A week from Sawley

[Amber34]

We're off on our third canal holiday on Tuesday and I can't decide which way we should go.

 

Sadly, we only have a week, so it will be an 'out n back' on either the Trent and Mersey or the River Soar to Market Harborough.

 

Which would you recommend? We're taking our 9 year old so need interesting things to look at, as well as nice places to stop and eat as well as moor.

 

Thanks

[Ron]

We're off on our third canal holiday on Tuesday and I can't decide which way we should go.

 

Sadly, we only have a week, so it will be an 'out n back' on either the Trent and Mersey or the River Soar to Market Harborough.

 

Which would you recommend? We're taking our 9 year old so need interesting things to look at, as well as nice places to stop and eat as well as moor.

 

Thanks

 

Personally I like the river Soar, not sure if you could do Foxton and Back in a week, but it might be worth considering. The route should have a far bit of interest.

 

 

Ron

 

 

Route from http://www.canalplan.org.uk

 

Preferred route from Sawley Marina to Sawley Marina via Foxton Bottom Lock

 

River Trent (Western End)

From Sawley Marina to:

Trent Junction

Junction of River Trent, Grand Union Leicester Section and Erewash Canal 1 mile, 1¼ flg, 1 lock

Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section - River Soar Navigation)

From Trent Junction to:

Soar Mouth 0 miles, ½ flg, 0 locks

Normanton-on-Soar Wharf 6 miles, 5½ flg, 5 locks

Loughborough Branch Junction 2 miles, 3¼ flg, 2 locks

Barrow upon Soar Junction

Between Barrow upon Soar road bridge and Barrow Deep Lock No 51 3 miles, 5¼ flg, 1 lock

Barrow upon Soar

Bridge 28. Barrow upon Soar village a quarter of a mile north 0 miles, 3¼ flg, 1 lock

Mountsorrel Railway Bridge

Also known as 1860 Bridge 1 mile, 3¼ flg, 0 locks

Sileby Road Bridge No 24 0 miles, 1 flg, 0 locks

Sileby Changline Bridge 0 miles, 5½ flg, 1 lock

Junction Lock No 47 2 miles, 5½ flg, 2 locks

Syston

Bridge No 19 0 miles, 7 flg, 1 lock

Thurmaston Lock No 46

Thurmaston on east bank 1 mile, 1¾ flg, 0 locks

Memory Lane Wharf 3 miles, 3½ flg, 4 locks

Soar Lane Bridge 0 miles, 7¾ flg, 1 lock

Leicester

Moorings for city between Newarke and West Bridges 0 miles, 4½ flg, 0 locks

Great Central Railway Bridge

Now the Great Central Way - Route No 6 of the Sustrans National Cycleway 2 miles, 3½ flg, 3 locks

River Soar Junction

Junction of GU Leicester Section and River Soar Navigation 0 miles, ½ flg, 0 locks

Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section - Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal)

From River Soar Junction to:

Blaby Bridge No 98

Blaby half a mile south 2 miles, 3 flg, 4 locks

South Wigston

Crow Mill Bridge No 92. South Wigston on north bank 1 mile, 4¾ flg, 2 locks

Kilby Bridge No 87

A50 1 mile, 5 flg, 3 locks

Newton Harcourt

Newton Church Bridge No 80. Newton Harcourt to the north 2 miles, 2 flg, 7 locks

Great Glen

Station Bridge No 77. Great Glen village 1 mile north 0 miles, 6¾ flg, 0 locks

Fleckney Bridge No 73

Fleckney half a mile west 2 miles, 1½ flg, 5 locks

Saddington Tunnel (Northwest end) 0 miles, 2¼ flg, 0 locks

Saddington Tunnel (Southeast end) 0 miles, 4½ flg, 0 locks

Smeeton Westerby

Smeeton Hills Bridge No 70. Smeeton Westerby half a mile north 1 mile, 2 flg, 0 locks

Gumley

Bridge No 69. Gumley village three-quarters of a mile south 0 miles, 1 flg, 0 locks

Foxton Junction

Junction of Grand Union Market Harborough Branch with Leicester Section 2 miles, 2½ flg, 0 locks

Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section - Old Grand Union)

From Foxton Junction to:

Foxton Bottom Lock 0 miles, 0 flg, 0 locks

Turn round here

Foxton Junction

Junction of Grand Union Market Harborough Branch with Leicester Section 0 miles, 0 flg, 0 locks

Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section - Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal)

From Foxton Junction to:

Gumley

Bridge No 69. Gumley village three-quarters of a mile south 2 miles, 2½ flg, 0 locks

Smeeton Westerby

Smeeton Hills Bridge No 70. Smeeton Westerby half a mile north 0 miles, 1 flg, 0 locks

