Victor—What a difference!

I DID not really want to repeat what all too many are stating at the moment, but the first couple of days on the Leicester Ring really showed us that there is a big difference in the condition of the waterways since we last cruised it four and half years ago.

Virtually every lock leaks and though the gates are not quite as bad to move as those broad lock gates on the Trent & Mersey Canal, they are worse that they were on our last trip, many no longer so well balanced and the paddles leave a lot to be desired.

Grass has been cut

The vegetation as always been rife on the Soar, both on the towpath side and off side overhanging trees, but is now somewhat worse.  One good thing is that virtually all the grass however on the non-surfaced towpath has been cut—all the way into Leicester, and there are swathes of cut grass by the locks, we seeing two teams of grass cutters at work,  but alas methinks it is more for the walkers and cyclists than us poor boaters.

But back to the start, for only the second time in nearly 20 years we set off from Sawley on a bright Sunday sunny afternoon with no less than three volunteer lock keepers on Sawley Locks, for of course like most of the other lock keepers the one at Sawley has been replaced by volunteers—and a right mess they were making of it too. Talk about too many cooks...

Remember what those at Canal & River Trust would have us believe when it first announced volunteer lock keepers?  I'll read it to you: 'No permanent lock keeper will be replaced by volunteers, lock keepers are too important in the safety of the operation of the waterways.'

Shuffle around

The first manned lock on that glorious Sunday was of course Radcliffe Lock, that took us 44 minutes—there were two plastic jobs and a small narrowboat that they seemed terrified off, with the plastic boats shuffling around to get a place, then tie up with two ropes each, coming down the lock, a lock that all of you who have used it will know has no turbulence whatsoever when being emptied.  And of course they let the water out oh so slowly, mind you the ever leaking gate did help.

Then it was Zouch Cut Lock that gave trouble, as a bottom (leaking) gate would not go right back, to allow boat entry with just one gate, then would not stay closed, as too much slope. As pictured above. So it was here we go again, of the old, old method letting water in via a top gate paddle to keep it shut.

Batches

Also as other boaters have told there are more boats moored in 'batches', and at our old favourite mooring places, with no space above the weir at Kegworth were there is deep water, and no space on another favourite of ours on the piling just out of Loughborough, (pictured) the outcome of the release of more and more continuous cruiser licences. But we had no need to stop,

Once again Pennywort  was becoming abundant, with swathes right down the Soar to Radcliffe, (pictured), though it was not as bad as it was the last time we cruised the waterway, but it had certainly spread, so it is likely it will soon be in the Trent.

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