To the Trent and Back

Thursday 29th July

We drove up to the boat in the evening of a hot day and it is still hot when we arrive. . We just have time to walk the dogs and settle them on the boat before driving to see Day Star at the Two Boats, Long Itchington (Performing the Navigator's Legacy). We arrived just in time meeting Jane on the steps up from the car park. . I missed some of the show queuing at the bar but nevertheless enjoyed it. . We had seen Mikron two days before on foot from home at the Butt Inn and there is quite a contrast between them. I personally prefer Day Star they are pure entertainment with a canal theme
rather than current affairs usually with a canal theme. . I also prefer Day Star's approach to the audience - you have been to the theatre make an appropriate donation - against - donations of £5 are required - by Mikron which tends to turn me off. We went to the Theatre on our Stratford trip at Easter so we know how much it costs.

Friday 30th July

After walking the dogs I load up our gear which has spent the night in the trailer. When I go to start the engine the battery isolator key is missing so I pop into the marina shop to buy a new one. . With all this it is nearly ten o'clock before we are on our way. . We stop to walk the dogs and for lunch at the top of the locks and then promptly doze off in the heat.
We join the queue for the locks and wait about half an hour before starting out way down. . Whilst waiting Jacquie has kept the boat in the shade cast by the office building. . As we approach Adkins lock we spot DRACO and introduce ourselves to Krystina and Mike chatting for a few minutes before continuing our descent. . At the bottom I get a newspaper and two ice creams from the shop. We carry on to the junction and turn towards Warwick. Down the three locks and on a bit further we stop for the night about a mile from the Boat. . After eating we head off to said pub for a drink and to catch Day Star's other play "The Water flows on". . I did not learn my lesson last night and again miss some of the action queuing for drinks at the bar.

Saturday 31st July

After breakfast I take Brandy for a long walk heading into Stockton where I buy a newspaper and other supplies, returning the other way to make a circular trip. . On my return we reverse a few yards to where there are the remains of an old wharf. Jacquie takes the camera and pole to the bow whilst I ease her in to the gap. We find that it is deep and wide enough to wind and soon we are on our way back towards Calcutt. . We share the locks with Nova Castria and at the junction turn left. . It is a hot day but we cannot find any shade for lunch, we stop about half past two in the cutting before the puddle banks.
When we leave we take with us an abandoned mooring spike. . At the turn we go right towards the locks waiting when we arrive to see if anyone will join us. . A boat appears in the distance but then ties up below the locks so we end up proceeding alone. . There are boats coming down so I take Touch and Tell on to the next lock whilst Jacquie is still in the shop getting postcards and a book. . She also visits the shop at the top but this time for ice creams. . There are no moorings close to the top and the towpath is wet near to the tunnel so we go through. . We finally tie up just past the road bridge where the towpath wall has sunk a bit but we can get close to the edge. . Walking the dogs Jacquie talks to the crew of Alteca which apparently is short for Alsatians Terriers and Cats. . They live aboard and move around stopping from time to time to find work.

Sunday 1st August

I set off early before Jacquie is ready and the dogs fed, I want to get some cruising done before it gets too hot. . Having turned into the Leicester section I stop in the shade just before Weltonfield Marina so the dogs can have their breakfast and walk. . Whilst we were tied up Oddnydod came past and commenting that we had not travelled far and that shade would be at a premium later on. . When I move off Jacquie is on foot taking Edith for a walk, a good time and place for her as her black coat would absorb the sun later in the day. . Jacquie picks some grasses to put in a bottle and draw later and I stop by the Motorway services to go for a paper. . When I leave in reverse to get away from the shallow bank Jacquie is below listening to the Archers. . At the Watford locks there is a queue and a water point with nice cool refreshing water. . We fill some glasses to drink now and bottles to keep in the shade hopefully to still be slightly cool for later on. . There is shade here for the lock keeper who is in her Sunday best white shirt, she is letting two up two down. . We come up to wait below the stair case and then proceed up when it is ready for us. . Boats behind us enter the staircase without permission much to the annoyance of a descending boats and the lock keeper goes to sort things out. . We take photographs of baby goats tied up by the locks and refill our glasses with *cold* water at the water point at the top. . There is a long queue to go down and as soon as we pass it a long line of fishermen. . The cool in Crick tunnel is a welcome relief. . We moor, or rather go aground, for lunch Just round the bend from Crick Marina where we are almost in shade. . After a Siesta we set off in the late afternoon but it is still hot. . We have taken the glass out of the top of the windows to get more air circulation and when it rains Jacquie's side of the bed gets wet. . I eventually tie up on a length of piling between bridges 33 and 34 - just in time as whilst we are walking the dogs the thunder starts and within a few minutes it is pouring with rain. . Later in the evening I pop my head out of the hatch to hear loud almost hysterical laughter. . A concerned young man steering a boat says "can you help her please". . I step out to find a young woman standing in the water trying to get out and go to render assistance. . It seems that she had slipped off their side deck, I think she said whilst fetching the cat.

