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Leicester Ring


Arthur Marshall

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Planning a trip round the Leicester ring in May.  My natural instinct (no idea why) is to do it anti-clockwise but this is no longer practical - is there any particular things to look out for going round the other way, and are there visitor moorings on the Soar?

Last time I did it, may years ago, I got caught in the floods so just had to get off the rivers as quickly as possible so I remember little about it.  If it's any help, I'm coming at it from the north, via Stone and Gt Hayward.

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We're doing the ring anti-clockwise at snails pace, so I'm interested in the replies here. Hope to add to the thread as we go along.

 

Presently we're on the Coventry, going onto Braunston, through the Leicester arm with a few diversions then onto Gt Haywood and beyond. 

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12 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Planning a trip round the Leicester ring in May.  My natural instinct (no idea why) is to do it anti-clockwise but this is no longer practical - is there any particular things to look out for going round the other way, and are there visitor moorings on the Soar?

Last time I did it, may years ago, I got caught in the floods so just had to get off the rivers as quickly as possible so I remember little about it.  If it's any help, I'm coming at it from the north, via Stone and Gt Hayward.

The  Leicester ring is the one and only canal ring that I have done. It must have been  about 17 years ago. ........how time flies.

We did it clockwise . Probably because  we thought everyone else would be going the other way ! 

I recall having trouble finding space to moor but it was in the school holidays , so presumably not so busy in May.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The main problem going clockwise is leaving Leicester up to Saddington. For various reasons there can be water problems in some pounds and it is easier to take water down the flight with you than walk ahead and fill pounds which are low.

 

Visitor moorings on the Soar are at Kegworth,  Zouch cut, Loughborough, Barrow on Soar, Mountsorrel,  Hope and Anchor ( syston) , Birstall,  city centre x 2 ( Frog Island and Castle Gardens, then Kings Lock at Aylestone which is where the river joins..

 

There are many more places you can moor - not official visitor moorings but good towpath style walls. You can moor on the outer reaches of most of the lock landings - I recommend above the lock rather than below if any rain is expected.:D

Edited by matty40s
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3 hours ago, matty40s said:

The main problem going clockwise is leaving Leicester up to Saddington. For various reasons there can be water problems in some pounds and it is easier to take water down the flight with you than walk ahead and fill pounds which are low.

 

Visitor moorings on the Soar are at Kegworth,  Zouch cut, Loughborough, Barrow on Soar, Mountsorrel,  Hope and Anchor ( syston) , Birstall,  city centre x 2 ( Frog Island and Castle Gardens, then Kings Lock at Aylestone which is where the river joins..

 

There are many more places you can moor - not official visitor moorings but good towpath style walls. You can moor on the outer reaches of most of the lock landings - I recommend above the lock rather than below if any rain is expected.:D

If there's no rain forecast then the wall below Sileby Mill lock is good.

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49 minutes ago, Nick D said:

We’re also planning on doing this ring in July, so is the concensus that anti clockwise is best?

Ive done it both ways many times - trust me, if there are water issues - its easier to take water down with you......CRT also start at the top when low water levels are called in.

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2 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Ive done it both ways many times - trust me, if there are water issues - its easier to take water down with you......CRT also start at the top when low water levels are called in.

How does that help with deciding to go clockwise or anticlockwise ?

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3 minutes ago, MartynG said:

How does that help with deciding to go clockwise or anticlockwise ?

anti-clockwise brings you to the top of the Leicester flight at Kibworth- you can generally see one of the pounds that empties from the 2nd lock and you have a lot of water behind you from Foxton and Market Harborough. 

2 hours ago, Theo said:

If there's no rain forecast then the wall below Sileby Mill lock is good.

Thats where JerryP was when we left above the lock on Good Friday - we advised him to move up. He did, and next day ended up in my the Lock for a week.

Edited by matty40s
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We did it Clockwise starting in May a couple of years ago with no issues at all. I'd chance that there'll be no water shortage in May, and you'll be staying off the Soar if it's in flood whichever way round you go.  Others may have good reasons to recommend Anti Clockwise for a one off trip, but either way is doable. 

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6 hours ago, matty40s said:

No shortage of water when we came up on Good Friday.......the Soar has risen 4 foot overnight though!! Even the towpath was underwater in places. 

20180331_085152.jpg

Now that water weiring over the gates looks just like the Forth & Clyde Canal pretty much any day of the year!

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Matty40s will confirm that there are safe moorings in Sileby lock. In good conditions there are safe moorings above and below Sileby lock - it is not a good place to be when the river rises. Sileby Mill boatyard is good for diesel and has a well stocked chandlery.

Most of the time the Soar is fine however when going anti-clockwise beware of Barrow bridge if there is any fresh in the river. It is an awkward turn from the lock cut into the river and the bridge has very low sprung arches. If in doubt go and look and decide your course of action first.

Loughborough is good for shopping it has an excellent market on Thursdays and Saturdays. There is an M&S food, Tesco, Sainsburys, Aldi and from 28th Feb Lidl within walking distance of the canal.

Do not rely on the Loughborough services being operable - they have been locked following vandalism for some months. The best ones to use are at Barrow the next ones heading south are at Kilby Bridge. Heading North there are some at Trent Lock.

We have done the ring in both directions and really enjoy it.

Edited by Richard T
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36 minutes ago, PeteS said:

I've just PM'd you some info on the ring

Oh-oh! Under the counter advice!  I wonder whether you're getting special secret info the rest of us aren't allowed access to ...

 

or bull shine that won't stand general forum scrutiny? :ninja:

 

:D

 

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24 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Oh-oh! Under the counter advice!  I wonder whether you're getting special secret info the rest of us aren't allowed access to ...

 

or bull shine that won't stand general forum scrutiny? :ninja:

 

:D

 

Perhaps theres something new none of us know about yet.......

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If you're coming out of Sileby lock,,from the Leicester side,and you want to fuel up,there is an overflow on the right hand side,which if it's been raining can really push the boat around,I've clouted  the fuel boat on a couple of occassions!!!??

Edited by Ian F B
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1 hour ago, Ian F B said:

If you're coming out of Sileby lock,,from the Leicester side,and you want to fuel up,there is an overflow on the right hand side,which if it's been raining can really push the boat around,I've clouted  the fuel boat on a couple of occassions!!!??

Its called a weir. ?

I always spin the boat round first in the Mill pool, then let it drop down stream of the fuel boat in the current, and then steer into the current to moor up to the fuel boat.

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Nothing secret, just some info on where to moor and things to do in Leicester and environs.

 

As well as the usual stuff about how bad it is and how everybody who comes through Leicester gets bombed, shot at or gets their boat vandalised.  Because we're all drug crazed vandals in Leicester.

 

 

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8 minutes ago, PeteS said:

 

 

As well as the usual stuff about how bad it is and how everybody who comes through Leicester gets bombed, shot at or gets their boat vandalised.  Because we're all drug crazed vandals in Leicester.

 

 

Having lived in or around it since 1986, I know you all are ?

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3 hours ago, matty40s said:

Its called a weir. ?

I always spin the boat round first in the Mill pool, then let it drop down stream of the fuel boat in the current, and then steer into the current to moor up to the fuel boat.

Far too clever for me!!I think I'll just sell the boat!!!!????

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