Birstall

Today's Navigations : Grand Union Leicester Branch, River Soar

We had an important aim today that significantly affected our schedule - we were running perilously low on water. On addition we were almost at the point of needing to start using our third elsan  cassette. This one is rarely used and bringing it out is an admission that we need to plan carefully!

There were two options we thought we knew about from last year but neither are on any maps, including the CaRT website. If they did not pan out then the nearest we could be sure about was right down at Barrow but even here our confidence level was not 100% because there had been reports a couple of weeks ago of problems here but nothing to say that they had been fixed.

And so we set off with every confidence that we would fix it all! But would it be misplaced confidence?

Our first option that would at least fulfil our most urgent need was the Visitor Mooring pontoons at Friars Mill, just a short distance from our overnight mooring. The problem here is that there is no designated Water Point, but taps on each of the service bollards.(It was planned that these would also supply an electric hook-up but They have never been activated for some reason. Perhaps they became available just as CaRT was beginning to review what services it should provide and what could be closed. Hence almost all of the showers, laundry and toilet facilities have been  closed) Because there is no dedicated Water Point, we were dependent on not only our memory from last year but also that there would be room to tie up. As luck would have it, when we came around the corner we could see plenty of space and when we landed the first thing was to turn on a tap to check before tying up properly!

So that was the larger worry out of the way and we continued. The next part of the city which perhaps ten years ago was very run down and, to be honest, an eyesore. It has now been redeveloped - nearing its completion - and even the developers on the website for the remaining properties admits that. On both sides the properties are three storey and quite densely packed. Nevertheless, they are not cheap - £400K for three bedrooms and £500K for four.

At today's first lock - North Lock - we were again lucky as a CaRT work boat was just leaving the lock after having to run water down up the next pound which had seriously emptied overnight with the bottom gates at Lime Kiln being left open. The crew kindly worked us through. This was especially welcome as the towpath and lock landing is unusually high above the normal water level, making it quite tricky to get on and off from the boat. Strangely, the only feature we managed to photo was anew mural on the side of an old industrial building. Something much less striking was there last year.

We did manage a picture to show just how low the water level was - we were advised to keep to the middle - and this was after extra water had been run down.

And so to Memory Lane. We stopped overnight here last year, even though Adam subsequently let us know that these are supposed, in time, to become residential moorings. The work seems nearer completion than last year and the end patch nearest the main line of navigation has been worked on to provide Boaters Facilities (the sign is clear but the facility has yet to appear on CaRT's online map) Unfortunately the small compound that has recently been built appeared only to contained rubbish disposal bins and was labelled Customer Waste, So where was the elsan? We knew that there was one accessible from the pontoons so we went there. As we were leaving the workboat arrived back and the crew told us that the Customer Waste does include an elsan disposal option but it was not easy to see without very close inspection, hidden behind the bins! Still, it is great that there is the full range of the Boater Facilities that CaRT now consider their responsibility. Leicester has long suffered from a lack, deterring any effort to restore confidence in boaters to stop over here.

And we did eventually spot a very small notice  that said Residential Moorings Coming Soon - but it was rather faded!

 
A boat as coming up Lime Kiln Lock - we think we had seen them earlier on this trip. They bought the boat last year during the drought and moved aboard but this is the first time that they have really ventured to cruise any distance. They seemed very pleased with their choice!

Below the lock, suddenly our engine started to struggle and we lost any forward momentum. This was not the first time we have picked up rubbish here. For some reason this is now almost the only stretch of the canal through the city where the water and the surroundings still need some serious attention. Opening the weed hatch - first time this year - it was apparent that we had picked up some sort of insulated jacket, the innards filled with kapok stuffing. This can be one of the worst things, other than a spool of barned wire, to clear as by the time you stop it is firmly wrapped around. We do now keep a particular type of patio knife with a long handle and can use that to pull the offending mass apart, but by bit. It took around 45 minutes, par for the course for this type of item.

We stopped on the mooring rings just above Belgrave Lock to have lunch. We did not linger as we knew that we had to make some distance to find an overnight mooring. Birstall is next and in the past we have found that particularly popular. Just before we were ready to leave one of the boats that was moored at Castle Gardens last night came by, a single hander. As we approached the lock he was only just preparing to descend  but kindly spotted us and re-opened a top gate.