Monday 2nd August

Again I set of early on my own and cruise for a hour before stopping to feed and walk the dogs. . Today it is Gwen and her son Morsom's turn to get a walk until they get back on board at the last bridge hole before the tunnel. . At the other side we tie up a long way from the bank and I walk into Husbands Bosworth for supplies. One of the items I buy is a packet of biscuits but when we open them to have with a drink the chocolate ones have already started to melt - the packet finds its way into the cold box. . When we move off again there is a plane towing a glider overhead. We tie up for lunch just before bridge 59, there is a little dappled shade from a single tree. . There is a horse show going on in the field opposite. . We leave mid afternoon to head for Foxton where I walk down to book in with the lock keeper. . I am told I need an anti vandal key to get through Leicester so I buy one from the shop at the bottom whilst we wait. . Crystal takes us down to the middle pound where we wait for boats coming up, she ties us up securely saying the currents in the pound can move a boat about a lot. . Whilst we are there Gwen jumps off and rolls on her back for Crystal to rub her tummy. . Morsom thinks this is great and keeps jumping off to explore as well, I put him back on board three times as at 9 months I am not yet sure we can trust him. . As we leave the bottom of the flight Jacquie goes in the shop to buy ice creams postcards and "Quiet Waters By". . We stop round the corner to walk the dogs and then set off to find a suitable overnight stop. . The canal seems to be very twisting and the banks are often over grown so we end up stopping with our stern on concrete and bow in reeds just off a bend. . I think that here is enough room for us to be seen and later walking the dogs find a mooring ring right on the bend. . At ten o'clock a boat passes us and complains that we are on a bend. . They have no lights with people on the bow using torches to direct the steerer, we have our cabin lights on so we are easily visible and there is plenty of room. . Just in case we tie one of the dogs flashing collars to the handrail overnight.

Tuesday 3rd August

The weather is cooler today and rain is forecast. . We set off by reversing out of the reeds just after 8 o'clock. . As we approach Saddington tunnel there is a fox chasing a rabbit above the portal disappearing behind the bushes. . Jacquie usually stays inside the boat through tunnels but stays on deck to look for bats, she thinks she sees one but it may be wishful thinking. . We tie up just before bridge 73, it would have been better mooring the other side of the bridge but there are already boats there. . I take Brandy into Fleckney whilst Jacquie walks the other dogs. . When I get there I cannot find anywhere to tie him up so I phone Jacquie to meet me half way and take him back to the boat before I go shopping. When I return we have a drink and whilst doing so a boat approaches so we get ready to follow them and join them at the locks. . Before we can do so I notice Asimov, the cat, walking down the side deck so Jacquie has to persuade him to return inside. . She gets back to the stern just as the boat passes and tells them we will follow. . The boat is Terbar a contraction of Terry and Barbara and we join them in Kibworth top lock. . We soon set up a good rhythm with Terry and I working the locks whilst Jacquie and Barbara control the boats. . To keep moving we give the dogs short walks between locks dodging the showers. . At bumble bee lock there are youngsters fishing, one has lost the end of a rod he has borrowed and is trying to retrieve it without much sucess so I suggest they drag the bottom with a heavy weight and large hook, we leave wishing them luck. . Terbar has gone ahead and we stop for lunch on a stretch with a nice open towpath but moored a long way from the bank. . After lunch we move of the Kilby bridge and the water point finding Terbar tied up there for the night. . Whilst filling the tank we walk the dogs around the yard. . A cruiser moves in to fill up after us and two working boats pull in without mooring to fill buckby cans. . This takes a lot of manoeuvring and does not impress the cruiser owner as the boat swings across the cut and repeatedly has to take action to avoid hitting them. . When the tank is full we move off again and pass Ivor Batchelor tied up a little further along, later we learn the boats are on their way back from a gathering at Nottingham. . As we continue down on our own it is easier to use just one paddle as it means only one anti vandal lock to do up. . We pass another working boat at Bush lock and they ask after those in front of them. . Whetstone lock needs both paddles a quite a bit of force to get the top gate open. . We eventually tie up just below Blue Bank lock just before 8 o'clock - it has been a long day . It is a good mooring with good walks for the dogs. . There is civilisation nearby but no anti vandal locks on the paddles.

