Loughborough

 Today's Navigations - Erewash, River Trent, River Soar, Loughborough Cut

We were threatened by rain for much of today but fortunately, despite menacing clouds around most of the time it was only at lunch time that there was real rain. However , it was decidedly chilly all day.

The building work on the former Brittania Mill site was at work early, but most of the sound we could hear was from the tools used to tighten up the couplings on scaffolding which was going up apace.

Only one lock before Trent Lock - not far from our overnight mooring. As we worked through a couple of staff from the factory alongside the towpath came out for a coffee break. One of them told us that they make bespoke furniture and that there are today a lot of similar businesses in Long Eaton, replacing the lace industry which brought the buildings here in the first place.

Sheetstores Basin opens out off the canal through a narrow entrance. The basin was originally constructed as a transhipment facility, between canal and railway, for coke. Before long the railways extended right inti the coal fields so the canal was no longer used for this traffic. However, the site was converted into a works to manufacture the tarpaulins needed to cover goods as they were carried in open wagons (see). Hence the name Sheet Stores.

We paused to use the full range of usual boaters' services at Trent Lock but we had to work around a large group of children who were either on going out on the water in canoes or taking to the towpath for pond dipping. The activities are based on a CaRT School Room facility in a small former canal building.

As we left Trent Lock and out onto the river, we could see Ratcliffe Power Station directly ahead with all 8 of the cooling towers in operation.

It took only a few minutes to cross the Trent and enter the River Soar. Looking back, the Trent continues down over a weir straight ahead, whilst the navigable route via Nottingham is just to the right of picture.

Red Hill Lock is not included in our lock count for today as, recent flood works make this lock redundant so it is now never closed,

Ratcliffe Lock was a bit tricky. In recent weeks there have been reports of boats becoming stuck on a build up of silt at the lower lock landing. CaRT issued a warning not to use the landing (how else to work the lock was not specified!) and then in the last couple of days a further notice to say that it had been dredged. W approached cautiously and did still find ourselves catching on the bottom before we could get right up to the landing. In addition, it is rather high to get off comfortably from the front of the boat, but not high enough to use the roof! As it happened there were two boats already coming down so we waited for them to exit and then went straight in. Also, there were two people with another boat behind who assisted us greatly. It stull meant that Christine had to climb the ladder! All of which is to excuse the lack of a useful picture.

Earlier we had to change the gas bottle so were on the lookout for a replacement. Although they do last a long time, it is easy to forget and then end up with no gas at all! Our guide suggested that we could get some at Kegworth Marine but as we eased alongside we saw a well hidden sign saying CLOSED. Given the price of diesel it is possible that it has not been open for some while - also saying CASH ONLY suggests that it has not felt the impact of Covid.

Kegworth Shallow Lock is a flood lock in summer but as part of water management it operates conventionally in winter.

Since we were here four years ago, Kegworth Deep Lock has been renamed Kegworth New Lock it seems that its name was putting new boaters off! Whilst indeed this lock is deeper because it was created as part of some flood relief works, it has been here since 1984! Remains of the earlier lock can still be seen alongside. Oddly, the flood lock was previously named New Lock!

Kegworth is right under the flight path for arrivals into East Midlands Airport which is close by. Whilst bit as busy as we saw four years ago, traffic does seem to be recovering a little from the disastrous impact of the past 18 months.

At Zouch, flood gates were fitted under the road bridge some while ago to protect the houses along Zouch Cut. This meant that boats could not pass at such times and a warning light, together with an emergency mooring dolphin were provide a little upstream. More recently a radial gate has been built and it seems that the flood gates are probably no longer used (although we cannot find confirmation) In any event, the upstream warning,light has been removed and the moorings are looking the worse for wear.

Although the trees are gradually doing their best to hide Normanton church, it is still an iconic must-take photo-op.

We have fond memories of Bishop Meadow Lock as this was where we moored our little boat Fiona now over 50 years ago.

After going up Loughborough Lock we found a mooring close to the town centre as tomorrow we will need to do weekend shopping before we continue on towards Leicester.

11.6 Miles - 8 Locks