We were now on the River Soar proper which will last until we join the River Trent, except for the Loughborough Cut.

Thurcaston Road Bridge dates from the 15C and now only buses and taxis are allowed to use it. It has several arches, each a different size and only one is navigable. Two arches are clearly labelled No Entry - let's hope that no-one thinks that they can try to squeeze through the two smallest ones!

The Leicester Outdoor Activity Centre looks splendid but alas nothing was happening today. Through the trees we could just see some enormous timber frames. Far too high for Mike's sanity even to contemplate using them!

The river was very bendy and all too often encroaching vegetation meant constant attention to weave the boat around and avoid knocking anything, including the steerer, into the water. Eventually the long overflow weir, prosaically labelled as structure 14A, heralded our arrival at Birstall Lock, just behind the boat from Belgrave. Although he lives in Leicester Marina, a short distance further down, he was planning on mooring just below, as also were we. he assured us that there would be plenty of room - and he was right, even though there was not much left after we had both tied up! 

3.9 Miles - 4 Locks

Leicester, Castle Gardens

Today's Canal : Grand Union Leicester Branch

We did not plan on moving much today: we had a bit more shopping to do and were pleased to be able to find a space to moor at Castle Gardens which is close to the large Tesco superstore. Timing around making this move meant that it was unrealistic to attempt to go to the morning service at the cathedral (only a few  minutes walk from the mooring) so opted to go instead to Evensong at 3:30.

We left our overnight mooring around 10:30, now completely empty. (It is a pity that there is still a poor reputation for mooring towpath side with only four spaces at castle Gardens which are almost always fully subscribed. We certainly had a good, quiet stay here once again.

We made sure that there was a good gap in traffic and moved swiftly across to the navigation side of the water. We certainly had to maintain a careful watch even cruising under a mile.

One of the bridges is aptly called Swan Bridge as there are plenty around. Last night most of them seemed to take part in a flying display along the length of the straight. Makes for quite a spectacular sight and sound when almost all of them join in at the same time. Sorry, missed the photo op!

There was room for at least two more longer boats on the Castle Gardens mooring as we arrived one of which was a hire boat from Canal Cruising that passed us a little earlier. We moored as close to the far end as we could, making normal use of the oddly positioned cleats. But then the two boats that followed us down the locks yesterday arrived - they had stopped a little earlier than initially planned. The first arrived and hovered, clearly hoping that we could magic up enough space for them as they really did not want to be on the towpath side for their two day stay. We and the boat next back did in fact mange - just - to do that by smallish adjustment to our positions. The second boat arrived and there was no chance o coming alongside at this stage but the hire boat did let it be known that they were not staying all day. So, the waiting boat breasted up with their boating partners. Conversation once they were tied up revealed that they have a three month hire from Lower Heyford which they have done - on the same boat - for several years. They live in Israel, very close to the Lebanon border. They moved there from Africa about four decades to escape the growing prejudice against them that they were experiencing.

After another coffee break we made our second shopping trip, this time to the large Tesco on the opposite side of the waterway. We began by walking through Castle Gardens (only a small urban sanctuary) up onto the footbridge that is an important pedestrian link to the distinctly student area.

On the route to the supermarket we were suddenly confronted by this remaining railway structure. You guessed: part of the Great Central line. For the next couple of miles or so, the track bed has become largely built over until its route can be discerned close to the northern edge of the city. Much of the line through Leicester was built in an elevated position for various reasons - here as it crossed the Old River Soar.

On the way back we could see that the Canal Cruising boat had now departed and all the remaining boats were neatly lined up, tied to the pontoon.

After lunch we made ready to walk to the cathedral - it really is close from here. Despite some earlier threats of rain, it was very pleasant and sunny as we sat for a while in the cathedral grounds. We had left intentionally early so that we did not have to rush our walk and could also spend a little time inside.

Sadly, we failed to take any successful pictures of the cathedral! Inside the choir were rehearsing which offered a calming background to our time of waiting. The cathedral choir have developed a scheme of going out to small parishes around the diocese once a month to sing evensong, especially in places that do not have the resources to do so themselves. This meant that let behind only a group of five musicians from the Songmen (their term for the professional adult singers - men and women!)

