Wednesday 13 June 2012

A Long Day through Leicester

We had a very long day (for us) today.  We started from our overnight mooring at Kilby Bridge and, 17 locks later, ended at our boat builders, MGM, at Thurmaston on the River Soar.  Luckily, we’d agreed to team up with Roger and Maureen on nb ‘Ramyshome’ - and a winning combination it proved.  Doug took to his bike and went ahead to set the locks while Maureen tirelessly opened and closed gates and paddles (some of them really heavy). Roger and James just steered the boats! Rather frustratingly, nearly all the 17 locks today were left with their bottom gates open and paddles raised by the boat ahead of us. Very poor form.

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‘Chance’ and ‘Ramyshome’ at King’s Lock just on the outskirts of Leicester – very pretty.

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‘Chance’ and ‘Ramyshome’  at St. Mary’s Mill Lock – not so pretty.

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Approaching Freeman’s Meadow Lock with its very large weir on the right.  The large construction on the extreme right is Leicester City Football Club.

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‘Ramyshome’ and ‘Chance’ starting the “Mile Straight” through the centre of Leicester.

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At North Lock on “Frog Island” we watched a professional graffiti artist at work.

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Lime Kiln Lock was interesting. Due to water leaking out of the lock faster than it was going in it took an army of British Waterways men to help us open the gate! We were lucky to find them there at the time, anyone wanting to use this lock will find it impossible to open it on their own and need to call British Waterways, in order to get through we are told, it is hopefully being repaired next week?

We have to mention that the pound between Lime Kiln Lock and Belgrave Lock was the worst we’ve ever experienced.  It was a mass of black, stinking sludge with both floating and submerged debris.  We proceeded very slowly and, miraculously, neither boat got anything caught in the prop.

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Safely tied up on our overnight mooring at MGM boats.  We’ve got one small job that their going to help us with tomorrow.  Also, James has to go for a blood test in Leicester and after that we will then be on our way.

4 comments:

  1. Thanks for the info in this entry chaps as we shall be following you shortly.

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  2. Thanks Russell, the post was meant for you to read otherwise I was going to call you! Probably best to ring BW in advance to get you through Lime Kiln Lock as that is the only way to get through, you wouldn't want to get stuck there for too long!

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  3. Hi Both
    Valuable info about Lime Kiln. Thanks.
    You had a good trip, getting all the way through in one. We usually break at Kings Lock...
    I don't know what the gloop is below Lime Kiln but it's horrible isn't it! We crawl through there on tick-over, wouldn't want a visit to the weedhatch along there!
    Happy boating,

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  4. Hi Geoff and Mags, Hope you are not heading towards Lime Kiln, what a nightmare place to be stopped at! It is only a might be repaired next week as it will take a few days! Hope all is well with you both. Doug
    ps. Thanks for the post on the rope thief at Atherstone! as we are heading that way.

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