Fazeley, Coventry, Trent & Mersey, River Soar, Leicester - what's this like?

[Richard T]

Please remember that the principal use of the Soar north of the city centre is a flood relief channel. It means that a lot crap ends up in the river but once you clear Lime Kiln lock heading south it improves. There are now moorings at Memory Lane wharf which is above Lime Kiln lock and gives access to the Golden mile. Leicester is an interesting city and well worth stopping at. There is a nice mooring above Aylestone Meadow lock and again above Kings lock. Birstall has good moorings. Sileby Mill boatyard is good for services and has a good chandelry - it also provides a home for our boat. Note there are no CRT services between Barrow on Soar and Kilby Bridge.

Last of all don't knock Leicester unless you've boated their in the last few months!!

[PD1964]

10 minutes ago, Richard T said:

Please remember that the principal use of the Soar north of the city centre is a flood relief channel. It means that a lot crap ends up in the river but once you clear Lime Kiln lock heading south it improves. There are now moorings at Memory Lane wharf which is above Lime Kiln lock and gives access to the Golden mile. Leicester is an interesting city and well worth stopping at. There is a nice mooring above Aylestone Meadow lock and again above Kings lock. Birstall has good moorings. Sileby Mill boatyard is good for services and has a good chandelry - it also provides a home for our boat. Note there are no CRT services between Barrow on Soar and Kilby Bridge.

Last of all don't knock Leicester unless you've boated their in the last few months!!

Who runs those moorings above LimeKiln?

  Are they CaRT?

  Stopped on them a couple of year ago for a cuppa, there was another boat moored there that looked like it had been there for a while, but seen no signage or info.

 I’ve always liked stopping off in Leicester and never had any trouble, so can never understand why it gets such a bad press. As I say always seek local knowledge for the real facts about an area.

Edited March 30, 2022 by PD1964

[IanD]

13 hours ago, PD1964 said:

Who runs those moorings above LimeKiln?

  Are they CaRT?

  Stopped on them a couple of year ago for a cuppa, there was another boat moored there that looked like it had been there for a while, but seen no signage or info.

 I’ve always liked stopping off in Leicester and never had any trouble, so can never understand why it gets such a bad press. As I say always seek local knowledge for the real facts about an area.

 

A good friend of mine lives just around the corner (literally!) from the Black Horse at Aylestone (where we met him for beer and dinner and crib...), and he assures me that it's not a bad area -- we moored below King's Lock near the bridge, perfectly good quiet moorings, lovely walk across the water meadows from there, also a good farm shop. What's not to like? 😉

Edited March 31, 2022 by IanD

[bpboat]

On 30/03/2022 at 08:03, nicknorman said:

Minworth marks the border between Birmingham grot and  the countryside. So north of Minworth it is vey pleasant. The Curdworth locks are lovely save for M42 noise. From Curdworth bottom lock to Fazeley is rural if rather straight. All “safe”.

After Fazeley it’s a pleasant run to Fradley, rural with a few villages. Turning right at Fradley takes you through the pretty village of Alrewas (good place  to moor) and  a short river section, which can flood so check the signs (at Fradley, then at the river lock at Alrewas). After the river section there a tedious long straight right beside a noisy dual carriageway but once that is cleared it’s pleasant again until the edge of Burton. Like any large town or city one has to be a bit sensible about where to moor for the night so best to moor at Branston or after the town. Mooring overnight in Burton at the park is probably fine but one is occasionally troubled by bored kids.

 

After Burton it’s all very pleasant until the Trent, just be aware that the wide locks can be powerful but since you are going downhill it won’t be an issue. Trent is big and wide and normally pretty currentless, but of course in times of flood it can be dangerous. The Soar is lovely but of course going uphill in wide locks requires a bit of care. On rivers you need to think more about where to stop as there is no convenient towpath piling to tie up to - except on the canal bits of course.

 

Leicester is a shit hole, best passed through as quickly as possible with eyes closed. Then there is a long and rather tedious succession of wide locks climbing out of Leicester, which are very hard work. Best to pair up with another boat if poss. After Kilby things improve and Foxton is reached. Be aware that opening times are limited and there can be delays. The summit pound is lovely, probably the best on this route, if a bit shallow. Watford locks same as Foxton, then you are down onto the Grand Union main line.

 

Hi Nicknorman,

Thanks very much for your reply - this is really useful!

On 30/03/2022 at 08:03, nicknorman said:

Minworth marks the border between Birmingham grot and  the countryside. So north of Minworth it is vey pleasant. The Curdworth locks are lovely save for M42 noise. From Curdworth bottom lock to Fazeley is rural if rather straight. All “safe”.

