Most of this 60 mile journey with 34 locks 19 of which are narrow locks and 15 broad locks that take 2 boats, we’d not done before and involves the East Midlands Ring, or often called The Leicester Ring.
From Aston we retrace our steps South to Great Haywood Junction where old friends Bob & Jill came onboard, but go straight on here, past Shugborough Hall to Wolseley Bridge where we met Jills cousin Diane and husband Mike for a pub meal at the local pub. Next day Colwich, and old school friends Marylin and Pete from Leek were with us. On to Rugely and Fradley and another of Jills cousins Sue onboard.
Fradley onwards on the Trent & Mersey is uncharted for us. The T&M swings NE from Fradley towards Burton-0n-Trent, South of Derby and before Nottingham there’s a short section of River Trent before a right turn South onto the river Soar. The Trent is quite wide here and it’s difficult to see the right turn onto the Soar. Wide locks now and Kegworth New Lock gave us an awkward time especially as we were on our own and the boat was difficult to keep to one side of the lock when filling. A brief visit into Loughborough basin and a few provisions. Easy mooring but not the sort of place we stay overnight. So we pressed on to overnight just above Zouch Lock. Into Pillings Marina on the 7th Sept and another trip by train home for 10 days. It’s good to leave the boat in marinas, nice and safe and hooked up to a shoreline for electricity.
Back onboard 18th September and heading for Leicester. There’s a secure mooring in Leicester below Castle Gardens, not too noisy and only boaters can get access.
