Leicester

A warm and generally sunny day that was a very pleasant taste of spring. We were off in good time and continued the last part of the canal to the junction with the River Soar. We realised that we had been sensible to moor where we did as there was little opportunity for some distance thereafter. At the first lock we had to wait to allow a BW workboat come up on its way to some work a little further up. Lack of money until the new financial year means that they are limited in what tasks they can complete.

Pretty flowers alongside Kings Lock.

The last of the rural landscape soon yielded to the pressures of urban development. Although there has been a lot of effort over the past few decades to clean up and improve the areas surrounding the navigation, what troubled us was the signs that there is now growing neglect and a rapid decline back to the much salubrious reputation that Leicester once suffered. People respect well-cared for environments but as soon as the litter, graffiti and - even more so - the general maintenance by landowners, including public bodies (although private ones are rarely shining examples) - takes a hold, respect for the environment also disappears and it is a long haul to recover once again. Simple care for the environment is probably more important and cost effective than many other of the sexier 'green' initiatives.

At Freeman's Meadow Lock, opposite the huge Leicester City Football Club, the approach for the unwary can be rather intimidating with the large, unprotected weir. However, there is little flow over the weir and we arrived at the lock landing without difficulty.

Some sudden displays of Spring lighten the landscape.

In the centre of Leicester we decided to moor up at the secure Castle Gardens pontoon and take a short walk into the centre. Castle Gardens is where the city began but is now largely underneath urban sprawl and ring roads.

Close to the navigation is Jewry Walls. Later, Christine investigated more closely and discovered that it has nothing to do with Jews but a medieval corruption of something quite different. The remains are those of a Roman bathhouse, although most of the stonework was carried away over the centuries for re-use elsewhere.

Not sure there is much demands for records and typewriters these days!

We located the covered market - a good collection of meat and fish stalls, as well as the usual range of goods on four levels. The fruit and veg were outside. Alas, what we really wanted was a good bread stall or shop but all that was on offer was Greggs.

The cathedral is crowded in buy is neighbours and it is difficult to find a real vantage point to see all of the outside at once. Inside we were surprised that it seemed to hold only quite a small congregation but we later discovered that until 1927 it was the local parish church.

Back to the boat and after lunch we continued through the rest of the industrial landscape, passing the distinctive shape of the National Space Centre.

The countryside re-appears quite suddenly with the arrival of the Watermead Country Park, with lakes on either side of the river.

We were quite keen to find a supply of diesel - nothing available since Braunston and so turned into the marina just after Birstall. Its large sign included fuel but it was only after we had navigated down to the centre that we learned that it is closed on Tuesdays - no mention at the entrance. The diversion meant that we would be too late for the next supply at Sileby Mill. However, Christine has a good chat on the phone with a man at the boatyard. yes, we would be too late for today but they re-open at nine tomorrow and there are good moorings opposite!

By the time we had tied up it was half past five so photos of the lock and mill will need to await better daylight in the morning!