South Wigston

Another surprising change in the weather - we awoke to bright blue skies once more and a distinctly warmer atmosphere - reaching over 16C at times.

Shortly after setting off we could see across the meadows to Wistow church, set well away from the nearest road.

The day was very much one of short cruising lengths interspersed by locks. These, of course, are now broad locks again and rather harder work. However we have quite a good system and the journey passed smoothly.

Our first target was Kilby Bridge, once an important wharf for waterway maintenance. Although the derrick crane is still in operation for loading up materials such as piling sheets, there seemed little else left now. However, for us there is the important services block which here is quite substantial. We could have both had a shower as well as filling with water and getting rid of the waste. We learned later that there is a large storage area close by.

Each lock has its own name (as do the bridges) on this part of the canal. One is called Double Rail - we can only assume that it is called this as it has two hand rails over the bottom gates - all the others have just one.

Before long the outskirts of the Leicester conurbation come into view although for some time the canal is the division between urban and rural life.

We recalled from our last time here, on Canal40 trip, that there is a Tesco store about 10 minutes walk from Crow Mills Bridge (92) so we pulled in to moor just beyond the bridge. At first we wondered if we might have a problem - there are few easy mooring places along here with a lot of reed allowed to block access to the bank - as a continuous moorer was occupying the only proper mooring (complete with bollards). However we did just managed to squeeze in despite a badly collapsed bank.

Our shopping trip was delayed when, as we were closing up the boat, it was realised that Mike had left his windlass at the last lock and was sent off to retrieve it post haste! There were so few people around that it was still on the balance beam where he had left it.

Back from the shop we had lunch and then set off once more. Modern housing estates have improved the landscape close to the canal. Only at Whetstone Lane Lock is there a close reminder of the dreary view that was once the unenviable repute of the Leicester-Wigston stretch.

Although we had ample time to reach our planned destination of Kings Lock, we opted for a good mooring between Gee's and Blue Bank locks. We did not have enough time in daylight at this season of the year to reach the secure moorings at castle Gardens in Leicester itself and we also wanted to avoid mooring on the River Soar, at least until we have seen whether there are any flood waters.