What a difference a day makes….

After a cold night, we woke up this morning to a hard frost shining in the sun from a blue sky.

Just after I’d stoked the fire!
I took Meg for a walk up the towpath, and took a couple of pictures on the way.

Autumn colours reflected near Bridge 100

Bridge 100
We were away from Gee’s Lock at 10:10, and had a short 20 minute cruise to the next, Whetstone Lock. After yesterday it was a pleasure chugging along in the warm sun.

Whetstone Lock
The water was overtopping the gates at both ends of the chamber, making it slow to empty but indicating that there is no shortage of water on this stretch. In fact a couple more of today’s locks were the same.

After Whetstone we swung round to head east, just south of the residential suburbs of Leicester. Passing through 2 more locks we arrived at Ervin’s Lock, and emerged properly into open countryside. From here, for miles, the canal runs through rolling countryside, with very little in the way of habitation.

Ervin’s Lock
Gemma, Donna and Gary pose for me at Ervin’s Lock
From here it is a short distance to Double Rail Lock and then Kilby Lock which is followed quickly by Kilby Bridge BW maintenance yard. We pulled both boats in to use the services here, then we moved across the cut to moor on the 48 hour VM, while Gary and Donna decided to take advantage of the fine weather and head on for another couple of hours. They are on a schedule; they have to be back in Tamworth in a few days. We’re going to hang around here till Friday.

NB Silhouette at Kilby Bridge.
We exchanged contact details and will look them up when we’re in their neck of the woods.

We lost the sun around 2, and the temperature took a nosedive. I reckon it’ll be another cold one tonight.

We’ve only seen 3 other boats today, 1 private, 1 Canaltime and Millstream, the 62 foot 8 berth hire boat from Sileby Mill. All were heading north. We may look at Millstream with a view to hiring it next autumn for Neil, Val, Wilmar and Eleanor when they come over from Canada. I don’t think all 6 of us will fit in Seyella!

Locks 6, miles 4