There had been a large confirmation service with the Bishop in the morning so it was perhaps unsurprising that the congregation this afternoon  was sparse. In fact there were only five others beside ourselves!

For those unfamiliar with the tradition of Sung Evensong, all but a couple of hymns is sung by the choir and a cantor. The power of the singers, and good acoustics, filled the whole cathedral space within incredible sound. The setting, mostly by Dalitz, was captivating and used many attractive but less usual, harmonies. Both of the clergy on duty were very friendly in chatting afterwards.

The weather remained fine as we walked back to the boat but later turned to quite heavy rain. The next few days promise a mixed bag of sunshine and showers but our pressing need to find a water tap means that we will have to press on regardless. Elsan disposal will also soon need to be found! Such is the live of boaters but Leicester has long been especially poorly provided with essential services.

0.8 Miles - 0 Locks

Leicester, Upperton Road

Today's Navigations : Grand Union Leicester Branch, River Soar

Still uncertain about Mike's recovery, our plan today was to do a minimum of three locks, ideally five and super optimistically eight to take us into Leicester and its Straight Mile.

The day began brightly as can be seen in this picture of our very quiet overnight mooring.

Unfortunately we were heading almost directly away from the sun and so we could not often get any 'proper' pictures when underway.

This was really a photo for our reference library of a winding hole but it does show the bright blue sky rather nicely!

As we set off we suspected that a another boat was on is way down as we could see a definite and short lived rise in the flow rate. Noting appeared as we arrived at the first lock and set about preparing it. Hooray, before we could actually descend we could see a boat just coming around a far bend. We are not normally fussed about sharing or not sharing but today lock companions would be appreciated. Alas, after starting tom help us they revealed that were actually in a pair with another boat following on behind. So the remaining locks we had to do just with our own resources - or those we could recruit!

Someone has recently installed some potentially attractive raised beds alongside Whetstone Lane Lock. Let's hope that some of the keen gardeners amongst the volunteers are able to keep it looking attractive. In days gone by, many lock keepers prided themselves on their lock side plots, competing with others on the same canal for Best Lock.

Beyond this lock are the remains of a bridge on the former Great Central Railway Line which, at a time, was an important travel link in this part of the country, offering some of the best and fastest journeys into London. Alas it closed in 1960 as part of the rationalisations of the network, just at a time when road traffic was becoming ever more popular. Some parts have been re-incorporated into the modern network and the section through Loughborough operates as a heritage railway. Here the track bed has become a popular cycle and foot path. We will meet the line again later today!

We were delighted at one lock to find a young couple out walking their dog who took an interest in how locks work. We managed to inveigle the man into doing all the work at this lock, top and bottom. (He did not take a lot of persuasion!) His partner was very interested in the history and today's operations.

King's Lock is where we first meet some direct connection with the River Soar that has not  been far away for a while. One clue is the navigation warning board that indicates that the next section may flood at times.

Here is where part of the river water joins in, although the rest continues an independent channel alongside. We felt we were doing rather well and so opted to continue on into the city even if that meant a late-ish lunch 

It's that railway again!

We were looking forward to seeing a feature at Aylestone Mill Lock that we remembered from our. previous passages through. This is how it looked in 2021.

Alas, we do not know what  has happened but this is how it looks today.

Much of the canal along this next part, was at one time heavily industrialised. St Mary's Mill Lock is so named on account of the nearby factory mill. Some form of mill has been here since medieval times but by 1900, the OS Map indicates and India Rubber works. The John Bull Rubber Company tyre making business, founded in 1906, became part of Dunlop until the 1970s. Sadly, this was not the company that made the John Bull Printing Outfits, beloved of many children in the 1920s to 1950s. That came from the Charter Stamp Company in London and satisfied the interests of those youngsters who could not afford another product from the same company, the Adana Printing Press (see)

And finally to our eighth lock for today: Freeman's Meadow Lock, well known for being adjacent to an intimidating looking weir. In normal flow condition as there is little water over the crest of the weir and little danger of boats being pulled towards it from the lock approach. Nevertheless the row of protective dolphins is reassuring!

