Limping along to Leicester.

We had a very quiet sleep and a great view out the window when we finally woke up with the sun shining

This was out mooring and we were actually on the River Wreake. That joins the Soar a little further up. It formed part of the Melton Mowbray Navigation that later connected with the Oakham Navigation

The Wreake joins the Soar fro under the bridge. The navigation followed the river for much of its length to Melton Mowbray but there were 12 locks where levels had to be maintained for mills. It opened in 1794. Business increased when the Oakham Navigation connected with it in 1802, but with the advent of the railways what little profit the waterways made evapourated. The Oakham was closed in 1847 and this reduced the traffic on the lower navigation and it closed in 1877.

As we passed Watermead Country Park this work  boat approached. They told me that they drew 3.5 feet, so we should be okay.

These silhouette sculptures are very effective and similar styles have sprung up all over, but these were the first ones we saw. The are of Ancient Britain's and their cattle. Right opposite is the MGM boat builders.

Our luck was not to hold out as when we got to Birstal Lock the was a stoppage on. The paddle on the open upper gate had jammed up so we were stuck. C&RT told me there was only one bloke looking after three navigations and somebody should be there before 17:00! As it turned out we were on our way after three hours after they had dropped the paddle and were then restoring its action after we had gone. 

 

As it happened we had collected a lock buddy in the form of a Stone Cruisers hire boat with a nice Kiwi couple on a nine week holiday. We set off along the windy route. There were a couple of bridges that when you approached you couldn't really tell where the canal went. Your first view of this bridge were the arches that we wouldn't fit under!

Despite getting closer to the centre of Leicester there are still great green areas, even after leaving the water meadows. Mind you there was plenty of rubbish in the canals too. Not as bad as on our previous passage.

At Belgrave Lock the weir and Space Centre provide a view that is like something out of an episode of Dr. Who. The glowering sky made it more so. We had been lucky with the weather so far today as it pelted down when we were waiting at the lock.

This old mill seems to have been nicely converted to apartments. There is a fair bit of house building on sites that have been cleared but the area seems to be improving since we last passed.

Not sure if you can see the 'tide mark' on each of these swans? I don't know what it is but the swans are cleaning themselves and removing it. I don't know if it will be poisonous to them. We did see a dead swan yesterday. The canal may be cleaner than before, but still that clean. We didn't notice an oil slick either.

We were just starting to wonder if there would be any space on the pontoons at Friars Mill or Castle Gardens when we got to North Lock at Frog Island. This was the sight that met us. The fire brigade were attending a fire in an acetylene cylinder that was with a load of others in a car park with a truck nearby. They were pumping water out of the canal on to it, but had failed to put it out. It seems they they were now containing the situation and just letting it burn it's self out.

A little later a policeman came on duty and told us that he had been told he would be there until 23:00. It seems we are here for the night! Not the most salubrious of spots, but home is where the boat is I suppose.