Leicester Ring

[IanD]

Been planning doing this ring in the next couple of weeks (ccw from from Aqua Narrowboats at Barton Turns), one issue seems to be a bit of a shop famine for stocking up on supplies on the eastern half. There's the village stores at Braunston, a Co-op at Crick, a local store (Springfields) at Welford, then nothing for 3 days until Leicester. Does anyone know of anything else?

 

Planned overnight stops/pubs are as follows, any comments gratefully received...

 

Alrewas (George & Dragon)

Fazeley (Three Horseshoes)

Atherstone (King's Head)

Newbold (Crown)

Braunston (Old Plough)

Crick (Bell Inn)

Welford (Wharf)

Foxton (Bridge 61)

Kilby Bridge (Navigation)

Leicester (West End Brewery)

Loughborough (Needle and Pin)

Shardlow (Malt Shovel)

Branston (Bridge)

 

[matty40s]

It's only a short trip down the Market Harborough Arm for all the shops you need for everything. 

The Wistow garden centre and tea rooms now has an excellent Deli/fruit and veg shop too.

There is a riverside Aldi in Aylestone below Kings Lock, you have to tie to the railings though.

Sileby has a Tesco Express and Barrow on Soar a Co-OP.

 

Crick is the Red Lion, WheatSheaf, Royal Oak or Crick Wharf (The Moorings).....I dont recommend the Wheatsheaf.

Edited August 13, 2020 by matty40s

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

I always went the George and Dragon in Alrewas until a change of hands and it went dead, so tried the William IV ( I think it’s called) and it turned out to be a very good pub with a range of beers and ciders, plus really friendly people, and it does (did) food. 
Alrewas also has the ‘famous’ butchers, almost next door to the George and Dragon, lovely sausages. 
 

And yes I’d choose the Horseshoes in Fazeley.
 

I guess your missing out Fradley Jn and the Mucky Duck? Wise choice, not a lot going on there.  
 

’ 

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Goliath said:

I always went the George and Dragon in Alrewas until a change of hands and it went dead, so tried the William IV ( I think it’s called) and it turned out to be a very good pub with a range of beers and ciders, plus really friendly people, and it does (did) food. 
Alrewas also has the ‘famous’ butchers, almost next door to the George and Dragon, lovely sausages. 
 

And yes I’d choose the Horseshoes in Fazeley.
 

I guess your missing out Fradley Jn and the Mucky Duck? Wise choice, not a lot going on there.  
 

’ 

Agree on the butchers in Alrewas, great place especially if you like BBQ's.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

1 minute ago, The Happy Nomad said:

Agree on the butchers in Alrewas, great place especially if you like BBQ's.

They boast award winning sausages.
? yum  

[IanD]

1 hour ago, Goliath said:

I always went the George and Dragon in Alrewas until a change of hands and it went dead, so tried the William IV ( I think it’s called) and it turned out to be a very good pub with a range of beers and ciders, plus really friendly people, and it does (did) food. 
Alrewas also has the ‘famous’ butchers, almost next door to the George and Dragon, lovely sausages. 
 

And yes I’d choose the Horseshoes in Fazeley.
 

I guess your missing out Fradley Jn and the Mucky Duck? Wise choice, not a lot going on there.  
 

’ 

Yeah, the Swan was the original plan but no food this Saturday and nowhere else nearby. Also heard it's either just changed hands or is just about to, not a recipe for everything being sorted...

 

William IV is a good suggestion for Alrewas, dinner is planned for the curry house across the bridge.

Edited August 13, 2020 by IanD

[IanD]

1 hour ago, matty40s said:

It's only a short trip down the Market Harborough Arm for all the shops you need for everything. 

The Wistow garden centre and tea rooms now has an excellent Deli/fruit and veg shop too.

There is a riverside Aldi in Aylestone below Kings Lock, you have to tie to the railings though.

Sileby has a Tesco Express and Barrow on Soar a Co-OP.

 

Crick is the Red Lion, WheatSheaf, Royal Oak or Crick Wharf (The Moorings).....I dont recommend the Wheatsheaf.

Thanks for the suggestions. There's no problem with shops from Leicester going north, it's the gap from Welford to there that's the problem.

[Guest]

Just now, IanD said:

Thanks for the suggestions. There's no problem with shops from Leicester going north, it's the gap from Welford to there that's the problem.

From memory that stretch is a bit of a shop desert.

 

We just made sure we had enough provisions. Ie wine and vodka.

[matty40s]

25 minutes ago, IanD said:

Thanks for the suggestions. There's no problem with shops from Leicester going north, it's the gap from Welford to there that's the problem.

Kilby Bridge is at the bottom end of Wigston, Aldi, Sainsbury Iceland and lots of other shops...there used to be a bus stop near the Navigation.

A bit further on is South Wigston, again, lots of shops just 5 minutes from the canal, then Blaby is just a few minutes walk from the old County Arms

 

[sueb]

There used to be a fantastic off licence in Alrewas.

[IanD]

1 hour ago, The Happy Nomad said:

From memory that stretch is a bit of a shop desert.

 

We just made sure we had enough provisions. Ie wine and vodka.

Gin, tonic and beer in our case... ?

