Monday 20th May 2019
After our Cruise to Tixall Wide, we are about to set off on a 4 day cruise from our moorings on the Erewash Canal to go cruising down the River Soar.
Heading out of Trent Lock we went straight over the River Trent and onto the River Soar. It looks beautiful already! It’s a gorgeous sunny day and the river is like a mill pond.
We cruised through Kegworth, stopping for diesel along the way and then – as it was lunchtime – and we spotted a lovely pub that we have been to before called The Otter, we decided to moor up outside.
We had a lovely lunch and a couple of pints before heading off again. We can highly recommend this pub – it’s lovely to sit outside by the river, and the platters are absolutely gorgeous. The Wainwrights is also rather a good pint!
We carried on cruising through Zouch and moored up just a little way before Loughborough Lock – it’s been a brilliant day! So far, cruising down the river Soar is beautiful.
8 miles and 7 locks today.
Tuesday 21st May
We didn’t set off till 11am this morning – had a nice lie in. It was another lovely sunny day and we couldn’t wait to see more of this beautiful river and countryside. We haven’t done a lot of river cruising but I think we have definitely fallen in love with it.
Our first lock of the day was just ahead and very shortly after we took a left onto the Leicester navigation – we actually found there were a lot of better moorings along this stretch than where we had moored – never mind – we’ve marked it in the book for next time!
We had a lock-free cruise for a couple of miles and then turned into Pillings Marina to pump out – 16 quid! Expensive! Our plan today was to cruise to Thurmaston and moor up but we met a lady by a lock who was cruising back from Burstall and she said it was nicer there. We decided to go with her advice. Unfortunately the mooring spot just above Burstall lock that she recommended was full so we had to carry on to the next winding hole just past the lock, turn round and go back down through Burstall Lock where we found a spot.
It was a long day today – we didn’t moor up until half past seven but it was another fabulous day. I had my first drive of Hang Loose when we went on our Our First Proper Cruise from Weston-on-Trent to Fradley Junction on the Trent & Mersey Canal and today I did quite a bit of driving and even moored up at a couple of lock landings – very proud of myself.
We travelled 12.5 miles today and did 10 locks! No wonder we’re a little bit knackered!
Wednesday 22nd May
We started today with a little stroll around Watermead Park today. It’s just across from our mooring and it’s lovely.
I had a little wander into the village of Burstall – there’s a Co-Op and another pub – as well as the one that’s right by us on our mooring. We have had an amazing day. It started out a little overcast but we ended up with lots of sunny spells.
I’m so proud of myself – I took the boat down two locks all on my own for the first time and I cruised between two locks on my own while Paul walked Tilly. I even managed to drive out of my second lock with only one gate open!
We found an amazing mooring spot that Paul spotted on our outward journey near Bridge 34 – it’s gorgeous and as soon as we moored up we saw these two beauties having a paddle.
9.5 miles and 7 locks today.
Thursday 23rd May
Sadly this is the last day of this trip – the River Soar is beautiful and we could happily have spent so much more time on it. It’s been another gorgeous sunny day and a lovely cruise back to our mooring. We met some lovely boaters along the way and really could not be happier. Won’t be long till we are CCers ?
9.5 miles and 8 locks (2 flood locks).