Alongside the lock stands the Leicester City Football Club ground. Sadly they are about to be demoted to EFL League One from the Championship, a far cry from their famous FA Cup Final victory of 2021. So much for naming the stadium King Power (after its sponsor, a Thai retail travel company)

We continued only a short distance to moor at an excellent set of bollards just after towpath bridge over the Old River Soar, which maintains its own identity until north of the city. 

A busy rowing club is based just around the corner - we saw plenty of craft out with their crews (from 1 to 8) practising on the Straight Mile both this afternoon and tomorrow morning.

After a late launch and a recuperation we did what we moored here specially to do - to do a major restock of our food stores from Lidl, a few minutes walk away from Upperton Bridge. Opposite the supermarket is the repurposed former Grand Central Railway Wagon Repair Shop. Built in late 19C, it fuelled a major expansion of the company into London, with a consequential growth in the transport of goods from the manufacturing companies around Leicester. The site was a substantial range of buildings, workshops of many different trades. Most have now been demolished, giving way to the major expansion of student accommodation in this part of the city - de  Montfort Uni is nearby. However, this one building survives.

5.0 Miles - 8 Locks

Glen Parva

Today's Canal : Grand Union Leicester Branch

Today's weather was much improved, albeit still on the chilly side. There was plenty of blue sky tom be seen even if only in patches.

We moored overnight opposite Kilby Bridge Wharf - the above photo shows not only the wharf but also our mooring.

The wharf still has its old crane. Several work boats live here when not working.

Thanks to Mike having to be woken by an unplanned alarm (he usually wakes around 7, but it was set accidentally!) we were quite late setting off, around 10:30. Today was to be a test of how well his injuries are mending - quite well in some parts, less in others. The plan, then was to do at least 2 locks and see how we go.

Shortly after leaving the wharf we had a low tech reminder of how far we have to go to the centre of Leicester. Better get a move on . . . 

First lock - Kilby Lock. Good news: wonderful sky. Bad news: you can just make out in the photo but one bottom gate open. Not only does this mean the lock is against us but also it is on the wrong side. This, sadly, is a characteristic of this section of the canal.

Before Mike could actually shut the gate a family of swans with 10 cygnets had smuggled itself into the chamber. It was clear that the parents knew just what they were doing as they immediately corralled their brood just below the top  gates where the waited impatiently. Just as soon as there was enough of a gap they were through and off up the upper pound.

The next lock, Double Rail, has a much older mechanisms for holding the paddles in the open position even though a more common ratchet and pawl is also provided.

We have not seen anything on the internet to confirm why this lock its particular name. However, the bottom gates have hand rails on the up and down sides, unusual on this canal. 

The commoner design can be seen at the next lock.

We have been in open countryside for over a week, except when in Market Harborough. However, soon after Ervin's Lock we had our first glimpse of the amalgamation of small towns and villages that have extended the city of Leicester so far outwards.

A little further we passed over a stream with a complex culvert which allows a small tributary to join its parent, the River Sence a short distance away.

Just after Crow Mills Bridge our maps indicate a mooring opportunity but it seemed more like the remains of a former bridge, so we pressed on. The bridge originally carried the Midland Counties railway that ran between Leicester and Rugby as part of a scheme to link up several larger Midland towns and cities. Alas it was closed in the early 1960s, even before Dr Beeching sharpened his famous axe. If it has survived it would have made the car shuffle journey back to Brinklow much simpler.

These signs were clearly visible long before we passed them. We had dreams of an unplanned refreshment stop but unfortunately they seemed to be part of a determined collectors display!

Our fourth lock today, Bush Lock, met the standard: the offside bottom gate was wide open.

We have been minimising effort today, especially crossing over gates. As a result we have generally been only opening paddles on one side. The time to fill made longer in two case, including here, as the gate paddles have been removed. Still, it gives more time for meditation! 

As we left the lock, the offside gate opened itself and shortly after we looked back and saw that the gate we had used - and closed - was also now open!

Across the fields to our left we could see Blaby Mill. Its origins date back to the Doomsday Book but the mill is thought to have been constructed as a water corn mill, powered by the River Sence, in the mid 18C. It has been a substantial stables for at least the last three decades and was on the market last year seeking a new owner. Price not listed!

Shortly after Knights bridge the next mooring opportunity arrived which turned out to be a good length of armco and surprisingly quiet.

2.6 Miles - 4 Locks