Mooring Suggestions GU, R. Soar, T&M

[RichLech]

We are cruising the Grand Union Leicester Line/River Soar, then Trent/T&M to Fradley Junction over the next couple of weeks. This is new water for us so I'd be interested in any good mooring suggestions. We like a mixture of rural and less rural. Perhaps close to a pub. Are there any places where mooring is not advised?

 

Also would appreciate recommendations for stops near supermarkets. We prefer to do a fairly big shop every few days rather than bits & pieces every day or so. 

 

Any other thoughts/recommendations for this cruising route will be most welcome. 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2018 by RichLech

[PeteS]

I've just PM you with some info.

 

Pete

 

[Boater Sam]

I would always advise not mooring near to a pub, that's where all the disreputable characters and trouble makers moor, day after day after day...................

[Proper Charlie]

The Leicester line is our local bit of water. It's very rural and lovely. Loads of good isolated moorings. Some people like going up the Welford Arm and visiting the Wharf pub, but it's not one of our favourite hostelries. Not much in the way of shops on this stretch apart from a Co-op in Crick and a small local shop in Welford. For a change of scenery, go to Market Harborough. Good moorings approaching the basin and I believe you can also moor in the basin if you pay. It's about a 10 minute walk into the centre of town - lots of good independent shops there, plus supermarkets. There's a new Co-op between the basin and the centre. Most people moor overnight near Kilby Bridge and head into Leicester from there without stopping. It's about 5 hours. In Leicester, moor at Castle Gardens (room for about 3 narrowboats, but you can also breast up) or Friar's Wharf (maybe five boats there). Both are good secure moorings. Castle Gardens can be noisy at night, with drunks returning home on the opposite side of the canal. There are new moorings near Abbey Park, above the lock there. Lots of pontoons last time we passed. Not sure if they're secure or what access to the city is like from there. After Leicester, I wouldn't stop until Birstall or beyond. Moorings are in short supply on the Soar although off the top of my head there are plenty at Zouch, and moorings on armco between there and Kegworth Deep. Then you're onto the Trent and then the T&M. Four very heavy locks after Shardlow. Alrewas is a good place to stop - shops and a few pubs / takeaways.

[Tony Brooks]

Yes, avoid the Castle moorings in Leicester unless its a quick stop for shopping and you leave someone on the boat. The resident ne’er-do-wells have obtained a key to the pontoon gate and harass boaters for money. MY daughter in law was very upset by this and she feels the banging on the boat to see if anyone was in was a prelude to breaking in. The park keepers know about this but they say the police have no interest (from this July).

Edited August 31, 2018 by Tony Brooks

[Tim Lewis]

28 minutes ago, Proper Charlie said:

The Leicester line is our local bit of water. It's very rural and lovely. Loads of good isolated moorings. Some people like going up the Welford Arm and visiting the Wharf pub, but it's not one of our favourite hostelries. Not much in the way of shops on this stretch apart from a Co-op in Crick and a small local shop in Welford. For a change of scenery, go to Market Harborough. Good moorings approaching the basin and I believe you can also moor in the basin if you pay. It's about a 10 minute walk into the centre of town - lots of good independent shops there, plus supermarkets. There's a new Co-op between the basin and the centre. Most people moor overnight near Kilby Bridge and head into Leicester from there without stopping. It's about 5 hours. In Leicester, moor at Castle Gardens (room for about 3 narrowboats, but you can also breast up) or Friar's Wharf (maybe five boats there). Both are good secure moorings. Castle Gardens can be noisy at night, with drunks returning home on the opposite side of the canal. There are new moorings near Abbey Park, above the lock there. Lots of pontoons last time we passed. Not sure if they're secure or what access to the city is like from there. After Leicester, I wouldn't stop until Birstall or beyond. Moorings are in short supply on the Soar although off the top of my head there are plenty at Zouch, and moorings on armco between there and Kegworth Deep. Then you're onto the Trent and then the T&M. Four very heavy locks after Shardlow. Alrewas is a good place to stop - shops and a few pubs / takeaways.

 

The shops at Market Harborough might only be a 10/15 minute walk away but the walk back with your shopping is all uphill !

 

I seem to remember a big supermarket close to the basin at Loughborough, can't speak for the pubs

 

Can't remember much in the way of shops on the T & M, even the centre of Burton is a goodly way from the canal, the Coopers Arms is a must though!!. 

