Swarkestone

The weather today was a complete contrast from the past week or so - especially from yesterday. The brilliant warm sunshine was replaced by overcast skies and temperatures that never rose above 7C.

We set off in good time, completing the three remaining locks before the River Trent and passing through Long Eaton. Although one or two old mill buildings stand empty, several have been converted and put to good use, mainly we surmise as apartments. One chimney survived when its associated buildings were demolished on account of having been put to good use.

Having seen no moving boats on the Erewash hitherto, it was surprise to meet two coming up Long Eaton lock!

Shortly after 10 o'clock we arrived at Trent Lock and made a quick stop at the services before locking down onto the river. The junction was quite busy - three or four boats passed by to go up the Rive Soar and as we emerged there were two others passing immediately in front of us. Fortunately the river here is wide and there was plenty of room for all of us.

A short stretch brought us to Sawley Locks - two locks side by side, both double width, are available and mechanised. We followed a single handed boat up the river and into the lock.

Sawley Cut is a popular mooring spot and is protected at the upper end by flood gates - fortunately not in use today.

A little further and we left the river and felt the comfort of being back on a canal once more: Trent and Mersey. This final section, from Derwent Mouth to Burton-on-Trent the canal is broad and a couple of the locks we shared with the same boat that came up Sawley with us.

We pulled in at Shardlow, once an important and bustling canal port, with a number of significant warehouses. Mike was dispatched on a mission to buy milk and a paper whilst Christine prepared bacon rolls for lunch. However, he eventually discovered that the canal location named Shardlow is quite a long distance from the village of the same name! Despite being promised shop, after a kilometre+ there was nothing in sight so he turned around and returned to the boat empty-handed.

Swarkestone Lock is at the junction with the former Derby Canal, with only a short distance here being used for mooring boats.

The afternoon was quite cold but we continued almost as far as Stenson Lock - we needed to be careful about our schedule for tomorrow as Mike has a bus and train to catch to make the journey back to Lower Heyford in order to collect our car.