Barrow-on-Soar

Today's Navigation : River Soar 

Gain the day started cloudy but not cold, quite pleasant but not good for photos! The forecast had a threat of rain just before lunch time but it looked as if we were going to be on the edge of showery spell.

We had moored just above the lock landing at Birstall so Mike went to set the lock - it had been empty from the day before (we saw almost no boat traffic all day apart from rowing boats and paddle boards. In the wing wall he spotted these two unusual holes which looked as if they had been made fairly recently.

From the other side the view would surely spark the imagination of someone (young or old) with a  creative idea around alien creatures!

Meanwhile the steerer waited patiently as the crew closed up the lock.

Next stop, Thurmaston Lock.

Beside the downstream lock landing is a piece of public art. As yet we have not found anything about it and we did not spot any explanatory board nearby. This style of public art, made by cutting an image from sheet steel, seems to have become more popular in recent times. At least it is much harder for vandals to do much damage.

We paused at the Hope and Anchor to use the water point, as we did on the way up. some local people told Christine that the pub has been closed for some time after it was badly damaged by flood waters.  It has recently been bought by a couple who have experience in running a pub elsewhere. Work is underway to refurbish it and some flood defences have also been created. Not all the work recommended was funded so locals are fund raising to pay for the remainder.

On again and we passed the Junction with the River Wreake.

At Cossington Lock. Christine managed to enlist help from a paddle boarder who was taking a rest on the upstream lock landing. As a result we completed negotiating the lock in short order even though we had to turn it.

Below the lock at the start of a short set of moorings in the weir stream is a fuel boat, seeming open for business. Alas we did not need anything today.

Again, Sileby Lock needed to be filled.

Alongside is a small statue.

We could not decide whether it is intended as a memorial to someone but there are several stones with epigrams written on them. This one says If nothing ever changes then there would be no more butterflies. Interesting thought even if we are unsure what it is intended to tell us!

The main weir is alongside the lock and even in today's reduced flow conditions it still feels quite ferocious. Alas a photo does not have the same impact - perhaps it is the sound as well as the action that creates the feeling. We moored below the lock for a lunch break.

Just before Mountsorrel Lock we passed under the A6 for the first of two crossings in a short distance. The road takes a direct line whilst the river follows a sweeping bend. The bridge may be ordinary but, for the moment. the blue sky was a novelty.

The pub alongside Mountsorrel Lock was reasonably busy even through its extensive outdoor seating was not fully occupied.

From here we a had a half hour run on another very bendy section - by the time we reached Barrow, Mike's shoulder was quite worn out with all the heavy steering! A number of the waterside houses display flags but this one, Thank you VARDS has us stumped. We found several uses of the word or acronym but none seemed remotely worth flying a flag for!

This four bed house is on the market for £800K and comes with a mooring at the end of the garden. Even at that price, it is well below the most expensive in the village that the same agent is managing.

We called at the boater services at the start of the short cut that includes Barrow Deep Lock (that is for tomorrow) We were very keen to use the elsan as for the first time in a long while we were onto our third and final cassette - Leicester does not yet offer such a facility.

Where to moor? There are a few Visitor Moorings just before the services, quite empty and we could easily reverse back to them. However, we then remembered that we were held up here in 2007 (see) we found the adjacent weir very noisy! So, we carried on down the cut and moored just above, but still out of sight of, the lock

8.5 Miles - 6 Locks