Rob-M

There may have been a last minute fouling of the blades preventing the boat from stopping, this can easily happen especially on a deeper draughted boat. Or someone lift a paddle before the approaching steerer has stopped the boat which draws the boat faster in to the gates, I've added this happen to me in the past when someone raises a paddle as you are just nearing the gates.

I will be with the Heritage Working Boats, Scorpio and Leo, outside the Roundhouse for the weekend with the cabins open for viewing.

Left Braunston at 6:45 this morning, had a couple of hours in Rugby (lots of new rings on the moorings) to stock up in Tesco then headed on to Hawkesbury Junction arriving at 17:30. A good days cruising even if we did have a few fun and games with a couple of hire boats that thought you needed to go in to reverse at each bend, moored boat or on coming boat. Also volunteer lock keeper at Hillmorton seemed to think boats going down only needed half a paddle opened, told him to put them straight up when we finally got in the lock. Said hello to Lily Rose as we went past them moored at All Oaks Woods.

I used wet wipes which got the glass clean.

Lots of boats were heading up Braunston locks today. The moorings in Braunston still have a few spaces though so not as busy as I've seen it in the past. When I first started doing turn round at Alvechurch they had a small fleet and only had boats going out Saturday or Sunday, it seems most fleets now do a Monday and Friday as well, with some doing every day so there is a bigger spread rather than boats travelling the same stretches over the same days.

Glad to hear Ed sorted it for you.

I expect we will pass you tomorrow, we have decided to stay in Braunston today but will most likely go as far as Sutton Stop tomorrow.

Dropped down Braunston locks this morning avoiding the rain. New piling and embankment opposite the marina entrance, probably from all those old ex working boats hitting it. Spotted Paneke moored the other side of the entrance.

Yes we did spot your boat. We have now come off the Leicester Line and are moored just before Braunston Tunnel. Had a pain of a lockie at Watford, booked us in and said we could go after one coming up then he promptly let three up telling the last one that I would drop down the single top lock and tie up. Of course I sat in the lock waiting for them to come out of the lock so we could pass but they wouldn't move. After a bit of a stand off I told the lock keeper that he might want to tell them to move out of the lock as the levels were down and I certainly wouldn't be moving to the bank and tying up. Eventually they edged out but still wanted me to move well right as they were nervous of their shiny new boat. Chap on the boat wouldn't even look at me.

Corrected the autocorrect now, thanks.

I've got three thanks, two on the boat in case Mrs M loses one and one in my boating rucksack that I take when I go on other people's boats.

You could try Ed Shiers (Four Counties Marine Services). He does Eberspacher work and came out to look at a problem with ours in Great Haywood.

I tried to get some pictures of one kingfisher with my phone as it remained sat in a tree as we passed but it was too far away for the phone camera. The Wharf Inn was very good and as you say good value for money even on a Sunday that didn't benefit from the weekday special offer. We had lunch with Ian and Sue from Pavo and then bid them farewell as we continued on this afternoon towards Yelvertoft but stopped a few miles short as the wind got up and it became quite cold, in fact so cold I've just lit the stove. We are moored behind Towy.

I've not been up the Welford Arm before and hadn't been to Market Harborough previously either which was one of the reasons for doing the ring again. Well worth a visit especially for kingfisher spotting although would be better if I had bought my camera with me.

I got a hire boat stuck in Hurleston many years ago as they had fixed side fenders and although I told them where we were going they didn't think to remove them. I had to take the bread knife to them to cut them off so I could get the boat out of the lock. They didn't seem concerned when I returned the boat with a pile of fenders and explained what I had done.

We are now moored at the top of the Foxton flight. It took us 53 minutes from booking in (16:07) to mooring on the visitor moorings (17:00) to pass through Foxton which I think is pretty good going. The flight was absolutely rammed with gongoozlers but we had two young boys help us with all the gates and they were rewarded with ice lollies from our freezer when we got to the top. We are still traveling with Pavo, having shared the wide locks again yesterday through to Market Harborough. Thought Market Harborough was well worth the visit although didn't see the need to pay £10 a night to moor in the basin as there were good towpath moorings just outside. Had a chat with a satisfied Wilton Marine customer this morning, he was pleased with his purchase feeling he had a good deal and he wasn't heading for London to live aboard either. Tomorrow is off down the Welford Arm for Sunday lunch in the pub.

A bit of a long slog today as we left Thurmaston at 7:30 and arrived in Kilby Bridge at 17:30. Fortunately as we exited the Thurmaston Lock we saw a boat approaching behind us so we slowed enabling them to catch us up at the next lock and shared with them for the rest of the day. The boat was Pavo, a converted butty that was used by Kit Gayford. It turned out to be an interesting day as Ian on Pavo told me a lot of the boats history. Through Leicester was much nicer than we remembered from our previous trip along here, the new moorings at Friars Mill looked to be ok although there was only one boat using them and one on Castle Gardens. The levels were low in a number of pounds and a few locks were leaking almost as fast as they were filling which contributed to the slow progress, about 45 minutes to get through Gees Lock. We reported two locks to CRT where the gate paddles were rammed with weeds and plastic so we spent a while racking it out to improve filling. Progress was also improved when I pointed out the locks on the ground paddles can be opened with a BW key, the single handed in front of us would have been waiting all day as he was a half a ground paddle only man and the first lock he got to with bother ground paddle locks on he didn't seem to know what he was going to do. Off to the Navigation now for some food and maybe a pint or two.

Yes we are doing the Leicester ring including Market Harborough and the Welford Arm. Taking two weeks this time rather than the one week we did the ring in on a hire boat.

Well we decided to chance the weather and it wasn't too bad until about 4pm when it suddenly went quite dark and the heavens opened. By that time we had already ventured in to Loughborough Wharf to go food shopping, then on to Barrow Upon Soar for lunch. We are now moored opposite MGM Boats below Thurmaston Lock ready to pass through Leicester tomorrow. For the wildlife spotters we have seen many kingfishers and more herons than on any other waterway. Captain Pegg would be filling a whole page of his bird spotting log.

I'm keeping a list of forum members spotted to add later in the trip. I need to make comment on the volunteer lockies as well but that can keep for another day. Currently looking at the rain trying to decide whether to push off or not.

As there seems to be a few cruise diaries going on this summer I thought I would add another. Having left Great Haywood on Saturday we fought the crowds through to Fradley Junction where we stopped overnight after a bit of boat shuffling to make a space for us. From Fradley we cruised through a near empty Alrewas on to Willington where we moored for the night to the sounds of the Green Man's beer festival and rock concert, much to the horror of one of the locals who commented on the band's inability to actually sing. Shardlow followed Willington moored for the evening opposite the splendid looking wooden motor Sweden. Today we have ventured past the end of the Erewash where many boats are leaving from the IWA festival and on to the River Soar.

The paint looked very impressive especially when we were half way past you and it was two tone. Didn't realise it was you whilst you helped us locking on to the river section at Alrewas.

Good luck with your new venture. I saw Brian's tweet saying you were taking on the pair.

Plenty of space at the moment as boats have been leaving since about 7am. I wish some people would realise you don't need to use maximum revs in forward and reverse as there has been quite a bit of engine thrashing going on.

We will be off towards Willington in the morning so with our 57 and a few of the other 6ft spaces closed up you should be ok