Full Circle

From Loughborough we travelled 9 miles up the River Soar to arrive back at Trent End, the junction between the Trent, Soar and Erewash Canal.  It had taken 46 days to complete the ring and we both agreed it had been a very good trip. 

The weather had turned and as we didn't have any more low bridges to encounter we were glad to keep the wheelhouse up.  We turned west and headed back to Shardlow for the weekend as Nic, Gaz, Shaun and Laura and the kids were coming to see us. 

Shaun and Laura brought their new pup, Teddy a 10 week old chihuahau lapso cross who was adorable.  His tiny size and long soft fur hid a sharp set of teeth as Kev found to his cost when Teddy bit his nose!  

Teddy 

We drove over to the Ragley Boat Stop, the pub whose moorings we used on the Trent and Mersey Canal.   We all had an excellent meal but Shaun found the 48 ounce steak a bit on the large side.  

Heavy rain was bringing up the river levels as we headed north and although the flood locks were shut the indicator boards still showed we were safe to proceed.  Luckily the lockies are manning the electric locks on the Trent until the end of the month so we didn't have to operate them ourselves.   The sun came out when we moored at Hazelford Island so we enjoyed a walk into the nearby village of Fiskerton.

Hazelford Weir taken from the footbridge across the river.  Hazelford Lock is on the left, the white mooring bollards can be seen at the top of the bank. 

At Newark Sarah came to visit us.  Sarah & I enjoyed  a walk round the town and making some purchases in Boyes' haberdashery.   Sarah has tempted me with a challenge - to write a 50,000 word novel in November for the National Novel Writing Month.  Sarah and I have signed up and are giving our plots some thought.  If anyone is tempted to have a go the website is     National Novel Writing Month   

Our journey from Loughborough to Newark