What to do on a dull Sunday? The Canal & Rivers Trust have set up these open days where members of the public can wander along to a lock that has been drained and is undergoing some restoration. Having spent weeks negotiating these beasts, I thought it might be “nice” to go and see the bottom of one, as you do. Freeman’s Meadow Lock is a huge animal. It’s adjacent to a massive weir and Leicester Football stadium. We passed thru it, twice on our Summer trip, see blog passim and (http://narrowboat-adagio.tumblr.com/post/126497057016/day-three-bumblebee-to-leicester)
Anyway, CRT had advertised this open day (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/events/2016-01-30-leicester-line-open-weekend) and so we went – only 30 mins away . .
![](http://66.media.tumblr.com/6a55071f811566ed41651c8a3373c243/tumblr_inline_o1tv6ckroR1s2pxhg_540.jpg)
![](http://67.media.tumblr.com/c94c4898ff04a9262b8667382412c426/tumblr_inline_o1tv7rsBOA1s2pxhg_540.jpg)
What are they all looking at?
![](http://67.media.tumblr.com/6abbffe0e192d911d25e65721ced4b98/tumblr_inline_o1tv8rvm3i1s2pxhg_540.jpg)
Note the wooden beams holding back the water …
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and the rare sight of the absolute bottom of the lock!
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Quite an engineering feat with a floating crane … they replaced the top gates.
![](http://66.media.tumblr.com/35e7fbd20d68b6698e5296e45e15d506/tumblr_inline_o1tvcwlkYi1s2pxhg_540.jpg)
shiny new oak gates
![](http://66.media.tumblr.com/8362d82364829d800f3850b1c821823b/tumblr_inline_o1tvdvFEz91s2pxhg_540.jpg)
another rare sight – the culvert (what lets in the water when you open the paddles)
![](http://66.media.tumblr.com/7432d0988ed82bcb0a8fd560102f5e53/tumblr_inline_o1tvfeVjEs1s2pxhg_540.jpg)
The wooden beams at the top of the picture are also holding back tons of fresh river water … the guy in the fluorescent suit was the engineer in charge and assured us that the new beams would be a dream to handle!
![](http://67.media.tumblr.com/1e0600d16a7061776786934d169a759d/tumblr_inline_o1tvhxGDdy1s2pxhg_540.jpg)
What else do you meet at the bottom of a lock??
Lots of helpful chat . . esp from Darren Green . .
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It was all very interesting but hopefully the last time I find myself at the bottom of a lock! We walked on to the next lock at St Mary’s Mill
![](http://66.media.tumblr.com/8ade7e029e0effed76574112cbd61b0e/tumblr_inline_o1tvlyDuJi1s2pxhg_540.jpg)
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