[Richard T]

The side trip to Market Harborough is worth doing. Its good for shops, bakers, fishmonger, butcher, ironmonger, secondhand books and most flavours of supermarket. The Co-op is nearest to the canal. if the Needle and Pin is closed in Loughborough its almost next door to the Swan in the Rushes. There is now a small bar at Sawley locks .

[IanD]

16 minutes ago, Richard T said:

The side trip to Market Harborough is worth doing. Its good for shops, bakers, fishmonger, butcher, ironmonger, secondhand books and most flavours of supermarket. The Co-op is nearest to the canal. if the Needle and Pin is closed in Loughborough its almost next door to the Swan in the Rushes. There is now a small bar at Sawley locks .

Needle and Pin isn't open as a pub, but when I phoned they said they'd deliver beer to the boat if I told them what I wanted. Swan in the Rushes is still closed. Thought of Market Harborough but makes for awkward timings ?

[Richard T]

22 minutes ago, IanD said:

Needle and Pin isn't open as a pub, but when I phoned they said they'd deliver beer to the boat if I told them what I wanted. Swan in the Rushes is still closed. Thought of Market Harborough but makes for awkward timings ?

An alternative is the White Hart or the Three Nuns both are good and only 400m from the canal basin and both are open. White Hart is a free house and 3nuns Everards

[George and Dragon]

Long time since I lived in L'boro. Too many pubs have been renamed for student clientele for me to know many now. Looks like the Dog (greyhound) on Nottingham road may have closed

[nikvah]

Husbands Bosworth above the tunnel has a CoOp just 1/2 mile uphill on a good footpath but mooring isn't easy near bridge 46. Easier mooring at bridge 73 for Fleckney and an easy 1/2 mile yomp on the flat well trodden dog walking route to the ?Nissa store. Then Wigston Tesco is 10 mins on footpath alongside disused raiway north of bridge 52.

Edited August 13, 2020 by nikvah
insert omission

[IanD]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. One last question about Alrewas -- Canalplan suggests the best moorings (better than either visitor mooring) are by bridge 48 but that it gets busy, Aqua also warned us of this -- anyone been past there at a weekend recently? (we'll be getting there mid-afternoon)

 

Now just hope Leicester's not back in lockdown by the time we get there...

[Richard T]

11 minutes ago, IanD said:

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. One last question about Alrewas -- Canalplan suggests the best moorings (better than either visitor mooring) are by bridge 48 but that it gets busy, Aqua also warned us of this -- anyone been past there at a weekend recently? (we'll be getting there mid-afternoon)

 

..

Moor in the first space you get to in Alrewas - it gets busy. Don't think that there may be better ones further on. If all else fails there is usually space above Bagnalls lock. A word of warning about this lock - the bottom gates swing someone needs to hold them shut until a top padle has been drawn. Another word of warning on the Soar about 150m above Ratcliffe lock is a large shoal on the offside it is important to stay on the towpath side as you approach - the prevailing wind will want to blow you onto the shoal!!

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

My advice would be to moor up as soon as you can when you come out of the lock at Alrewas by the winding hole (not in it obviously). I’d be surprised if you can’t see a space there. Then have a walk down to check for other space if you prefer. By the winding hole is actually ok. 
Failing that you can more above the lock

 

 

Crossed with above?

Edited August 14, 2020 by Goliath

[Nightwatch]

I agree with all of the above regarding Alrewas. Especially the lock misbehaving. Its a pain in the bottom (gates).

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Don’t them gates have poles on hinges to keep ‘em shut?
 

I must be thinking of further up at Fradley?

[IanD]

19 minutes ago, Goliath said:

My advice would be to moor up as soon as you can when you come out of the lock at Alrewas by the winding hole (not in it obviously). I’d be surprised if you can’t see a space there. Then have a walk down to check for other space if you prefer. By the winding hole is actually ok. 
Failing that you can more above the lock

 

 

Crossed with above?

I'm confused -- coming from Barton Turns Marina through Alrewas Lock (lock 12), we'd have to go all the way through Alrewas past all the moorings to get to the winding hole before Bagnall Lock (lock 13). Did you think we were coming the other way from Fradley?

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

?

 

yes I did

sorry,

 

in that case, same in reverse?
you’ll be ok 

[IanD]

39 minutes ago, Richard T said:

Moor in the first space you get to in Alrewas - it gets busy. Don't think that there may be better ones further on. If all else fails there is usually space above Bagnalls lock. A word of warning about this lock - the bottom gates swing someone needs to hold them shut until a top padle has been drawn. Another word of warning on the Soar about 150m above Ratcliffe lock is a large shoal on the offside it is important to stay on the towpath side as you approach - the prevailing wind will want to blow you onto the shoal!!

Thanks, I'll take the advice that a space in the hand is worth two in the bushes ?

Edited August 14, 2020 by IanD

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Don’t them gates have poles on hinges to keep ‘em shut?
 

I must be thinking of further up at Fradley?

Not when we last passed.

 

Bagnall Lock definitely posed a challenge in keeping the bottom gates shut.

 

We used to start running water through to get them to shut and stay closed before filling, if there was no one around to keep them closed till the lock started to fill.

 

https://canalplan.uk/photo/n74h_2

Edited August 14, 2020 by The Happy Nomad