To Loughborough.

Tuesday 28th June, 2016 in Loughborough.
A lovely sunny morning greeted us. So did this feathered visitor, who decided to play at being a figurehead - but left his calling card on the roof. "Blooming cheek", said M.

Rosemary and Dudley on "Vagabond" were keen to set off early, so we left together half way through breakfast!
This very handsome bridge built in 1860 carries a conveyor belt to take granite from Mountsorrel quarry to the railway on the other side of the canal. Previously, of course, the granite was carried by canal boats.

At Barrow Deep Lock, the lock was against us (empty) so R and Dudley watched and chatted as the lock filled.

At Pillings Lock, we said goodbye to Dudley and Rosemary, as we were going to stop off at the marina just after the lock for diesel and a pump out. They are on their way up to Nottingham too, so we may see them again tomorrow; meanwhile, they kindly invited us to drop in on them at Gnosall when they are home.

 Pillings Lock Marina had a nice café with verandah seating, so we stayed for lunch - a rare treat for us. We each had a Brie, Bacon and Cranberry Jacket Potato. Delicious!

This bridge (below) marks the current northern terminus of the Grand Central Railway heritage line, which we are hoping to visit tomorrow. Plans are well advanced to extend the line another 8 miles north across this bridge in due course, which would make it one of the longest heritage lines in the country.

On the outskirts of Loughborough, we passed C&RT guys hard at work driving piles to support the towpath.

We went into the basin in the centre of Loughborough, but only to take on water, as it was very noisy and rather uninspiring. We couldn't help feeling that the local authority could have made so much more of an attractive facility with it - although they did at least keep the basin, which they had threatened to fill in to make yet another road.

So, we moored a few hundred yards up the canal, where it was nice and quiet.

M has to go home for a few days this weekend, so we walked in to the mainline station to buy her tickets, passing this converted mill that is now the headquarters of a pharmaceutical company.

While we were getting M's tickets, the heavens opened and we had to walk back to MM in the pouring rain huddled together under M's small folding umbrella. Our heads stayed dry but R's left arm and M's right got soaked! It's quite cosy sharing a small umbrella!
Today: 6 miles, 3 locks and 3.2 hours.
Trip: 148 miles, 94 locks and 111.5 hour.