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River Soar


Dave .Morialta

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Good overnight moorings just below Sileby lock opposite the boatyard.

 

BTW is Alex still at the boatyard?

 

And above Kegworth Deep lock and MountSorrel lock IIRC

 

Elsan and diesel at Leicester Marina (Used to be called Raynsway).  You have to turn off the river ( quite tight if you are going downstream) and motor on through a biggish pond to the acksheral basin.

 

N

 

Edited by Theo
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3 minutes ago, Dave .Morialta said:

We are planning a trip down the river Soar from the Trent all the way down....................

 

If you are planning on going 'down' the Soar you will be heading from Leicester TOWARDS the Trent (ie with the current)

If you are starting at the Trent and heading towards Leicester then you are going 'upstream' (against the current)

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1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

If you are planning on going 'down' the Soar you will be heading from Leicester TOWARDS the Trent (ie with the current)

If you are starting at the Trent and heading towards Leicester then you are going 'upstream' (against the current)

You are so right!

 

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1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Pedantic - Moi ?

 

You are starting at the Bottom (Trent end) and heading upstream towards Leicester

You get the same sort of feeling when on the Trent as the 'top' (ie on the map), is actually the bottom (ie nearest to the centre of the earth).

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I've cruised the Soar, once in each direction, several years apart. Absolutely loved it, no problems with mooring or water etc, but used the Pearsons book, so knew where to look. Be careful though, as the river can get high quickly in wet weather.

 

Enjoy yourselves!

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2 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

I did it in a day. Good moorings just south of Kegworth, though beware of the flight path into East mids airport. Loughborough basin ok for a lunchtime stop,  but a bit concrete for me.

 

We stopped in the Loughborough Basin and SWMBO went off to find a supermarket to top-up supplies.

She didn't come back after a 'reasonable' time so I set off to find her.

 

She was coming back down the road with two Supermarket trollies (looked like a Bag-Lady !!!) so I went to help.

 

The Supermarket was having a clearance sale of Jeans, everything on the rack was £1, so, irresepective of size, (she'd find someone they'd fit), she cleared the rack, spending about £60.

 

Lasted us for years.

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Water: above bishops meadow lock at Loughborough,  also Loughborough basin, along with waste disposal toilets and shower if open, and elsan.  Handy to moor there for shopping, sainsbury and tesco very close, market Thursday and Saturday.  Personally I prefer to moor out of the basin, after going under chain Bridge  (a right from the basin navigation or a left from bishops meadow)  nice wide towpath area, less noise and druggies than in the basin! If on this wider stretch, there is a cut through to Aldi.

Water can , or could, be had from outside the Boat Inn further down Loughborough,  if you had a pint. 

If seriously desperate,  you could try turning into Pillings for services, but not on my recommendation. There are good mooring spots in many places between Loughborough and Pillings flood lock. After Barrow deep, opposite the navigation pub is Barrow boating, Water, elsan, shower, rubbish, shop when open. Above Barrow deep is decent mooring. The village is a short walk up the hill, a co-op,  various other shops, pubs, hairdressers takeaways etc.

You can then moor above Mountsorrel lock or below Sileby lock.  Sileby has a chandlery,  fuel, gas, slip, water. 

Above junction lock is a pleasant quiet stretch to moor, and as you head towards syston, on the right is old junction boatyard, with a chandlery (after April 12th) and gas.

Water usually available at the hope and anchor pub, situated on the towpath side of the carpark,  as you approach it. Good mooring there, or under the next bridge to moorings outside Watermead,  which is worth a wander. You can moor from there up to the weir bridge.

Then moorings in Birstall,  on the right, a little way before the lock. Easy walk into the town, there's a co-op,  a great Chinese takeaway (China red) and a builders merchant who sell coal(etc) if needed. 

Most go from there straight through Leicester, but there are a couple of protected moorings, one with water, and Leicester is worth a visit, fantastic fresh Market, Richard 111, etc etc. Easy walk from castle Gardens moorings.

Enjoy, its a very lovely river when not flooding.

Edited by Ally
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On 24/03/2021 at 17:00, Theo said:

Good overnight moorings just below Sileby lock opposite the boatyard.

 

BTW is Alex still at the boatyard?

 

And above Kegworth Deep lock and MountSorrel lock IIRC

 

Elsan and diesel at Leicester Marina (Used to be called Raynsway).  You have to turn off the river ( quite tight if you are going downstream) and motor on through a biggish pond to the acksheral basin.

 

N

 

Nick, Alex is still at Sileby. We are still moored there. I will be going there in the next few days so I'll remember you to him.

 

As for the river Soar Ally has given most of the information. Good shops at Birstall There is water at the Friars Mill moorings in the city - these are not yet in all the guide books - they are just north of Castle Gardens. The next facilities are at Kilby Bridge. There is an Aldi on the offside at Aylestone - you have to moor against a fence. Plenty of shops in the city centre and convenience stores on the straight mile.

The next place for diesel and pump out after Leicester Marina ( Sileby Mill is more accessible and is very helpful) is Debdale Wharf.

If the river does go into flood moor somewhere safe and don't leave your boat unattended as levels fluctuate rapidly. If all else fails moor in a lock.

Above all relax and enjoy the river.

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