Author: Steve Carter

Well, according to Viv, it certainly felt like it. We normally do 2 or 3 hours but today we did nearly six hours. But then, we had company. This really make’s a difference. The Canal & Rivers Trust (or Cyclist & Ramblers trust as some call it), would say you must share to save water but to be honest, it halves the work.

Yes, you have two organise getting two huge metal boats, 65 feet long into a lock but the gate moving and paddle lifting is shared. I saw that Danny & Anne on Waterside Lodge, were making moves to go – they were the boat moored behind us at Kilby. So I asked f they’d like to share locks.  How far were they going? Oh, all the way to Leicester. Hmm, twice as far as we’d planned but OK, weather forecast is good, in fact very good, so off we chugged.

It was such a pain doing all 5 big locks on our own that we jumped at the chance to do more – shared, albeit 12 more locks!

Danny was waiting at the next lock (lock 30)

Makes such a difference sharing – is that the naughty Viv crossing the lock gates again?

Our companion – Danny. Ex army chap – good company.

Yep, big locks.

Always tricky parking two huge boats in front of a lock

You could tell we were getting close to “urban” when you start to count the garden gnomes

And sheds

Oh, and it IS a wide canal, allowing for widebeam boats, met this charmer as he rounded the corner at Mach 2, glad I fitted my new QE2 horn!

The delightful St Mary’s Mill lock – only one more to go

Mooring #1 – Castle Gardens – OK but we’re two abreast here and it’s noisy and no water . . . so, after a recce on foot, I decide to move 100 yds around the corner to Friars Mill

A much nicer mooring. Full sun, empty – so odd, being a visitor to a city and having a mooring all to ourselves.  Secure too – two padlocks to get in and out. Plus water and supposedly electricity, although still not connected over a year later.

Ah, and there’s Viv at the window! Meanwhile Steve goes off to take more pix and call in at the Criterion – on the way, ish.  They appear to have lots of beer

But he did pop into the Spar and brought home some much needed vittels – Krit and the ingredients for Margaritas!

And a happy Viv!!

Well, a rural idyll for Steve as he drove the boat whilst Viv did all the locks AND walked the miles inbetween. Result – we got to Kilby bridge but both Viv the Boggle, totally shattered. Just not used to this. It was a very pleasant chug. No wind and a warming drop of sunshine. A few miles plus seven locks – a few where the gates just wouldn’t stay shut! Good old Viv.  There was Newton Top lock, Spinney, Top half mile, Bottom half mile, Turnover, Tythorne and finally our favourite – Bumblebee Lock!  Years ago when we lived near Nottingham and yes, Steve was still obsessed with canals, we drove an hour to find this oddly named lock and walk miles of towpath to get to it.  A few hundred yards further on we moored up – just short of Kilby bridge as it’s bound to be a busy place – Saturday night & the Navigation Inn opposite. Here will do us. Twelve more locks and ten more miles to Leicester!  Another day.

Viv working hard on these giant locks

Seems to be plenty of water about – good – one time we came thru here and went aground.

Toby, bless him, gets off at every lock and walks miles

Viv working the lock and crossing the gates . . . did she hold on?

At last, 2.5 hrs later, the last lock for the day – Bumblebee lock

And here’s Viv & dog ready to help

This is what we call & cry out “Crocodiles!” – as a warning to the helmsman that’s there rubbish in the canal

Final stop – just before Kilby bridge. Weather station – up, TV aerial – up & finally, feet up!

We met up with an old friend Paul, who used to be on nb Rhiannon and is now sailing nb Monica and just happened to be at the top of Foxton locks when we were at the bottom. He popped round for a cuppa after our trip to the Bell. He also flew his Mavic Pro drone over the boat (around 0730!) and took this superb picture:

Well done Paul & I hope we can get some video shots of us chugging along when we next meet up.  Meanwhile we saw two hares in the opposite field

We chugged on to Saddington tunnel & then a pit stop for re stocking the larder at bridge 73 (Fleckney) and a visit to the local Co-op.

We did meet a boat in the tunnel – why won’t they wait the less-than-ten-minutes it takes is beyond me. And then we had five BIG locks to do. Viv bravely said she would work them and Steve steer. It was a tad windy and the gates kept re-opening. Bit of a pain but only 5 today then stop at Wistow.

