Tuesday 11th September 2018



It rained during the night although it stopped shortly after we got up. Brenda went to the co-op just across the road to start a big shop while I caught up on the diary and blog.

We then went to a Lidl first calling at a local butcher. This turned out to be an interesting visit. He had been on national TV when he developed the banana sausage and, for the millenium, he developed a caviar and champagne sausage. He had a sign in his window advertising for an apprentice. We discussed the number of applicants he had, butchery in general and the future with regards to town centre shops.  

Then, after the visit to Lidl we had far too much, again, to carry back although it was only 100 yards.

We left the mooring at 12:30 and, at Sandiacre Lock just ½ mile further on, there was a boat coming out of the lock and winding to head back down. Lucky for us. There were 6 men on board so plenty of help with the locks. This was a hire boat from the Anglo-Welsh base at Great Haywood, so they had done very well to get so far doing 7and 8 hour days. This is the trouble with hireboating, you set a target and have to keep going.

These guys left us just after the last lock, they were stopping for a pint at Long Eaton.

We carried on slowly to Trent Lock where we moored up for the night. Two lots of washing had been done on the way down so, after it was hung out, we went to the Trent Lock pub for a meal.

Returning to the boat we switched on the inverter, which provides us with 240V ac electrics, as in a household supply, only for a low battery warning light to show and all the electrics on the boat dimming. It would appear we have either a defective battery or alternator. All being well, we should be at Sawley Marina tomorrow and hopefully they will have somebody there that can test the circuits.



So we have done the Erewash Canal from end to end. All 23½ miles and 28 locks has taken us 7 days but we have enjoyed a lot of exploring and not rushing at all.  It is a canal of contrasts, very rural and isolated, especially at its northern end, quite a few towns and old industrial sites. It has been interesting seeing the old mills, some in use, some as modernised apartments, some derelict, also interesting following traces of disused canals.

The water was crystal clear at Trent Lock, murky at Ilkeston and then became clear again. There was a lot of weeding and quite a number of areas with a white film on the surface which we put down to some kind of seeds. There were numerous dragonflies on the canal and water lilies were plentiful, including some pink in colour.

You never seem to be far from railways or busy roads, so it can get noisy. The M1 crosses at Long Eaton.

Would we consider doing the Erewash again. No. The locks were far too heavy. It is easy to see why there are not many boats make it to Langley Mill at the head of the navigation. Most would have turned back long before. This was one thing that was very noticeable. The first mile of the canal is end to end of permanently moored boats. After this we saw just 19 moored boats, none of which ever looked as though they moved far, and 12 moving boats.




This then, is a canal we have done, enjoyed and explored, got the plaque, but would not return.







Weather: after a wet start, the day brightened and became warmer.



Day Total: 3 locks; 3 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Boat Lift; engine running hours 2.9

Overall Total: 212 locks; 383 miles; 15 tunnels; 2 Boat Lifts; engine running hours 225.1

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