Days 12 - 15 Moored at Kilby Bridge

A pause in our journey for various appointments and a family visit for Jan.  On the Sunday we went to the Framework Knitters Museum in South Wigston, a master hosier's house and workshop dating from the late seventeenth century and left largely intact after the last inhabitants died in the 1950s.  The volunteer guides were very informative and made this well worth the visit. 

 The parlour

 View from the parlour

 The larder

Child's bedroom

 

A framework knitting machine, with a length of knitted fabric in situ.  We'd never seen one of these before and the volunteer who demonstrated it working showed how much energy went into each row, with both hands/arms and feet operating the various mechanisms - at high speed and for long hours each day.

A dummy showing how close the machines were to each other - his back resting on the frame behind him.  The noise must have been deafening, as the machines were packed into small spaces to maximise profits.  Around 28 people would have worked in this small workshop complex, some on the machines and others, mainly women and children doing the finishing.

Several machines, still as they were when the workshop was operating

 Meadowsweet

Crocodile infested waters

Good night!

Days 11 & 12: Kings Lock to South Wigston and Kilby Bridge

Very quiet on the canal (or is it still a river?) on this section, so we went up all 9 locks on Day 11 by ourselves hardly seeing another boat.  It's shallow and rather tiring going, both because we had to go slowly and try to avoid going aground.  Alongside Dunns lock (we think) Jan saw an enormous bull making a great rumbling noise before disappearing into the bushes.  We kept to the towpath side as much as possible, wondering what the escape strategy might be if it decided we were intruding.

 Starting off with rain clouds

 All togged up as the rain swept in

 Extra care needed on slippery locks

Enjoying the English Summer

Holding on while Jan deals with a bull! 

 Exiting a lock as the sun breaks through

 The perfect shed

 Summer's back

 The Third Man?

 Lock gear

 Tranquility

This visitor came right up onto the lock

We moored up in a lovely spot just below Double Rail lock at South Wigston but got up next morning to find the water level in the canal down overnight and the boat aslant and firmly aground.  Much pushing ensued, until we got the bow off and the stern then followed. Above the lock the water seemed deeper and we continued to Kilby Bridge for a good cleanup and fill up, for Jan to collect the car and a few days' break.

Days 9 & 10: Syston to Leicester via Birstall

We left Junction lock for the village of Birstall, our starting off place for the day's trip through Leicester the following day.  We arrived early, as spaces can be limited and walked the few minutes to the village Co-op then sat in the sunshine and chatted to other boaters.

 Stop at L R Harris's boatyard for gas - and a potential stowadog

Luxuriant willows are everywhere on this stretch

 At Birstall, Captain Sprinkles' ice cream boat 

Nearby Watermead park, where mammoth and bison bones have been discovered in the gravel.  According to a passing local, the Soar valley was a migration route - not being pachydermists, we can't confirm.

Next morning, we'd planned to start early but Canal & River Trust staff were repairing Birstall lock.  

 CRT working on the lock

In the queue. Eventually CRT taped up the broken paddle and let us all through.

A mile further on, Thurcaston Old Bridge, originally 15th century.  Until we got up close, it wasn't clear which arch to go through!

Leicester is famous for its imaginative graffiti and murals

Traces of Leicester's industrial past are everywhere along the route, mainly buildings concerned with hosiery and textile manufacturing like the Wolsey complex which was named after the Cardinal who died in Leicester in 1530 (remember 'Wolf Hall'). Note: Denis strongly opposes the implication we only know history from TV or Twitter!

Demolishing the past, brick by brick

  

 A wall of old factories, now converted to apartments

The rather impressive broad and straight section through central Leicester - not really made the most of, we feel, as a city waterfront compared with say Nottingham or London

Leicester City football ground, next to Freeman's Meadow Lock

Skirting the giant weir immediately above the lock

The river was shallow leaving Leicester and we went aground on a corner, but got off again fairly easily.   The plan was to moor for the night south of the city near Kings Lock, which Jan remembered was quiet and - important, this - has a teashop at the lock cottage.  Unfortunately, the teashop wasn't open when we arrived (opening hours are Thursday to Sunday) and the following day we wanted to leave early... but one day, we WILL go.  

Days 7 & 8: Barrow to Syston

A day in Barrow, then boating to Junction Lock and late lunch at the Hope & Anchor at Syston.

Walk from mooring to Barrow village...

and the Navigation Inn, a traditional riverside pub - unfortunately closed for refurbishment

 so the Soar Bridge Inn with a great selection of Everards ales was a pleasant alternative

Day 8 Onwards to Syston via Barrow Deep (9' 7"), Mountsorrel, Cossington and Junction locks.

 Queuing for Barrow Deep windlass at the ready.  We met crews from three charities - Mosaic, the Baldwin Trust and Peter Le Marchant who provide river trips for elderly and disabled people

 Jan steering into Barrow Deep

 Borrowing a Peter Le Marchant volunteer to hold the centre line, as we were alone in the double lock

 Riverside moorings at Cossington

 Jan keeping her cool in 24 degrees heat

 Early morning following a night moored above Junction lock with a lovely view of the weir and wetlands beyond

Leicestershire longhorn cattle near our mooring