Wednesday 6/5 Junction Lock to Double Rail Lock, GUC Leicester Section

We left the River Wreake not long after setting off at 8.30am. Having being told that Leicester is not very welcoming to boaters and there is only one safe mooring spot with space for only 4 boats, and the next safe spot was 8 hours boating away, we thought we might be in for a long day. And so it proved. The wind was wilder than Tuesday BUT the water levels were dropping back into the safe zone. We chugged through some pretty areas

And passed some bullcolic countryside and returned to the River Soar before hitting the outskirts of Leicester at the same time as the rain came down. Soon we were into the old industrial heartland of Leicester 

which,from the centre out, are slowly being revamped into offices and flats. We passed the safe moorings (gated from the public and looking bleak and cheerless; so different from Chester) but there was only one small spot left and the wind was against us, so on we went.

The wind continued to gain strength, and on the southern outskirts of Leicester, luckily at a particularly wide stretch of River the nb Aqualife was blown across the River after dropping Tim and I off at the lock landing. Lawrence did two complete 360's as the wind gusts caught him as he struggled to bring the boat under control. He didn't panic, and after the second 360, the instant the boat was pointing in the direction of the lock he 'put the wellie down', came screaming into the lock, slammed into reverse and came to a halt before hitting the end of the lock.  Yay Lawrence - my hero.

The wind and rain continued all afternoon. The wind in particular slowing our progress severely, several times we proceeded down the River crabwise - the only way to stop being pushed into the bank. Also slowing us down was that the locks through Leicester and as far as miscreant youths reach into the countryside were locked and had to be unlocked before you could work the winding systems.

Unfortunately Lawrence had woken with a sore throat in the morning which got worse as the day progressed. We still hadn't reached the next so called 'safe' mooring at 6.40pm when Lawrence had to call it a day, but at least we were out of Leicester and into the countryside. So here we are, moored up in the middle of nowhere again.

Lawrence, bless his little heart because he is still my hero after the days exploits; it was harder going than Tuesday, went to bed after mooring up and went into manflu mode, saying he is terminal and demanding much attention. 

We will have to see how he is in the morning. So today we did in 10 hours 16miles, 15 locks.