From Sawley to the Soar

Crossing fingers didn’t help improve the weather, so on Tuesday we moved on, through Sawley Lock and onto the Trent. Carol came with us, with the intention of staying with us till we’d got Corbiere’s left cabin side painted. The day was cool and overcast, threatening but not delivering rain all day.

Sawley Moorings
Arriving at Trent junction, we took the right fork, on to the Soar. The last time we were here we went straight on, heading north to the South Yorkshire Navigations.

Trent Junction

Redhill Marina
We pulled over and moored between Ratcliffe and Kegworth Shallow Locks. Not a suitable spot for painting, but the idea was to move to the Shallow Lock moorings (not in use as lock landings in the summer), and paint the side over the next couple of days.
So yesterday we moved both boats the last mile to the lock, and got set up to paint. It was the worst decision we could have made. The weather was cool and overcast, but no rain was forecast. But the gusty breeze picked up debris from the high bank and dumped it onto the wet paint. And working at below waist level was uncomfortable, so we couldn’t get co-ordinated and the finish suffered.
We were both disappointed with the job, after all the work involved in preparing the cabin sides, but decided that there was no point in applying a second coat until the first is flatted back. We won’t be able to do that for a few days, so it’ll have to go on hold. We’re going in to Pillings Lock Marina for 3 weeks, starting tomorrow.

So today we parted company, Carol taking Corbiere back to Shardlow, and us heading further up the Soar.

Bye, Bye Carol.
We’re going in to Pillings Lock Marina to give us a secure base for the next couple of weeks. My sister Sue and her family are coming over from New Zealand, I’ve got the Great North Run looming, and we’ve booked a holiday for the 3 of us at Fylingthorpe near Whitby. So we need somewhere safe to leave the boat while we’re away, and also while Sue is here, as we’re likely to spend a lot of time elsewhere.

We had a very pleasant 4 hour cruise, up through Kegworth Deep Lock, through Loughborough and moored about a mile from the marina.

Timely arrival at Kegworth Deep Lock
In the Lock
Kegworth Deep Lock is, as it’s name suggests, deep. Around 13’ deep in fact. It replaces the old lock which is infilled alongside, and Kegworth Shallow Lock, made redundant following adjustment of the river level to help flood control. The shallow lock is only now used in the winter, and when water levels may rise rapidly.

Kegworth Old Lock
Moored boats on the river near The Otter.
Filling the water tank at Bishops Meadow Lock on the edge of Loughborough.
Moored near Millers Bridge.
We’re aiming to arrive at the marina around noon tomorrow, then I’ll go to collect our hire car in the afternoon, after we’ve settled in.

Locks 6, miles 13