Looking for King Richard - Week 3

 Monday 23rd September - above Blue Bank Lock

We have spent the day on the same mooring due to the forecast of very heavy rain, but the rain has been occasional and not very heavy, so a quiet day on the boat giving it a really good clean inside!

Blue Bank Lock this morning is so full that water is cascading over the lock beams meaning that the canal is full of  water.

Toby returning to the boat for his breakfast, you can just see the boat in the distance in the mist.

In the fields next to us is a horse sanctuary, Dave and Toby met this very pretty little pony. Foll's Field is a horse sanctuary that aims to rescue and provide a 'home for life' for horses and ponies who would have otherwise been put to sleep through no fault of their own. Since  2005 they have been based between the river Soar and Grand Union canal in Glen Parva and is currently home to 12 horses and ponies. 

This is the junction of the River Soar with the canal taken from the wooden side bridge, the river has flooded the surrounding water meadows.

 

Toby and I walked to this map earlier in the afternoon and I was able to stand and read the map, this was taken late afternoon and the path is now inaccessible. 

 

Opposite the boat is Glen Hills Nature Reserve and this structure is a barn owl nesting box, it’s the wrong time of year for nesting but I’m looking out for barn owls just in case!

Ella taken from the other side of the canal.  Tomorrow we shall move on as the forecast is much drier, and we shall see how far we get.

Tuesday 24th September - above Blue bank Lock to Kilby Bridge

We woke to much lighter skies and even some sunshine, so we got ready and began our journey back towards Kilby Bridge.

This boat is called ‘Jupiter bringer of Jollity’ and we were playing leapfrog all the way from Braunston.  They have now moored up outside a property in South Wigston.

In the distance across the fields is Blaby Mill on the River Sense.  Originally a water powered corn mill, it is now a stables offering horse riding lessons and accommodation.

A rather impressive pub at the end of the garden with hand pumps, signs and indoor and outdoor seating, even with a resident dog!

Fields flooded around the River Sense, it wasn’t like this when we came this way less than a week ago!

Dave waiting for the lock to empty so he can bring the boat in.  As there is so much water in the canal we have had to empty every lock because the water has flooded over the gates and filled the locks.

We arrived at Kilby bridge and moored in the same place as last time.  Dave walked down to the water point to fill a bottle with water for drinking and saw the large working boat we last saw coming through St Mary Mill’s Lock on our way down to Leicester.  Ready to start work on a lock further up.

4.5 miles, 7 locks, 4hrs 36mins

Wednesday 25th September - Kilby Bridge to Wistow

Early start this morning so we can put on water and clear all rubbish before we begin cruising.  The water point is in front of the white building in the photo above and we are moored just a little further back on the other side.

A very pleasant cruise up 7 locks which we shared, Dave did four and I did three.  Toby walked almost all the way, a total of 2.5 miles with rests at the locks.  Love this wonderful oak tree beside the lock, still in full green leaf.

Toby taking a well earned rest at one of the locks, he is tethered to the handle on the lock beam and is watching everything that is going on.

Beautiful cloud formation.  We moored up at Wistow, the only boat there and had a quiet evening.

2.5 miles, 7 locks, 3hrs 6mins

Thursday 26th September - Wistow

We have decided to stay a day here as it is going to rain again during the day.  We are the only boat on this stretch of mooring which is unusual, but very peaceful.

We walked along the canal across the fields and along to the craft centre.  One of the shops there sells the scented candles from St Eval in Cornwall which we loved when we were there in February, so have stocked up with a few more packets.  In a neighbouring field are these cows, bit like the saddleback pigs, these are Belted Galloway cows a traditional Scottish breed of beef cattle.

The River Sense flowing fast through the grounds of the Four Seasons, the fields are still passable on foot so we didnt have to wade through flood water!

This is a large meander in the River Sense, it wont be long before it is cut off and becomes an ox-bow lake, love the way rivers work!

Storm clouds gathering, following this we had torrential rain for the rest of the evening and throughout the night.

Friday 27th September - Wistow to Foxton Junction.

A brighter start this morning so we made a move hoping to get to Foxton and not get too wet.

The fields we walked over yesterday to get to the craft centre are flooded this morning, the Sense has burst its banks and the river is filling the water meadows.

The last of 5 locks today and it began to rain, Dave took over the driving and I went below.  This was a field of sheep but hidden under the trees there were a couple of alpacas sheltering from the rain.

We moored before Foxton Junction and it was absolutely deserted, the Bridge 61 cafe and shop had closed, the locks were locked up and the cafe and book swap shop were also shut.  It was a lot different from when we were here 2 weeks ago.

This area with the benches in used to be a pigsty, and across the lock the lock keeper had a vegetable garden to feed the family and sell any extra vegetables to passing boaters.

This is the arm of the canal at the bottom of the disused incline plane, boats would come down the incline inside huge caissons and then continue on their journey towards Leicester and the River Trent.  It is now used for private moorings.

7.25 miles, 5 locks, 3hrs 54mins

Saturday 28th September - Foxton Junction

We are having a quiet day on the boat, a walk around the lock and a bacon butty at the top lock cafe.

It is looking a little busier on the junction today, day boats and boats using the locks.

Ella sitting in the sunshine on her 9th birthday, she went in the water 9 years ago today, at Rode Heath on the Trent and Mersey.  Where has the time gone?

This is the stretch of water heading down towards the now disused incline plane, a peaceful walk away from the busy locks.

Sunday 29th September - Foxton Bottom lock to Foxton Top Lock

Today we are going up the Foxton Locks, we are coming under the turnover bridge to stop outside Bridge 61 cafe and wait for the locks to be ready for us.

We came up the first 5 staircase locks and then had to pull over in the pound between the two sets of locks.  Three boats were coming down the locks ahead of us so we had to wait for about 30 minutes for them to clear the staircase.

The final lock of the day, it had been very busy with lots of people stopping to chat and talk about the locks and how they worked.  A lovely cruise and a peaceful mooring at the top of the locks.

0.5 miles, 10 locks, 1hr 48mins