Heading South

Friday night in Nottingham, moored near a main road, was as expected noisy.  However we didn't expect an idiot to be speeding up and down the canal in his narrowboat at 11pm not too mention the honking, amorous canada geese.   After shopping at Sainsbury's on Saturday morning we headed out of civilisation and moored up on the quiet jetties outside Cranfleet Lock. 

On Sunday morning we came to a crossroads and a much debated decision about our route had to be reached.   The River Soar, through Leicester  and onto the Grand Union canal  is the direct route south but there are a lot of locks and a long day from Leicester city centre to safe moorings at Kilby.  We decided to take the scenic route: south-west on the Trent and Mersey then south-east on the Coventry and Oxford canals. 

Filling up at the waterpoint at Trent Corner as we decide which direction to take.  The board on the opposite bank shows our options: right for the Trent and Mersey, left then right for the River Soar and straight left for the weir!

  The Trent and Mersey, starting at Sawley Locks, is now a familiar route.  For the first time this year we dropped the wheelhouse ready for the low bridges.  Bess enjoyed sitting on the roof again but only for short periods, even with her coat on it was quite chilly.  

The approach to Sawley Locks - there are two locks side by side but the right hand one is hidden from view in this shot.  

One of the old warehouses in Shardlow.  The semi-circular windows feature on many of the canal buildings in this village.  

Our decision to take this route was not influenced by the Ragley Boat Stop, one of our favourite hostelries on the canal network; we had a couple of nights on their moorings and forgot about our diets.   

After setting off from Goole we realised we had a distinct shortage of tubular fenders, protecting Brent III's hull in soon takes it's toll.  Just outside Willington we moored up and called in at Midland Chandlers for some replacements.   Having put the wheelhouse up we left it up for the short distance into Willington and travelled very slowly under the low railway bridge.  We cleared it with 3 inches to spare.  

At Burton-on Trent we stopped at our usual spot at the park and playing fields, Shobnall Fields.   There was a surprise, we hadn't been here in spring before so were seeing a mass of daffodils for the first time.   

Strong winds and rain were forecast for the weekend so we were up early and stopped at the mooring for Morrisons on the way out of town.   With our fridge replenished we continued through to Alrewas where we battened down the hatches. 


Our journey from Nottingham to Alrewas