Another slow start as we planned to go to the cathedral for their main service at 10:30. The weather today is much cooler - in fact, as we walked the short distance it was even somewhat cool with a strong breeze.
As we reached Cathedral Green, some blue sky began to emerge at least for a while.
In the gardens there is an artwork that commemorates one of the city's main characters in history. The inscription reads:
Towards stillness
On the axis between Bosworth and Leicester
capturing twelve moments in time
from the battle that ended the reign of
King Richard III
to the discovery of his mortal remains.
The service was reasonably well attended and beautifully sung by the choir. The Dean's sermon was very much to the point highlighting the need for the cathedral as a community to look outward and also to not assume that there will always be someone else to bail out their financial needs!
The left promptly as we had a fairly challenging schedule - possibly - ahead of us, still not quite decided.
Back at the boat we immediately prepared to leave. The building opposite our mooring is the local office of the Land Registry. We decided against returning to Friars Mill for water as we could not assume that the only working tap would be accessible, We are a tad of the low side and the next water point is Kilby Bridge.
But first we headed back upstream to the mooring at Upperton Road so that we could walk the short distance to the nearby Lidl.
Once that task was complete it was definitely time for lunch, which we made and ate as expeditiously as we could!
As the weather was now much more conducive to cruising and lock operating we decided to see how far we could manage today, making it at least a realistic hope that we can fill our water tank tomorrow, Tuesday morning at the very latest. Just down the Old River Soar, under the towpath bridge, is the rowing club from whence all the rowers set out.
Within minutes we were able to see the first landmark, close to Freemans Meadow Lock: Leicester City Football Club stadium.
The lock itself took longer than expected as the preceding boat had left both top gates open and one set of paddles, all of which had to be closed before we could start to empty it. At all the locks today we had help - of varying sorts but all showing a keen interesting seeing how a lock works. here a man was very helpful, especially as it meant crossing from one side to another several times!
This towpath marks one of the many points at which the Soar enters or leaves the navigation.
From here to Kings Lock the river is very twisty and the extensive unmanaged vegetation frequently blocking the view ahead. This stretched Mike's shoulder muscles and by the end of the day they were somewhat 'exercised'.
St Mary's Mill Lock saw us with a couple of young parents with a very young girl. They were fascinated and after a bit of encouragement, Ada helped push the gates, at one point all on her own. Parents enjoyed taking photos of the moments.
At the next lock a chap emerged from the grounds on the offside, very keen to assist but needing to be given instruction! As we pulled away there was almost a competition between him and another family with two small children to close the gates! If you have a good magnifying glass, or an exceptional eye, you will see that they managed to share the task very amicably and parents again recording the experience with their phones!
Just before Kings Lock the River Soar left us to a quieter canal navigation (or perhaps we should say join, as we have been travelling upstream)
As we arrived at the lock Mike secretly hoped that we could indulge in chilled medication from the long established year round tea room at the former lock keeper's cottage. Alas, as soon as he reached the front door the sign indicated that they close at 3 on Sundays . . .
Unexpectedly there was a useful mooring space just beyond the end of the lock landing and we took this as a sign that we should see this as the rightful end pof today's cruise!
3.25 Miles - 4 Locks
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