[Richard T]

This is our local patch so a few hints on moorings and shopping. Leicester is fine whatever anyone else says - use Castle Gardens or Friars Mill.

There is an Aldi offside above Aylestone Meadow lock - moor to the railings and walk across a play area.

Birstall  has excellent moorings with a Co-op 5 mins walk up the road plus all the take aways.

There are safe overnight moorings above and below Thurmaston lock. There are nice moorings above Junction lock which are very secluded. There is room for a couple of boats above Cossington Lock. There are moorings above and below Sileby lock - there is diesel at Sileby Mill boat yard which is on the right below the lock the mooringa and tank for it are on barge - wave at our boat as you go past. Sileby are flexible on diesel declarations and then have a big turnover.

There are some moorings at Mountsorrel but the Waterside Inn can be noisy.

Pleny of moorings above Barrow lock with a few minutes walk to shops. Beware of the bridge over the river below the lock - you can get caught out by the current and the arch is low sprung. There are traffic lights at the lock if red moor and stay put. There is water rubbish and elsan at Barrow.

Plenty of moorings in Loughborough on pins before the junction or bollards just past it. The services in the basin are closed - mooring there is a barstool so dont bother going into it. There is Sainsburys, Tesco, M&S food and Aldi within walking distance of the cut. There is also a good street market on Thursdays and Saturdays. Swan in the Rushes is a good pub and there is a micro pub a few doors from it.

Next moorings are Zouch cut - Rose and Crown has moorings and food is OK. Its difficult for a narrowboat to moor at The Otter. Pleny of moorings on the stretch from Zouch to Kegworth. Limited moorings at the shallow lock which is the nearest point to the village - the quickest route is down a jitty from the pub car park.

Noisy moorings above Ratcliffe lock. Plenty at Trent lock and on Sawley cut. Sawley marina is self pump out but you get plenty of time.

Shardlow is a must for an overnight stop - good architecture decent canalside pubs.

The next set of locks are big deep and heavy - we are always glad to get them done and look forward to the narrow locks to come.

Willington has good moorings and pubs, there is a Co-op hidden under a railway bridge. There is also a Co-op at Stretton as you go into Burton

Burton has good moorings at Shobnall Fields but shops are a distance away. Jannel are good for diesel.

Decent moorings and country park by the bridge at Branston.

Alrewas is a good place to stop and shop - the butchers is in our opinion the best near to the canal. Home reared and killed animals properly hung and butchered - need i say more!!

I hope that this helps you plan your journey. Relax and enjoy it hopefully the Soar will not be in flood.

Edited August 31, 2018 by Richard T

[Boater Sam]

Frog Island can be unbelievably noisy, the pub has raves outside. Oh and the lock there is a b*gg*r, I had to winch the bottom gates open.

[Tony Brooks]

33 minutes ago, Richard T said:

This is our local patch so a few hints on moorings and shopping. Leicester is fine whatever anyone else says - use Castle Gardens or Friars Mill.

Yes by all means use Castle Gardens if you do not mind being accosted by aggressive beggars on alcohol or drugs and risking break ins. My daughter in law was very shaken by the incident and my son tells me a number of them take up residence in the gardens during the day and an, if they wish, unlock the gate to the pontoon.

 

OK, one incident in July this year but would you risk it?

[Richard T]

1 hour ago, Boater Sam said:

Frog Island can be unbelievably noisy, the pub has raves outside. Oh and the lock there is a b*gg*r, I had to winch the bottom gates open.

The pub at Frog Island closed a number of years ago. The problem at the lock was caused by the number of empty safes in it!! 7 were found when they last drained the lock for repairs a couple of years ago, there was also a couple of feet of silt in it.

[PeteS]

15 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

Yes by all means use Castle Gardens if you do not mind being accosted by aggressive beggars on alcohol or drugs and risking break ins. My daughter in law was very shaken by the incident and my son tells me a number of them take up residence in the gardens during the day and an, if they wish, unlock the gate to the pontoon.

 

OK, one incident in July this year but would you risk it?

Tony, whilst your daughter in law may have been very shaken by the experience, is one incident enough to advise boaters not to stop.  I was moored at Foxton when the lock keeper was threatened with an axe because he had locked the gates up at the end of the day.  Would you risk mooring at Foxton based on that?

