Still Soar'ing along slowly

We discovered this morning that we could've moored up in Normanton-upon-Soar last night after all - there was a very attractive riverside pub with moorings - it just goes to show that you shouldn't rely on everything the Nicholson's Guide says, and I quote "...the inhabitants of Normanton guard their waterfront jealously, making it extremely difficult to get ashore".

Permanent moorings just before Normanton-Upon-Soar

 Even the cows are well washed and turned out here!

There were certainly some very exclusive waterside properties; I've always been astounded that there's so much wealth around in England and occasionally wonder where they get all their riches from to be able to afford such opulence?  But it doesn't keep me awake at night, good on them, so long as it makes them happy.  Maybe they're all football players and their WAGs?!

 

 

The Church at Normanton-Upon-Soar dominates the skyline as you approach the village from either end

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only three locks to negotiate today.  At the first one, Bishop's Meadow Lock, we encountered a wide beam narrowboat full of elderly folk on 'Symphony', owned by the Peter Le Marchant Trust, which can take up to 26 disabled or seriously ill people and their carers out for the day from 1000 to 1500hrs.  How wonderful to know that there are such charitable bodies around, it sort of makes up for the extravagances of the upper classes.  The gentleman in charge was chatting to Barry and proudly informed him that he'd been instrumental in starting up the magazine 'Canals and Rivers' in 1978 (then called 'Canals and Riverboats'), which is still published today.

Symphony and the darling gentleman who drives the boat and says he'll keep doing so until he's 80 if possible - another six years to go!

Loughborough Lock and a helpful passing young man who closed the gate for us

We moored at lunchtime not far from Loughborough Wharf, an attractive newly built area along with some good looking apartments.  A short walk away was a large Tesco's so we could stock up on provisions. I know that we could shop with them on-line and get them to deliver to the boat, but we're never quite certain where we're going to be from one day to the next, so although it sounds great in theory we've yet to be organised sufficiently to put it into practice!

Loughborough Wharf - very colourful with some handy visitors moorings close to shops and Tesco's

Old mill buildings by Nottingham Road Bridge

Barry had seen that there was a 'Bell Foundry Museum' in Loughborough, which made the largest bell in Britain, "Great Paul", the massive Bourdon bell at St Paul's Cathedral in London in 1881, weighing an incredible 17,002 kgs/37,483 pounds.   The foundry also made the bells for the Carillon War Memorial, a landmark within the Queens Park in the town, and  York Minster.  However, by the time we'd moored up closer to the factory and ate lunch it was after 1500hrs so we decided not to visit but to continue our journey to Barrow-Upon-Soar.  We're not sure if we missed anything exciting - it certainly didn't appeal to me I have to say, interesting as it is!

I found it very amusing to find that there are apparently a high proportion of Australians in Loughborough, as students and alumni of the University, and so the town occasionally gets named 'Loogabarooga', both purposely for comic effect by Australians in the town and accidentally by visiting Australians unaware of its correct pronunciation - hilarious!

More converted canalside dwellings

An old Mill now made into desirable apartments

    A very pretty river

 More weirs and flood gates at the ready for the next deluge

We arrived in Barrow-Upon-soar in the early evening and had a walk around the village before dinner.  There's a huge caravan/camping ground over the bridge from the village which appeared to be filling up with weekend revellers - but only mixed sex groups (over 18) or families allowed here thank you very much.

Late in the evening we sat out on the tow path with our neighbours beside their new boat 'Pilgrim's Progress', only ten months old and looking polished and pristine, discussing many interesting topics, including New Zealand, as one of the couples has a daughter who lives and works in Rotorua (in the centre of the North Island, famous for it's boiling mud and steaming fumaroles) - it's a small world!

Young canoeists enjoying in the River a short way from our mooring - much better than hanging around the streets

 Some of the photogenic properties in Barrow-Upon-Soar ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barrow Deep Lock

A beautiful begonia (I think!)

Loving, locks and football (note the vital comma!!)

We awoke on Thursday to a slightly overcast but still warm day, and after breakfast moved a short way to top up our water tank - we're not getting caught with a drought on board again!

There's always something going on along the towpath - a woman signwriting a boat

Stunning old traditional narrowboat, lovingly restored - the owner's wife says he goes through more Brasso than diesel

One of the floating homes moored permanently opposite our mooring

Entering Trent Lock, sharing with another boat, taking us back onto The River Trent

Quaint little tea rooms beside the lock

We crossed the Soar/Trent/Erewash junction late morning, and ambled along the charming River Soar ogling at some cool riverside houses along the way - the drawback would be the view from the rear of the house of Ratcliffe Power Station!

Kayakers coming down the River Soar as we passed going up

A touch of 'The Wind in the Willows'

 

Oh dear, a dismal scene!