Saddington Tunnel (Southeast end) 1 mile, 2 flg, 0 locks

Saddington Tunnel (Northwest end) 0 miles, 4½ flg, 0 locks

Fleckney Bridge No 73

Fleckney half a mile west 0 miles, 2¼ flg, 0 locks

Great Glen

Station Bridge No 77. Great Glen village 1 mile north 2 miles, 1½ flg, 5 locks

Newton Harcourt

Newton Church Bridge No 80. Newton Harcourt to the north 0 miles, 6¾ flg, 0 locks

Kilby Bridge No 87

A50 2 miles, 2 flg, 7 locks

South Wigston

Crow Mill Bridge No 92. South Wigston on north bank 1 mile, 5 flg, 3 locks

Blaby Bridge No 98

Blaby half a mile south 1 mile, 4¾ flg, 2 locks

River Soar Junction

Junction of GU Leicester Section and River Soar Navigation 2 miles, 3 flg, 4 locks

Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section - River Soar Navigation)

From River Soar Junction to:

Great Central Railway Bridge

Now the Great Central Way - Route No 6 of the Sustrans National Cycleway 0 miles, ½ flg, 0 locks

Leicester

Moorings for city between Newarke and West Bridges 2 miles, 3½ flg, 3 locks

Soar Lane Bridge 0 miles, 4½ flg, 0 locks

Memory Lane Wharf 0 miles, 7¾ flg, 1 lock

Thurmaston Lock No 46

Thurmaston on east bank 3 miles, 3½ flg, 3 locks

Syston

Bridge No 19 1 mile, 1¾ flg, 1 lock

Junction Lock No 47 0 miles, 7 flg, 0 locks

Sileby Changline Bridge 2 miles, 5½ flg, 3 locks

Sileby Road Bridge No 24 0 miles, 5½ flg, 1 lock

Mountsorrel Railway Bridge

Also known as 1860 Bridge 0 miles, 1 flg, 0 locks

Barrow upon Soar

Bridge 28. Barrow upon Soar village a quarter of a mile north 1 mile, 3¼ flg, 0 locks

Barrow upon Soar Junction

Between Barrow upon Soar road bridge and Barrow Deep Lock No 51 0 miles, 3¼ flg, 1 lock

Loughborough Branch Junction 3 miles, 5¼ flg, 1 lock

Normanton-on-Soar Wharf 2 miles, 3¼ flg, 2 locks

Soar Mouth 6 miles, 5½ flg, 5 locks

Trent Junction

Junction of River Trent, Grand Union Leicester Section and Erewash Canal 0 miles, ½ flg, 0 locks

River Trent (Western End)

From Trent Junction to:

Sawley Marina 1 mile, 1¼ flg, 1 lock

 

Total distance is 88 miles, 3¾ flg and 86 locks. There are at least 2 tunnels.

 

This is made up of 0 miles, ¼ furlongs of narrow canals; 30 miles, 5¾ furlongs of broad canals; 57 miles, 5¾ furlongs of small rivers; 44 broad locks.

 

This will take 47 hours, 32 minutes which is 6 days, 5 hours and 32 minutes at 7 hours per day. For calculation purposes this is taken as 7 days.

Overnight stopping places

This is calculated based on 7 full days travelling.

 

Each full day will be approximately 6 hours and 47 minutes travelling.

 

First day of trip

On the Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section - River Soar Navigation), at Meadow Farm Marina, Barrow-upon-Soar (a third of the way between Barrow upon Soar and Mountsorrel Railway Bridge)

14 miles, 7¾ flg and 10 locks.

Second day of trip

On the Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section - River Soar Navigation), at Freestone Bridge No 106

13 miles, 5¾ flg and 12 locks.

Third day of trip

On the Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section - Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal), at Newton Harcourt

8 miles, 4¾ flg and 17 locks.

Fourth day of trip

On the Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section - Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal), at Great Glen

14 miles, 2 flg and 10 locks.

Fifth day of trip

On the Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section - River Soar Navigation), at Aylestone Mill Lock No 39 (just past Great Central Railway Bridge )

9 miles, 3¼ flg and 16 locks.

Sixth day of trip

On the Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section - River Soar Navigation), at Meadow Farm Marina, Barrow-upon-Soar (two thirds of the way between Mountsorrel Railway Bridge and Barrow upon Soar)

13 miles, 1 flg and 12 locks.

Seventh day of trip

On the River Trent (Western End), at Sawley Marina

15 miles, 3 flg and 10 locks.

Edited August 21, 2010 by Ron

[The Maestro]

We're off on our third canal holiday on Tuesday and I can't decide which way we should go.

 

Sadly, we only have a week, so it will be an 'out n back' on either the Trent and Mersey or the River Soar to Market Harborough.