[Tony Brooks]

To the best of my knowledge there are no almost resident alcoholics and drug addicts at Foxton. According the the Council officials at the park there are in Castle Gardens who have a key or key(s) to the so called secure mooring area. Further more, as I reported in my original post despite reports to the police about this the police seem to refuse to do anything about it. My reports are second hand but they are credible unless the council officials are lying.

 

I take it you are perfectly happy to walk through dim underpasses at night were alcoholics and drug addicts are known to congregate or would you prefer to avoid them if possible? If your answer is the former then by all means advise people to moor in a similar area but I can't.

[PeteS]

Tony,

 

My point was that "One swallow does not a summer make" and people are only too keen to persuade boaters not to moor somewhere because of 1 incident, however unpleasant, instead of looking at the vast number of boaters who moor there with no trouble at all.

 

As you are probably aware Leicester has a terrible reputation amongst boaters, totally unfounded in my opinion, and fortunately one which seems to be changing.  Being dissuaded to moor or dissuading others to moor based on 1 incident amongst 100's of non-incidents seems a little over cautious to me.  Report the facts by all means but allow others to make their own minds up, if we were only moored where there had been no trouble at all our options would be few and far between.

[BruceinSanity]

I’d go with the Willington and Alrewas recommendations – Alrewas also has a Co-op and an excellent chippy with large helpings. Ragley Boat Stop a bit below Stenson is very popular with local boaters here, pub with overnight moorings on the offside.

[Tony Brooks]

26 minutes ago, PeteS said:

Tony,

 

My point was that "One swallow does not a summer make" and people are only too keen to persuade boaters not to moor somewhere because of 1 incident, however unpleasant, instead of looking at the vast number of boaters who moor there with no trouble at all.

 

As you are probably aware Leicester has a terrible reputation amongst boaters, totally unfounded in my opinion, and fortunately one which seems to be changing.  Being dissuaded to moor or dissuading others to moor based on 1 incident amongst 100's of non-incidents seems a little over cautious to me.  Report the facts by all means but allow others to make their own minds up, if we were only moored where there had been no trouble at all our options would be few and far between.

 

And my point is that people with official duties in that area are reported to have said they know the undesirables were causing troubles for boaters and despite reporting it the police do not take any action. They and my son also said the undesirables congregate in the gardens and have keys to the moorings.

 

It is up to others to decide if they wish to risk mooring there having been given that information.

 

I note that you declined to answer my question about walking through a subway where drunks and drug users are known to congregate. That question seems to me to be direct analogous to mooring in Castle Gardens and leaving the boat unattended.

[PeteS]

Tony,

 

Like many people I weigh up the risks before I do anything and so may walk through and may not walk through, it is my choice.  Assuming that it is unsafe because somebody appears to be a drunk or a drug user is taking a rather stereotypical view of life.  Boaters on the River Soar will encounter a bunch of 'drinkers' at Lime Kiln Lock and whilst initially it appears to be intimidating, they help boaters with the locking and clear up all of their litter at the end of the day.

 

If a call to the police, by a female, reporting intimidation has resulted in the police not attending or refusing to attend then I would have thought that it would have deserved raising with the relevant authorities.

 

[Tony Brooks]

14 minutes ago, PeteS said:

Tony,

 

Like many people I weigh up the risks before I do anything and so may walk through and may not walk through, it is my choice.  Assuming that it is unsafe because somebody appears to be a drunk or a drug user is taking a rather stereotypical view of life.  Boaters on the River Soar will encounter a bunch of 'drinkers' at Lime Kiln Lock and whilst initially it appears to be intimidating, they help boaters with the locking and clear up all of their litter at the end of the day.

 

If a call to the police, by a female, reporting intimidation has resulted in the police not attending or refusing to attend then I would have thought that it would have deserved raising with the relevant authorities.

 

 

Once again you are ignoring the reports that this is NOT an individual, its a number of them. It is reported that they are known to go onto the moorings and have a key so to do. It is reported they are known to harass boaters. You seem to be very keen to ignore reports that they are pretty much resident in the gardens so it is not a one off situation. Yet you choose to not mention this and advise boaters it is safe to moor there. Says more about your concern for others' well being than the safety of the mooring.

[RichLech]

Thanks for all the suggestions