After Fazeley it’s a pleasant run to Fradley, rural with a few villages. Turning right at Fradley takes you through the pretty village of Alrewas (good place  to moor) and  a short river section, which can flood so check the signs (at Fradley, then at the river lock at Alrewas). After the river section there a tedious long straight right beside a noisy dual carriageway but once that is cleared it’s pleasant again until the edge of Burton. Like any large town or city one has to be a bit sensible about where to moor for the night so best to moor at Branston or after the town. Mooring overnight in Burton at the park is probably fine but one is occasionally troubled by bored kids.

 

After Burton it’s all very pleasant until the Trent, just be aware that the wide locks can be powerful but since you are going downhill it won’t be an issue. Trent is big and wide and normally pretty currentless, but of course in times of flood it can be dangerous. The Soar is lovely but of course going uphill in wide locks requires a bit of care. On rivers you need to think more about where to stop as there is no convenient towpath piling to tie up to - except on the canal bits of course.

 

Leicester is a shit hole, best passed through as quickly as possible with eyes closed. Then there is a long and rather tedious succession of wide locks climbing out of Leicester, which are very hard work. Best to pair up with another boat if poss. After Kilby things improve and Foxton is reached. Be aware that opening times are limited and there can be delays. The summit pound is lovely, probably the best on this route, if a bit shallow. Watford locks same as Foxton, then you are down onto the Grand Union main line.

 

 

[Slim]

On 30/03/2022 at 14:03, PD1964 said:

The clothing thing I hear is maybe from the Sikh community when they get married throwing an item of clothing into the river for luck??

Well it wasn't lucky for me when I picked up a whole wardrobe of saris' when I last went through. As for the stench from the black, oily bottom, indescribable. 

[Alan de Enfield]

10 hours ago, Slim said:

Well it wasn't lucky for me when I picked up a whole wardrobe of saris' when I last went through. As for the stench from the black, oily bottom, indescribable. 

 

A "wardrobe full" wasn't after a wedding, that was the result of an orgy.

[Tacet]

Don't overlook the delights of the National Gas Museum in Aylstone, on the outskirts of Leicester

 

http://www.nationalgasmuseum.org.uk/

 

Edited April 4, 2022 by Tacet

[Slim]

6 hours ago, Tacet said:

Don't overlook the delights of the National Gas Museum in Aylstone, on the outskirts of Leicester

 

http://www.nationalgasmuseum.org.uk/

 

When are they changing it's designation from museum to ancient monument?

[Rickent]

On 30/03/2022 at 11:19, nicknorman said:

Yes of course one can moor at castle garden moorings (often full) or even the new facility (didnt know it existed). Plague, death and destruction are unlikely. But everything is relative, and relative to the rest of the route, Leicester is a shit hole. Lots of rubbish (mostly clothing) to get round the prop and stinking black sludge on the bottom.

As a native of Leicester, the city itself is fine with good shops, bars and restaurants,  but have to agree about the rubbish in the water, the section between the national space centre and frog Island is pretty grim to be fair.

[nicknorman]

1 hour ago, Rickent said:

As a native of Leicester, the city itself is fine with good shops, bars and restaurants,  but have to agree about the rubbish in the water, the section between the national space centre and frog Island is pretty grim to be fair.

Yes to be fair when I say “Leicester is a shithole” I mean Leicester by water, not the entire city.

[Rickent]

32 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

Yes to be fair when I say “Leicester is a shithole” I mean Leicester by water, not the entire city.

Can't disagree with that,  we are always glad to be south of the mile straight. 

[bpboat]

Hi, me again

 

Can someone give us some advice about mooring on the River Soar between Trent Lock and Loughborough please?

Are there floating pontoons to moor on?  Or is there overnight mooring on the banks in places?

 

Thanks!

 

[Rob-M]

That's only half a days boating so we only stopped in the basin at Loughborough for shopping after leaving Trent Lock.

[Mike Todd]

20 minutes ago, bpboat said:

Hi, me again

 

Can someone give us some advice about mooring on the River Soar between Trent Lock and Loughborough please?

Are there floating pontoons to moor on?  Or is there overnight mooring on the banks in places?

 

Thanks!

 

There are quite a few options, especially when the river is benign - a number of spots just above Kegworth Deep are noted by Paul Balmer I(Waterway Routes) - we have used Zouch Cut which is also flood safe. It is also possible to moor below Bishop Meadow Lock - above is a long line of permanent mooring and then you are basically into Loughborough.

[George and Dragon]

On 12/05/2022 at 10:51, bpboat said:

Hi, me again

 

Can someone give us some advice about mooring on the River Soar between Trent Lock and Loughborough please?

Are there floating pontoons to moor on?  Or is there overnight mooring on the banks in places?

 

Thanks!

 

Unless you're profoundly deaf I'd advise against anywhere near Kegworth: you are likely to be under the flightpath for East Midlands Airport.

[bpboat]

Thanks for your replies everyone!

[Mike Todd]

On 30/03/2022 at 18:34, Mike Todd said:

About four years ago (before the new moorings were open) we had to do that and had no problem whatsoever.

Ditto