WIDE RIVER AND WIND

I was in Leicester at Friars Walk last week on my narrowboat, and later moved on to overnight in Loughborough (say Luffbra) at two different locations while bussing it to and from Nottingham to figure out the city and its colourful transport system. For my pedantic apostropic friends I omitted the possessive at Friars intentionally as that is how twas writ when it was walked by Carmelites before Henry VIII reintroduced them to humility and poverty and nationalized tithe-gathering and begging.

I discovered that Trent Bridge is both a pub and a cricket ground and Nottingham County is a football team.  Nottingham City does have a football team but it is called called Nottingham Forest  and the City of Nottingham does not exist south of the bridge; it's Nottingham South.

The city has a substantial tram network called Nottingham Net which has nothing to do with football... Net stands for Nottingham Express Transport... and the local paper is not the Express; it is the Nottingham Post. "






In my last blog I was in Leicester at Friars Walk, since when I have overnighted in Loughborough (pronounced Luffbra) at two different locations while bussing it to and from Nottingham to figure it out and its colourful transport system. 

I discovered that Trent Bridge is. separately a cricket ground and a pub.  Nottingham County is a football team.  Nottingham City has a football team called Nottingham Forest  and the City of Nottingham does not exist south of the bridge; it's Nottingham South.

The city has a substantial LUAS network called Nottingham Net which have nothing to do with football... Net is for Nottingham Express... and their website is ... You've guessed it? ,,,  No you haven't...  try TheTram.Net. for very nice pictures and colours.  The local paper, unsurprisedly,  is not the Express; it is the Nottingham Post editor Natalie Fahy

All this was established from my Luffbra moorings where I was lucky to be able to visit an interpretation of Van Gogh in an old church I found near the mooring.  You don't get many starry nights in this part of the country.

My interim destination after Luffbra would be Trent Lock where the Erewash canal enters the big river but first I overnighted at Zouch Lock. 

In the morning early I went down a widening Soar to fetch up at Kegworth looking for a shop.  After a very long walk, mostly uphill, I managed to provision at a Co-op and then got a bus bus back to the boat because it was after 9.30am.  All found by 10.30, I let loose and passed through Ratcliffe-on-Soar with its by eight massive cooling towers and all those power lines.  Just beyond the power station I emitted onto the broad Trent at 12oc, executing a broad doughnut and sliding up to a ring in a howling gale to review my limited options. 

The wind was blowing 16kts on the nose and I would have no option but face it.  But a short rest allowed me to stretch my legs at Trent Lock. I had been going non stop since 6.30. 

A mile west was Sawley Lock which would get me off the river and onto canals.  The Erewash is one of the oldest canals in England the first survey being completed in 1775 and acquiring its Act (17 Geo. 3. c. 69) two years later. It opened in 1779 and has wide locks along its length. At one time you could get to Matlock high on the Yorkshire side of the Peak District following the Derwent which fed it.

Sawley Lock, which marks start of the Trent and Mersey navigation is electric and manned by volunteers.  Emerging at the top I happened to glance sideways into the face of an old friend,  young Ron Gooding, whom I had not seen since my Lee and Stort days.  Ron proudly showed off his recently acquired new home, Sawley lock cottage built in the 1770s under conversion to pub restaurant. Having spent most of two hours there, I took off at 3,30pm to try to make Sharlow which was only a couple of miles away but with the wind still strong  ...

I fetched up on bollards below the lock at  Derwent Mouth with my engine a bit hot and myself a bit bothered but having let the lump cool down I climbed the lock and this is where I overnighted Saturday.  It rained during the night but I heard nothing. 

Sunday morning made sense to leave early no matter what the weather.  Dry with a weak sun at 6.30am, I proceeded west through the massive marinas and boatyards of Shardlow to breast the lock and fasten the boat tightly on the top landing in a very strong wind.  I had taken the precaution of dressing properly before leaving Derwent Mouth and just as well because as I filled Sharlow the heavens opened. 

I have been here all day {well the boat has} I took a bus to Derby and being singularly unimpressed took the next bus out to Nottingham and by devious routes managed to include East Midlands Airport and Nottingham and Long Eaton and Derby and even Castle Donington

The following day it would all fall apart