Above Ratcliffe Lock (River Soar) – Friday 23rd August

We said goodbye the Trent and Mersey today and hello not only to the River Trent but also the River Soar.  We had four locks to do on the T & M which we fortunately shared with another boat.  It was rather strange as last time we came down through the same locks we shared them with a boat who was going into Shardlow Marina to be sold – this one was doing exactly the same.  I noticed that the boat had a small top box – I had seen a similar one being sold at a house at Etruria Junction and asked them if that is where they had got it.  It turned out that the couple owned the house and he makes them.  If anyone is interested the house is for sale along with its own mooring!  I took this photo two years ago when we passed but sadly I noticed that the “couple” are looking a bit worse for wear these days.

Bill and Ben aka Reg and Bez (taken in 2011)

We pulled over as soon as we got onto the river for lunch.  It was lovely to be back on the Trent – the sun was shining and there was a lovely breeze blowing.  I had done two loads of washing and was desperate to put the rotary airer up and get the washing dry!
 

Trent and Soar Junction (taken in 2010)

As we got to the junction with the Erewash and the River Soar we took a sweeping right turn and onto the Soar.  I love that junction – it is so wide and really attractive.  We set off up the Soar, through one lock then pulled over in the middle of nowhere!  There is a path along the side of the river but it’s more like a footpath than a towpath and I think we only saw two people all the time we were there.

Fine George’s Bridge to Ratcliffe Lock

7.79 miles
6 locks