Viv does the winding up and gate shifting

And the gates won’t stay shut – Viv is very diligent and will always walk all the way around to close them.

By the third lock (Taylor’s) is this house with it’s yurt. I think they were gearing up for a bit of a “do”, wedding perhaps? And at this lock help arrives – a lady from the boat Triskaideka (13), hurrah, Viv gets help and they saw us coming, so have left the next gates open for us.

Thanks – see you again.

Last one Viv! Then everyone back on the boat.

Hmm, bit of a leaky one this.

Here come the crew . . . no more locks today

Half an hour of chuggin and we reach a clearing with views of the old St Wistan’s church and a nice armco mooring.

The main line railway is behind us but it is a nice view here

Still in Foxton. But moved down thru the locks – first boat thru at 0915 – no other traffic. Marvellously quiet. Steve’s turn to drive – Viv does the wheeling . .

Oh, here’s one from the night before . . . Bridge 61

Must send this camera back, it’s stuck taking pictures of pubs . . . The Bell Inn at Gumley.

A nice 25 minute walk down the locks and along the canal . .

Nice range of beers (Grainstore, Sharp’s, Timothy Taylor, and Dorset Knob)

Back down the locks . . .

Quite a view from the top . . .

Shows you where we be! Here’s two short videos:

One of the giant gates in between locks:

And t’other of Viv winding the lock paddles – goes a bit wonky at the end as I forgot the boat would sink down . . .

Finally nearing the bottom and bridge 61 – from which the pub gets its name

Couple of 100 yds along and a very quiet, rural spot

Next to bridge 63 and an even shorter walk back to the Bell Inn

Boat looks very small here but it’s a pleasant mooring for one night.

Across the wee bridge to Gumley . . . later for dinner!

Yes, Bank Holiday over, temperature records broken! Quite a scorcher and dozens of boaters chugging back to their moorings. Gail set off for North Kilworth wharf to get some work done on Monday and we stayed on, leaving 9 ish on Tuesday morning. Aiming to be nearish to Foxton (take on water, offload rubbish and er, take on beer).

Gail & Jess wave goodbye on Sleepy Otter.

With a cruising time of 5 hours scheduled for today – we have time to bake a loaf (3 hrs) and put the gammon on the slow cooker (5-6 hrs).  With the engine running we have up to 3kW of mains power. So everything gets plugged in to recharge too.

Excellent bit of kit – you can remove the top pan and brown dished first.

Here’s a happy Viv taking the helm with her new hair style.

Fairly quiet day for traffic – lovely scenery . .

Ubiquitous heron – this one just didn’t fly away or even move

Rolling hills – all the sheep were under a tree, chilling.

Skipper not scowling for once.

A rare Summer’s day in England – sheep grazing, oil seed rape (canola) and church spires.

Final mooring for the day – 100 yds before bridge 60 and the flight of staircase locks at Foxton.  Time to walk the dog down to Bridge 61 (otherwise known as the pub).  Meanwhile here are the results from the galley – one loaf (50/50 white/wholemeal) and that gammon joint (still £10 from Sainsbury’s):

With temperatures soaring to the 20’s we decide to stay put. Solar energy keeping us topped up on the battery front plus Viv’s solar kettle providing us with 3 x boiling water for tea or washing up, brilliant.  We popped along to see our good friend and marina neighbour, Gail, for afternoon tea plus a walk around the little wood to keep Toby happy.

Not a lot of bluebells but some – it is an idyllic little wood

Gail and her dog Jess were moored just below bridge 27 so we stopped for afternoon tea.

Steve tried his best to photo some Bluebells – star filter again??

Meanwhile back to the perfect mooring – I think we’ll stay for another day or two

 

Yes. And about time too. The weather’s set to change and the fire’s going out. Viv’s back from Wales today, which is “May the Fourth be with you” day and I’ve surprised her by getting the boat ready (pumped out & refuelled), so we can leave within the hour and at 1450, we did.

Where to? Well, it is the Bank Holiday weekend, so we’ll head out to our favourite spot – just after Bridge 27 at Elkington and stay put – and watch the Bank Holiday traffic go by. Friday was OK but Saturday – what a stream of boats: Huncamunca, Artful Dodger, Northern Soul, Good Company, Ophelia, English Rose, Northern Promise, Prudence, Nightjar, Amelia Rose, Oxford Landing, Atlas, Emily Rose, Blue Roan, Bueno Vito, Sylvia, Mr Toad, Ubique, ?, Summertime, Imladris, Mistral, Manatee, Witch & Anchor, Good Company, Iris, Granthams, ?, Pennine, Wandering Willy, Chiltern, Killowen, Wandering Willy, Mirror Blue, Enigmatic, Wrekin, Spurwing, Tess, Holopip, Mr Crabtree (twice).  Make that 42. In about 8 hours!!

