Tuesday 4^th September 2018

Today was quite an adventurous day full of wows.

I was up early and Brenda slept late so I walked Harvey down to the end of the canal to look out over the river. An impressive sight.

I then picked blackberries, as we intend to bake an apple and blackberry pie tonight. All free apart from the pastry.

We set off at 10:30. The first lock, Derwent Mouth Lock, was just a 100 yards away. It appears a huge lock but there is no bridge and to pass from one side to the other involved walking across the gates. There are handrails but they are very low and wobbly. We had agreed that the lock be operated from the one side only, slower but safer. When she got to the lock Brenda found the offside bottom gate was open so she had to climb over anyway.

          

                                  Derwent Mouth Lock                                                          

Mile post at Derwent Mouth Lock

           with the cut behind leading to the River Trent

All the mile posts from Shardlow to Preston Brook count the miles, 92, from Shardlow. But the Trent and Mersey Canal actually starts from Derwent Mouth Lock, some 1½ miles further on from Shardlow and consequently, there is a mile post at the lock showing Shardlow 1½; Preston Brook 93½. Some of the earlier mile posts differ as to the actual length of the canal. Arguably, the canal could be said to start at the end of the artificial cut between the lock and where the canal joins the river some ¼ mile downstream.

Once this point is reached it is a real “wow” and the “wows” just got bigger. The Trent comes in from the right, the canal behind and the River Derwent joins on the left after its own long journey from Ladybower Reservoir, between Sheffield and Glossop high up in the Pennines.

                                                                           End of Trent and Mersey Canal.

                      River Derwent flows in from the left, River Trent flows in from the right and leaves directly ahead.

                                                                               M1 viaduct in the distance.

It was a real buzz to be at the end of the canal after all this time, and especially to be out on the river. I was tempted to do a donut but there was a boat coming down the Trent so I didn’t feel I could. Should have done though. I had been apprehensive about coming out on the river but there was little flow. Or so you thought until you saw the amount of water going over the weir just after the M1 motorway.

  

     The weir just beyond the M1 motorway

Just around the first bend of the river you see the huge viaduct carrying the motorway over the river, beyond this is the weir going off to the left followed by Sawley Cut, the artificial waterway that bypasses the river weir. There is a flood lock in the cut and beyond this it opens out into a large waterway that accommodates lots of end-on moored cabin cruisers, big expensive ones mostly. Behind them is a complex of marinas and boat yards. It is all on a big scale and impressive.

Just before Sawley Locks we stopped at the service point. There was a boat taking on water that did not have the correct fitting and he had been watering for a long time. Luckily, I kept all our fittings from the house so was able to give him one and see him on his way. Then, when we came to tie up our hose wouldn’t reach because there was a wide beam moored overhanging the water point. We then had to tie up to him at an awkward angle which made things difficult for us.

After watering etc, we entered Sawley Lock which is power operated by a keeper. The old lock gates and paddles have been fitted with hydraulic rams.

   Sawley Locks, River Trent

      The wide River Trent

         below Sawley Locks

 Beyond Sawley Locks the wow’s continued. The river becomes very wide with a succession of boats moving in both directions. It is gorgeous though.

We then came to a complicated junction. The Trent and the River Soar that has flowed down from Loughborough join. We were travelling on the Trent, the Erewash Canal, our destination, goes off to the left, the Trent Navigation carries straight on down Cranfleet Cut, the Soar joins around a great sweeping bend to the right and, just on the bend, the River Trent itself flows over the mighty Thrumpton Weir just under a big railway bridge. It was all exciting stuff.

Moving down the river it was difficult to see just where the Erewash Canal and Trent Lock was. The signage indicated that both the Erewash and Cranfleet Cut were at right angles to the canal. There were two confusing arches on the river bank that looked as though they belonged to the two waterways. Actually, the first arch was the blocked off entry to an old wharf, the second arch was the Erewash, which was perpendicular to the river, and the Cranfleet Cut carried more or less straight on.

We duly entered the Erewash and were then faced with Trent Lock. The lock is a double and it took some time to work out the security locking arrangement. The lock area was very busy with people watching your every move and being overlooked by two pubs.

Like Shardlow, the area around Trent Lock is full of old, original canal buildings and architecture.

   Trent Lock, Erewash Canal

 We were lucky enough to moor just above the lock across the canal from houseboats. Weird looking things. The water is so crystal clear, you clearly see the sides and bottom. Fishing later was fascinating watching all the little fish attacking the bait.

We went for a walk and sampled the two pubs. It really is a beautiful spot here. It is just a shame about the bloody great cooling towers and chimney of the power station across the river at Ratcliffe-on-Soar and the rumble from the railway.

Not only are the river junctions complicated, but there is a profusion of railway intersections surrounding us on all sides here, with tracks coming up from the south and splitting up to carry on to the north, to Uttoxeter and Stoke-on-Trent, to Derby and to Nottingham. There are many passenger and freight trains and, presumably because of all the intersections, they only move slowly.

 

             But Dad ……… I asked for lager

               Even doggies need refreshment

                           after an exciting day

 Back at the boat we made our apple and blackberry pie with me making it and Brenda giving many instructions. It turned out successful though.   

Weather: a nice enough day but overcast and chilly at times.

Day Total: 3 lock; 3 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Boat Lift; engine running hours 2.5

Overall Total: 184 locks; 361 miles; 15 tunnels; 2 Boat Lifts; engine running hours 204.6