Aylestone

Today's Canal - Leicester Branch

Although we had been promised rain for much of the day, it was only wet for about an hour. There were other spots of rain but mostly warm and dull. Just occasionally, towards the end of the day, the sun made a valiant, if not very successful, attempt to break through.

We had moored overnight close to two churches, thinking that there would be a service at least at one of them. We saw one of them very close to the next bridge, through the trees) There are no others within walking distance of the canal. Alas, we discovered later yesterday that these two churches alternate summer and winter and then only on alternate Sundays, not today! We did later see, across the fields but with a river in between, the main benefice church with plenty of cars outside.

As a result we did cover more distance today than planned! Along this section, most of the gates drift open when either full or empty. In our case, this mostly meant having to shut one or both bottom gates before starting to fill it. There was not much traffic about so we guessed that we must be following a boat, although none had passed us today.

The second boat we met was a single hander, heading for Debdale Wharf where he was due to have the boat lifted out for a full hull survey which his insurance company were demanding. Since this was two years earlier than they had previously told him, he was not happy. No doubt he will be considering other options when the policy next comes up for renewal!

The locks are mainly in small groups but even the pounds in between are not very long so there is little chance to sit and read.

We stopped at Kilby Bridge Wharf for the full range of facilities before setting off once more to do another couple of locks before stopping for a lunch break.

We had not had our full hour when Christine spotted a boat coming down the previous lock and suggested that we should set off so that we could share the next few together. The proud owners of the boat - bought from Braunston only last Friday - were a couple of new graduates who plan to use it as a flat whilst they get themselves established. He has just been offered a job in Rugby having only just completed his degree in IT, whilst she is struggling to find work with a degree last year in Photography at Northampton.

They made for pleasant company through the rest of the locks today - or at least until we gave up for the day. (They were desperate for fuel and planned to continue at least to a spot where there is a nearby garage!) They were also rapidly finding out all the quirks with the boat and know that they will have to do some work to make it really comfortable.

To be honest, we did not see very much special to photo today (apart from Mike's obsession with locks, bridges and mile markers!) so this bright blue tree at the end of a garden was sufficiently unusual to include!

We bade farewell to nb Willow Grouse after Lock 37 as below the next lock the navigation drops down onto the River Soar and we are not sure of the availability of good moorings. As it happened, we nearly regretted not stopping in the previous pound as we found ourselves on a stretch with little easy access to the towpath as lots of reeds get in the way.

At least we are now within striking distance of Leicester where we are due to meet up with Alice and Jess sometime tomorrow who will be staying with us for a few days.

8.1 Miles - 15 Locks