It’s surprising where you can get to.

This morning Mark from MGM very kindly took James to Leicester Royal Infirmary for his weekly blood test while Doug went to Asda at Thurmaston for a “big” shop.  After all these domesticities were out of the way Mark trimmed the bathroom door which had swelled a bit.  A quick fill with water and shopping stowed away we were on our way at 1:15.

Due to the impending very wet weather, which is promised this week, we want to get off the Rivers Soar and Trent and onto the Trent and Mersey Canal for safety’s sake. So this afternoon we got 4 hours of cruising under our belts and have moored up above Zouch Lock.

Here are some pics. taken today:

A very nice development of imposing houses around a small marina  (probably for their private use) just outside Mountsorrel.

Approaching Barrow upon Soar we came across some very nice properties on the riverside.  This one has it’s own castellated defences and cannons poking through the wall!

Further along - these people could go into competition with Kew Gardens.

This is Barrow Deep Lock – without the water.  We had an impromptu photo shoot here with a very keen cameraman on the bridge.

At Loughborough these bottom gates of the lock didn’t hold in much water for us and it took quite a time to fill the lock.

Out from the canalised section of water through Loughborough and we were back onto the River Soar proper -wide and deep water in which we …………

let ‘Chance’ of the leash!

Just before Zouch (and our mooring for the night) we passed by the rather elegant river frontage properties of Normanton-on-Soar:

Doug would like this one.

And this one is more up James’ street!

If we don’t get too much rain tonight and the rivers don’t go into flood we hope to make it on to the Trent and Mersey Canal tomorrow!