A very tranquil spot – weather station up. Thermal kettle on & boiling too.

Time to pot up the tomato plants and re-do the peppers which have faltered in the so-so Summer but today and then next few days will see temperatures soar into the 20’s.

Steve in shorts – fields of rape and a very happy Toby, about to walk around his favourite woods.

Yes, back in the marina for a while – Viv has a funeral to go and then we’ll be off for a longer summer cruise. Here’s a few pix that got left out.  For example – the new “throws” that cover the ghastly blue sofa, showing signs of wear after ten years.

And Steve’s new toy – his weather station.

He managed to put it on top of the boat and when we’re not chuggin along, it records all manner of meteorological magic – even things such as wind chill and evapotranspiration!

We paused for one night at the Welford junction

And then at Foxton – had to wait for a bit . . . so time for a beer

Viv tried to photograph some of the sheep – and there were lots of em about. Why don’t we see English lamb in the shops and why is it soooooo expensive??

We also paused for one night at bridge 33 . . .  next to . . .

Barry or “Baz the fish” on Blue Moon – out for a week or so to fish

Toby – still with his wonky ankle (arthritis we think) – enjoyed the trip

Meanwhile, back in the marina, they were electro fishing for the invasive Zander, free fish anyone?

Owing to a funeral next week of one of Viv’s old school friends, we’re not out for the Summer, not just yet but are doing a short trip to Market Harborough & back. Happily coinciding with Summer – for yes, the single figure temperatures melt away to give us values in the high twenties! So chance to do some boat cleaning &  polishing plus give those solar panels a rare treat – some sun! The new weather station in also lapping it up (weather.vivatek.co.uk) – recording all these new temperatures. Nice to see all the trees & plants beginning to bloom too – a whole month behind, we reckon. Steve is growing some peppers (again) – this time some lemon flavoured hot peppers, jalapeno and even the dreaded naga jolokia ones, hmm.

Chance to do, well, not very much. Met some nice, friendly boaters – Gll & Stuart on Auntie Rincal (fellow Yelvertofties) plus a chap on his own, John on Hermione. There’s a new Co-op halfway into town, which is nice and a visit to the Beerhouse is a must. So many nice shops and things to do – corset museum? Can you see a Toby, just peering out? He’s got a swollen ankle – arthritis? So only short walks for him. Had a great lunch in the market at the Master Dim Sum – a very small but very efficient dim sum cafe – scoring the #1 spot in Harborough for restaurants, which is good going since it only opens 10-5, when the market is open. In the evening we had some beers at Beerhouse (again) and then an excellent takeaway from Rainbow – good old TripAdvisor does help! The best spare ribs ever (garlic & chilli “hot hot” but nice).

Friday,  off at 9. Up thru Foxton – had to wait for some boats to come down – so, a pint of Inclined Plane in the Bridge 61 pub then. Such hardship. Up at the top and moored for the night – Not quite as blisteringly hot as yesterday (28 inside & out). A nice 22-24.

The weather this year has been truly awful. And it remains so even though we now enter April. Everything seems a month behind with daffodils just reaching full bloom. Today was the only non-rainy and maybe sunny day of the week so we headed off to Watermead park on the outskirts of Leicester. Chance for Toby to have a good walk and a swim plus for us, a look at the river Soar at Birstall & Thurmaston locks – still on “red” as the river is in flood.

We do a large circular walk from the south car park, clockwise around the park, the river Soar and the two locks. It was very pleasant – no need for a coat! First time this year.

Toby gets quite a few swims

This is Birstall lock – the red warning clearly visible.

No boat traffic

At Thurmaston, it all seems very tranquil but the lock sign still shows red

On for some shopping in Leicester – in the market “everyfing-a-pahn-ed” – bought some peppers. cucumbers, ginger, parsley, limes . . . and then had a snack!

Busy now, getting the boat & us ready for the off. B pontoon looks a little empty as boaters head for the canals