Tuesday, October 07, 2014

Damp and breezy back to Barrow.

We were intending to head back to Barrow yesterday after our weekend in Loughborough, but the weather put us off so we decided to stay another day. My sister, Kay, and her partner Paul came for the afternoon on Sunday and we had a good catch-up. The rest of the time was spent just pottering, really.

Today was a little better, the rain that was tapping on the roof at 06:30 had cleared by the time I got up at half-seven, so Meg and I had a dry walk, at least.

We’d planned to move out at 10:30, but black clouds blew over bringing some light rain so we hung on for a little longer.

Finally away on a grey dayIMG_1820

It was the coldest day so far I reckon, I very nearly put long trousers on… The brisk breeze and occasional showers made me glad that we weren’t going so far. We’d turned around on Sunday morning so I could wash the left side, and so we were facing the right way to head back upstream.

We only had a couple of hours back to Barrow, it could have been a little shorter but Pillings Flood Lock is now in use, it being into the winter season. With only about an inch difference in levels though a good shove on the bottom gates with the bow opened them before I had a chance to raise a paddle. Although you leave the gates shut a paddle at each end has to be left up, to feed a constant supply of water into Loughborough Cut.

The short, scenic bit of river between here and Barrow was a bit breezy, but we were sheltered by trees below the lock.

Under Barrow Road Bridge.IMG_1823

We’d just missed a boat dropping down the flood lock, but caught him up at Barrow Deep Lock. He was single-handing, so I told him to stay aboard while I dealt with the paddles.

In Barrow Deep Lock
IMG_1824

We pulled in after Barrow Boating, just above the large weir that drops the river to loop around the lock cut. There’s moorings in the cut, but it’s a bit gloomy and TV is poor there.

Looking back at Barrow WeirIMG_1825

Yes, we’ve turned around again! When we move from here we’ll be heading off for the Trent.

There seems to have been a spate of boats getting stuck in locks recently. Last week it was along here at Kegworth New Lock… over the weekend a boat was cilled on the Huddersfield Narrow, and today it’s the turn of the Grand Union down near Cassiobury Park. What are these people thinking of?

Locks 2, miles 4

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