunchtimes. Thankfully, there were alternatives, like the Bengal Tandoori next door, but we opted for The Moorings, where we had a pleasant meal. We were treated to a lovely sunset later. Then Hazel trapped her finger in a side door, so painkillers and Arnica cream came out of the cupboard.

The Moorings

Water art

Red sky

4 locks, 4 miles. Dep 0915, arr 1230, including a 30 minute wait for facilities.

Wed 13^th Jul  Barrow to Loughborough

We began by attending to some paperwork, with things to print and sign, and things to send by email. We went to post the documents and found that the Post Office had closed down. The post box was still there, so we stuck two first class stamps on, hoping that will be OK.  Our son Greg’s birthday card was posted last Thursday 1^st class, and didn’t arrive until yesterday (Tuesday).

As we were returning to the boat via the lock, a community boat was coming up. We asked them to leave the gates open for us – very handy. We left the hood up to start with, to keep the sun off, and were soon heading into the lock.

Barrow Deep Lock

Barrow Bridge

This is a river section for about a mile. Just before Pilling’s Flood Lock, we felt something on the propeller, so we pulled in on the the bollards there, and removed some polythene. “Miles and miles of poly on the blades” came to mind.

Poly on the prop

Pilling’s Flood Lock

From here there is a canal section for about four miles, going in a semi-circle through the outskirts of Loughborough, until it meets the original line of the Loughborough Navigation.

Water lilies

Little Egret

Loughborough

The Boat Inn

At Chain Bridge, there is a T-junction, and we turned left to moor for a while in Loughborough Basin. Thankfully there was one space for us on the very short pontoons.

Approaching the T-junction

Moored in Loughborough Basin

We visited Sainsburys, had a meal in Wetherspoons, and posted a card to Amanda. It was very hot, so we left in search of a shady mooring somewhere.

Leaving the basin

Back past the Chain Bridge

At Loughborough Lock, James discovered that the paddle gear had recently been oiled. Thankfully he had short sleeves.  At Bishop Meadow Lock, there used to be facilities, but they seem to have gone now.

Battle with the paddle gear

Bridge 41

Bishop Meadow Lock

We found a shady mooring on bollards just below the lock, and were grateful to stop for the day. We enjoyed some olive bread and charcuterie, accompanied by red wine. The down side was that we were invaded by tiny fruit flies.

Moored below Bishop Meadow Lock

3 locks, 5 miles. Dep 1100, arr Loughborough Basin 1230. Dep 1520, arr 1615 below Bishop Meadow Lock.

Next: continuing our journey down the Soar until we join the Trent and then we head for Nottingham.