Soaring to new heights.

We had a lovely quiet night, despite the planes coming over for East Midlands. It seems that the airport is a hub for the likes of UPS and DHL etc. This morning MMac y the cat got very edgy when she heard the engines roar when they planes took off as she though it may be lightning, which she detests.

Coming into land at East Midlands.

Looking back to Kegworth Shallow, or flood lock and our mooring just beyond.

I had a very good conversation with a couple of old boys on the moorings before we set off. They were over eighty and both looked only a little bit older than me. Maybe says a lot about me though! Suddenly the canal/river came alive with two boats heading three boats heading down stream and two up. We set off astern of them and as the Kegworth Deep Lock was close we were able to let them jump on their boats whilst we set the lock. The Deep Lock is in a lovely setting and is actually a new one as it was built to replace the old one to increase flood protection levels. As the first lock is Grade II projected it is still there but mainly filled in to save accidents.

Kegworth Deep Lock with St Andrews Church in Kegworth standing sentinel and a bloke just launching his kayak.

The current was very lazy on the Soar and the river meandered through water meadows and skirted villages. There was a number of house close to the river that looked mainly like weekend homes and some that were converted mills etc. The variety meant that there was always something interesting to see. 

A great house or mill that was next to the river section next to the Kegworth Lock.

A 1950's chalet near Normanton on Soar

Emergency moorings near Zouch to remind you that the river can seriously flood at times.

We had come up through Zouch Lock on our own but by the time we got to Bishop Meadow and Loughborough Lock we shared with a day boat with a Tasmanian family aboard on the way back to barrow on Soar.

Another big house near Normanton on Soar.

St James Church Normanton on Soar looking down the reach towards Loughborough.

We went straight on to Loughborough Basin. Here is the meeting of the Loughborough Navigation from the Trent that was completed in 1778 and the Leicester Navigation that joined up in 1794. We went to the basin to pick up some water but thought that it didn't look like the place to moor up.

Loughborough Basin with full facilities.

We turned round round and headed back to the junction and through Chain Bridge and on to the Leicester Navigation.. It was called Chain Bridge as the look keeper put a chain across when off duty so as not to miss any tolls. We moored up a little further on and found we were outside B&Q. We had been thinking of buying a folding chair to use at the dinette and one that could be used on deck too. We had seen on at B&Q and bit the bullet and bought it. It seems to be just the job. We then went off to the station to pick up the tickets  that we had bought for Helen to go home in ten days or so. We then walked in to town to get the lay of the land and found the 'Organ Grinder' pub where I had a pint of Infinity from Blue Monkey and a Perrless by Redwillow Brewery. Back to the boat for tea.