Another largely grey day but still with no useful rain! The water traffic today is largely those who managed to escape the closure above Leicester, starting Tuesday afternoon. It is now too late to go upstream to anywhere much useful, certainly not able to emerge the other end of the closure in time to carry on.
As planned, we walked to the Cathedral for the morning service at 10:30. Along the way we passed Shaftesbury Hall, built c 1906, by a charity set up by Lady Rolleston to help the very impoverished young boys that she saw regularly on the city streets. Later she founded the Leicester Poor Boys and Girl Summer Camp, and early form of holiday clubs with, in reality, much the same objectives as are valid today. Indeed, the charity still runs traditional seaside holidays for children who could not otherwise afford one.
Crossing Jubilee Square, we spotted this highly decorative elephant, clearly quite new but with no explanation - however, see later.
The cathedral was originally the parish church and, as a result is hemmed in either by the remaining medieval buildings, such as The Guildhall . . .
. . . or at least the street pattern from that period. Hence we found it impossible to locate a vantage point that can show both the main building but also the magnificent, tall steeple.
As we have noted before, the main worship area - about half of the floor plan - is much more intimate that many cathedrals where the action sometimes takes place obscured by layers of screens and other structures.
The area immediately west of this area is where the tomb of Richard the Third is now established. It was set up in 2015 following the discovery nearby of what are now considered to be KRIII's once mortal remains.
In the North Aisle there is currently an exhibition of textile artwork pieces by Alexandra Kingswell.
On the opposite side of the nave is a small group of mini-elephants, part of the same project as the large elephant we saw earlier outside. These were all the work local primary schools. The work has been organised by LOROS Hospice and Wild in Art. There are 42 large ones dotted around the city's streets and open spaces and 82 baby elephants in accessible buildings.
The preacher at today's service was the cathedral's Canon Theologian as well as the Director of St Philip's Centre in the city. It aims to help people in a divided world, to live well together. Founded over a decade ago, it "has led efforts to ensure religion and belief are harnessed for the good of all" There are many opportunities in such a diverse multicultural community.
As we returned via Jubilee Square we noted a number of activities under the banner of re/action, a celebration of the environment in creative arts. We did not understand what was happened with the butterflies and bees but they looked splendid.
Nor did we discover the meaning of the the dance by this small group, but they were obviously very intense about it!
Eventually we made it back to the boat where we quickly changed from glad rags to rags! Before long we were on our way - the first of last night's moorers to move (two, we suspect will be here longer) Yesterday we promised you a picture of how we were moored. Alas, we were in too much of a hurry and forgot until we were a couple of boat length out! At least you can see the offending riser and the slot we were in, with the stern against the pontoon and the near front side against the protector around the riser. At least we were not an obstruction, not even to the early morning rowers.
When we came here four years ago we recall that the building works were just beginning to develop the area on the left of the picture - right at the back in the centre. Those are now complete and occupied - looks as if some have been in for a while. Still a little more space to fill on the downstream and now the opposite back is being covered in little boxes - the 1 and 2 bed apartments look tiny! (In behind must be where the 2 and 3 bedroom houses are to be developed.
On then to North Lock. We managed to recruit assistance from onlookers at each of the three locks today. Here, a couple of 'mature' ladies were taking an interest as they had been to Foxton yesterday. Mike did manage to get them wielding a lock key and pushing balance beams! (They are actually in this picture but you will need a magnifying glass to spot them . . .)
There is quite a bit of graffiti alongside the city centre navigation but it also seems to be refreshed quite quickly. None of it is offensive (unless, of course, if we don't understand the code) and. in the right place, it really brightens up dismal blank walls.
Lime Kiln Lock was where the BBQ was being held on Friday afternoon. Some of the same characters were there again, but new ones as well. In conversation we did learn that the lamb chop and its presentation were done by one of the group who is a chef - so we asked the others to pass out thanks back to him.
Another new housing development facing the canal has at least thought about creating an 'accessible' footpath down from the estate to the towpath. Pity they could not find some less brutalist for its design.
At Belgrave Lock we again had help from a couple of local chaps out for the afternoon. It is great how explaining how things work, just for a few minutes, elicits such a positive response. This time we manage a photo of the iconic Space Centre - there is only a rather short distance where a full image is possible.
Very quickly the urban landscape turned into green rural.
At Loughborough Bridge we noticed a sign to one side where it looks as if a track goes under the new main road which warned of flooding. We did not take much notice until a little later we passed another sign that really did puzzle us on the way up. We now surmise that it refers to the same track and offers an alternative when that underpass is blocked by flood water.
4.2 Miles - 3 Locks
No comments:
Post a Comment