 

Which would you recommend? We're taking our 9 year old so need interesting things to look at, as well as nice places to stop and eat as well as moor.

 

Thanks

I would plump for the T&M. It's better maintained so mooring is easier and the locks work better. I couldn't move some Soar locks [single handed] and had to wait for help from other boaters or passers by.

[Amber34]

Thanks for your opinions - I guessed they would be mixed

 

The dodgy locks on the Soar do concern me a bit, although there are two of us, I generally do the locks.

 

The industrial aspect of the T&M appeals a bit, although my partner is now trying to convince me we could do the whole ring in a week . Although we generally like long days, I am not for convincing

[Midnight Rider]

If you want something interesting/different, do the Soar.

 

I'm not sure that I would want to take on Sawley to Market Harborough & return in a week, but each to his own.

 

Also bear in mind that a couple of days of heavy rain can put the Soar in flood.

 

Tony

[nickfryer]

We're off on our third canal holiday on Tuesday and I can't decide which way we should go.

 

Sadly, we only have a week, so it will be an 'out n back' on either the Trent and Mersey or the River Soar to Market Harborough.

 

Which would you recommend? We're taking our 9 year old so need interesting things to look at, as well as nice places to stop and eat as well as moor.

 

Thanks

Were just back today from doing Redhill to Market Harborough and back, lovely trip, no long days apart from going through leicester. Did the trip in 8 days easily, it was a good trip.

[Redeye]

<!--quoteo(post=574679:date=Aug 21 2010, 05:57 PM:name=Amber34)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Amber34 @ Aug 21 2010, 05:57 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=574679"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->We're off on our third canal holiday on Tuesday and I can't decide which way we should go.

 

Sadly, we only have a week, so it will be an 'out n back' on either the Trent and Mersey or the River Soar to Market Harborough.

 

Which would you recommend? We're taking our 9 year old so need interesting things to look at, as well as nice places to stop and eat as well as moor.

 

Thanks<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Were just back today from doing Redhill to Market Harborough and back, lovely trip, no long days apart from going through leicester. Did the trip in 8 days easily, it was a good trip.

 

We are doing Braunston back to Shardlow next week via the Soar, I think its a great waterway and really enjoy it.

 

My vote goes for the Soar unless it lashes down for the rest of the week!

 

Cheers

 

Redeye

[Ron]

In case of bored moments for 9 year old take plenty of stale bread to feed Ducks.

... entertainment for all ages!

[Amber34]

Well, despite our decision to take the Soar, the hire company were not having it as the rain had caused the river to rise and they were concerned that any more rain could mean we wouldn't get back in time, so we set off up the T & M.

 

We stocked up on bread at 30p a loaf at Aldi in Rugeley and our 9 year old was rationed to 2 loaves a day for duck feeding - mostly all gone by lunchtime!

 

We passed the Ash Tree just after the thefts and OH was quite proud to be filmed by the local TV crew as we passed under the bridge, although completely forgot to watch TV at 6 pm to see if he was famous!

 

We realised that the map given to us by the hire company wouldn't see us for many days so reverted to the laptop and CanalPlanner and decided to nip off at Great Haywood along the Staff and Worcs. From there our sense of adventure took over and we managed to make it down to the BCN Main line, the Birmingham and Fazeley, back up the Coventry and back along the T&M, reaching Sawley Marina with 15 minutes to spare before our hire period ended!!

 

It was jolly hard work but we managed to stop off each day for a lunchtime drink and a meal in the evening. I just need a week off now to get over the 115 locks!

 

Spotted this (just in time) at Minworth, under the bridge just above the top lock.

[Scooby]

Well, despite our decision to take the Soar, the hire company were not having it as the rain had caused the river to rise and they were concerned that any more rain could mean we wouldn't get back in time, so we set off up the T & M.

 

We stocked up on bread at 30p a loaf at Aldi in Rugeley and our 9 year old was rationed to 2 loaves a day for duck feeding - mostly all gone by lunchtime!

 

We passed the Ash Tree just after the thefts and OH was quite proud to be filmed by the local TV crew as we passed under the bridge, although completely forgot to watch TV at 6 pm to see if he was famous!

 

We realised that the map given to us by the hire company wouldn't see us for many days so reverted to the laptop and CanalPlanner and decided to nip off at Great Haywood along the Staff and Worcs. From there our sense of adventure took over and we managed to make it down to the BCN Main line, the Birmingham and Fazeley, back up the Coventry and back along the T&M, reaching Sawley Marina with 15 minutes to spare before our hire period ended!!

 

It was jolly hard work but we managed to stop off each day for a lunchtime drink and a meal in the evening. I just need a week off now to get over the 115 locks!

 

Spotted this (just in time) at Minworth, under the bridge just above the top lock.

 

 

 

must be a fishing trip....lol