Ratcliffe Lock, a sharp right hand turn

There were only three locks to negotiate - one of them, Kegworth Deep Lock, certainly lived up to its name!  Barry went ahead to open the gates, and while he was gone an amazing photo opportunity presented itself to me so I had to take it with my little Canon Ixus - an iridescent blue and a fluorescent green dragonfly attached themselves to the rear porthole and proceeded to copulate before my eyes!  I believe the female grasps the male by the head until she can find a suitable spot - then he brings his tail up and 'does the business'.  Spectacular colours, it's so difficult normally to get a shot of these beautiful creatures, what a joy!

Wow! How incredible to be honoured with this erotic display of dragonfly loving

After my photographic delight it was into the bowels of the lock which reminded me of the huge caverns of the River Trent that we passed through last year.  It's pretty nerve wracking being in these 'tombs' alone, on what appears to be a teeny narrowboat in comparison - hanging onto the ropes with gritted teeth and hoping that the other end that's tied up but unattended doesn't come loose and send you swishing around like a washing machine - there were even what appeared to be soap suds in the swirling water!  I encountered a couple of tricky moments when the stern rope couldn't quite manage to easily glide up the pole, and the boat rocked precariously, but we eventually we ascended safely - phew!

Plenty of room in here; and an old, disused lock runs parallel to the Deep Lock

Does my boat look little in this?

 

 

Hanging on tightly whilst smiling through gritted teeth!

 

 

 

We spotted a riverside pub just before 1500hrs kick-off, and pulled up hoping they may be showing the New Zealand match, but unfortunately they weren't - so on we trekked ...

The Otter at Kegworth, looked very pleasant but far too respectable to be showing football!

The imposing Whatton House overlooks the Soar - mostly shrouded by trees, you can visit the gardens and can hire the venue for weddings

 

 

 

 

Good job there's an arrow pointing in the other direction!

 

 

 

 

 

We continued on and had managed six miles of travelling before finding a perfect pub in a small village called Zouch, just north of Loughborough, that was showing the football - well the lovely man was sitting watching Wimbledon and we asked if it would be possible to turn the TV over to watch the match.  Bless him, he very kindly said it wasn't a problem and switched channels - we didn't find out until later that he'd actually been watching the mammoth, record breaking, three day match which was eventually won 70 games to 68 after over 12 hours!  There was a very congenial atmosphere in the canalside pub 'The Rose and Crown', of course at that time of day it was fairly quiet but everyone who worked there or came in chatted to us amiably. 

Suffice it to say, the All Whites are out of the World Cup after only managing a nil/nil draw against Paraguay who go through with Slovenia - well who'd have thought?  Even Italy have been knocked out and they are the current holders of the Cup!  There was a banner in the crowd which read "The All Whites - As many World Cup Finals as Spain" - I suspect that's nothing to be proud of, but when you've nothing to lose you may as well boast about something!  The Kiwi goalkeeper was amazing, Paraguay should probably have won three nil realistically, they were definitely the better team!  Ah well, we'll just have to lend our support to England now and stay away from the match on Sunday so they win again!

Houses backing straight onto the river               The Rose and Crown pub - highly recommended

Two kiwis entranced by the game, and the lovely bloke who unselfishly turned the TV over for us - you can tell which pubs are supporting the World Cup by the English flags flying or adorning furniture/people

The rear of The Rose and Crown

By the time we returned to Northern Pride it was after 1800hrs so we decided to stay the night.  Barry had a trip on the bike to Normanton-upon-Soar, a 12th century village nestling between Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, just a short distance away, but not accessible from the water.

An assortment of shapes and sizes of boats on the river

The 12th century parish church of St James surrounded by gravestones

  

Church Steeple - looks like the stairway to heaven

Normonton-upon-Soar - a picture postcard (affluent) village

 

 

The flood protection weir on the river bypass - a very elaborate looking system, though I guess it's needed when you see how close the houses are to the river

 

 

 

 

We'll motor on to Loughborough on Friday and hope to make it as far as Leicester on Saturday - thanks for the advice Adam - I have to admit that I'd heard some dreadful tales of thugs stoning boats in the locks in Leicester when we were here last year, and haven't been terribly keen to visit (though Barry always says we shouldn't listen to 'Chinese Whispers' horror stories but experience areas ourselves and form our own opinions!).  However, after reading the write-up in the Nicholson's Guide I'm actually looking forward to being proved wrong and enjoying discovering more about the town.  Some years ago I almost got a senior midwifery post at the Hospital there, but it was at a crucial point in my younger daughter's schooling so it would've been too difficult to move from Sutton Coldfield at that time.  I was told then that there are many quaint villages around Leicester too, so hopefully we'll get a chance to see some of these also over the next few days.

 Rapeseed flowers and poppies - magnificent!