Wednesday 4th August

A late start while I do a little work on the boat so when we set off mid morning Terbar has just passed, we catch up with them at Kings Lock where they are waiting. . Jacquie had walked down to the lock with Gwen and Morsom and did not arrive until the boats were on their way down, she had to cross the gates with them one by one to get them back on the boat. . At Aylestone mill lock we are warned of low branches ahead, a boat going up nearly lost everything on their roof and one of the crew got a branch in her eye. . Last time through here it was a pleasant picnic spot but it has lost some of its charm due to neglect. . At Freeman's meadow lock there is hardly any water going over the weir and the river below looks shallow out of the channel. . A mile or so further on we spot a mile post announcing Leicester 0 miles - it is good to know where the milestones are measured from. . We carry on down North lock then stop above Lime Kiln lock for lunch, walk the dogs and a quick trip to Sainsburys which is close by here. . I end up buying too much to carry comfortably and have to phone Jacquie to meet me and help carry it!
We are resting in the shade after lunch when Hearing Dogs telephone to ask if we can run stall at a show over the bank holiday weekend as someone has pulled out - one less weekend when we can go boating! . Having been disturbed Jacquie suggests we move off saying fill the lock and see if a boat comes along - as she says it Navigation Star comes past. . As we leave Leicester we see a fire engine stopped above the river on the A5131. . There is a heath fire with smoke crossing the river. . The firemen cannot get their equipment to the spot and are using the old methods - beating and a bucket on a rope taking water from the Soar. . At Birstall lock Jacquie has to fight the wind blowing her into brambles whilst we fill the lock, neither I nor the crew of Navigation Star notice at first that there is a paddle up at the bottom of the lock. . We moor for the night just past the junction with the river Wreake, a lovely spot with good dog walking although the path up the river is not as easy going as the towpath.

Thursday 5th August

Jacquie may have been doing too much the last few days as this morning she puts her back out just walking through the boat, the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back perhaps. . She is wedged in by cushions hoping her T.E.N.S. machine can dull the pain. . After this it is a late start with me having to work single handed. . It had rained last night and the flow seems a bit faster this morning. .There is a Heron fishing on the slope of the weir. . At Cossington the lock is full and a boat waiting to come up helps me through. . There is a lot of floating greenery here but some of it looks different from the usual duck weed, like a giant version. . At Sileby Mill we stop for a pump out at £10 rather than the advertised £12 due to us not using blue. . I pick up a new Nicholsons, the new style will take some getting used to, a spare anti vandal key and ice creams. . Jacquie has struggled up the steps to get some fresh air. . The weirs at Sileby are running strongly and the water is foaming a white froth gathering opposite the boatyard. . Below Mountsorrel lock I quickly tie up the boat on the last of the mooring bollards so I can walk the dogs. Whilst we are there a trip boat arrives to go up with TV crew filming on board, the boat is from the Peter Le Marchant trust. . For lunch I pull in just beyond the facilities at Barrow on Soar having to fight nettles to get the boat moored. . Whilst we are there I take a walk to find a newspaper and supplies and end up doing a circular walk coming back via the lock and towpath.
It is mid afternoon when we set off again, Jacquie is lying down to rest her back but will come out to help at Barrow deep lock which I do not fancy doing single handed. . I then carry on stopping in Loughborough outside B&Q where I shop for some bits and pieces needed for the work I am doing on the boat.

Friday 6th August

Jacquie's back is worse and she stays in bed leaving me to work single handed. She really wanted to see the Soar but now she was going to miss some of it. . I set off earlier than on the previous days and make my way down the lock working through it and on to Bishops Meadow lock where I meet a boat coming up. . As I pass along the river I spot a boat and butty owned by C&J Deuchar just before I turn into Zouch cut. . At Zouch lock I am joined by Cassilde. . This is a help as at Kegworth deep we breast up the two boats and they bring Touch and Tell out for me so that I can work the lock. I stop below Ratcliffe lock and walk the dogs in shifts before having lunch. . When I set off again in mid afternoon Jacquie struggles on deck so she can at least see some of the trip. . We head on down to the Trent where we turn round and start our return journey. . When we get back to Redhill Marina I spot a boat that look like it is being done up and wonder if it is Rumpus. . Tying up the boat I go to investigate and find Brian Dominic is just packing up to go home after an afternoon working on the boat. . I introduce myself and we have a chat whilst he shows me the boat and photographs of the restoration. . It brings to life the progress reports I have been reading. . Leaving Redhill we proceed up Radcliffe lock and moor just above it. . After eating we go to chat with the crew of a hire boat that we have seen over the last few days. . They are carrying on round the ring so this will be the last we see of them.

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This page last updated 19/02/02