Leicester Ring Clock or Anti Clock?

[baldlimey]

Hi

 

Just wondering if there any advantages/disadvantages to going round the Leicester Ring anti clockwise rather than clockwise (or vice versa), any helpful hints or tips would be appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Peter

[Midnight Rider]

If you are hiring or need to keep to time, then I would suggest doing the river section first as a couple of days of heavy rain could put it into flood.

 

Otherwise it makes little difference --- try to make a little time to call at Market Harborough.

[Woodford]

Hi

 

Just wondering if there any advantages/disadvantages to going round the Leicester Ring anti clockwise rather than clockwise (or vice versa), any helpful hints or tips would be appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Peter

I think I preferred anticlockwise from the rugby area. Where are you starting from?

[Guest]

Hi

 

Just wondering if there any advantages/disadvantages to going round the Leicester Ring anti clockwise rather than clockwise (or vice versa), any helpful hints or tips would be appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Peter

 

When we did it last April we were advised anti which is what we did.

 

The reason stated was to go with the flow on the Soar river sections.

 

I'm not sure in the end if that particular point made any real difference to be honest.

 

One other factor I would now take into account is that the big double locks between Kibworth through Leicester and Loughborough to Cranfleet. We managed to pass nearly every one as the only boat and it was quite tiring (Only two of us). I think going uphill would take longer and would dictate anti again as my preferred direction.

 

Of course if you are 'crewed up' or passing them all with another boat this will be less of an issue. We are also more confident at 'single gating' now which would have saved a lot of time TBH.

 

As has already been said watch the weather forecast and watch out for rain that could put the Soar and/or the Trent into flood. it just might stop you in your tracks and mean you have to turn rather than do a full circuit if the hold up means you won't have enough time to get around.

 

We set off from Napton and our plan concentrated on getting as much as the River sections under our belt as we could in the first week so that we were confident of having enough time to do the whole ring should we get stopped. Some people claim to be able to do the whole ring in a week so that wasn't particularly ambitious TBH. In the end our weather was spectacular, sun for the who;e 2 weeks.

 

Other tips

 

- take your camera, the views are beautiful..

 

- spend a bit of time at Foxton - seeing the site of the inclined plane and reading about the plans for it's restoration are fascinating.

 

- take heed of the flood warnings on the boards at the bottom of the locks on the river sections.

 

- enjoy it - it's a great trip.

[matty40s]

...anti-clockwise is best.

With the lack of rain recently, some of the pounds (Saddington to Kilby) will be very low and you take some water down with you which helps fill 'em up.

Doing it clockwise may result in you having to go far ahead to let water down to get you over cills and mudbanks.

 

Fantastic loop with a bit of everything, staircases, tunnel, rivers and both narrow/wide locks. Ditto the views, and also stop off in Castle Gardens for secure moorings in the centre of Leicester.

[Farey]

You can get long delays at Watford and Foxton staircases, so if you have a deadline for getting back, its best not to be doing them at the end of the trip.

[baldlimey]

Thank you all for your advice we will be setting off from Nottingham so will be joining the ring at trent lock, and I'm sure will bow to peer pressure and go anti clock.

 

Cheers

 

Peter & Claire

[tony collins]

When advising newbies on this I always suggest clockwise starting from Braunston/Rugby area. This is because there are fewer locks in the first half giving time to learn how to handle the boat and the tunnels get longer as you go round. This mean you can get used to fairly short tunnels first before tackling the longer ones.

It also mean that you are going against the flow on the Soar, so if the worst happens at least you can stop!

 

If you consider yourselves competent, I guess it doesn't make much difference. It's a good trip either way, don't forget to visit Mkt Harboro' and Welford. (We did the Erewash as well on one trip). Have fun.

[Richard T]

Thank you all for your advice we will be setting off from Nottingham so will be joining the ring at trent lock, and I'm sure will bow to peer pressure and go anti clock.

 

To against the opinions of others starting from Nottingham I would go clockwise and do the Soar first. The reason being that the Soar levels are like a yo-yo up and down. If whilst you are out going anti-clockwise the levels rise you will have to moor up above Kings Lock Aylestone which is not a very convenient place. If you go clockwise you will be held up at Alrewas if the short Trent section is high or Shardlow both of which have good moorings.

Try and visit both Harborough and Welford. Note not all red boards are at the same level because of low bridges - the lowest one is Belgrave lock because of the low Thurcaston and Loughborough road bridges. Another reason for going clockwise is that Barrow bridge is dificult going down stream with any fresh in the river.

Having said all that if you start in the Braunston area anti-clockwise is best.