Geograph - photograph every grid square

This was my first experience of canal boating, and it was certainly a matter of being thrown in at the deep end.

A group of volunteers from the National Tramway Museum at Crich hired narrowboat 'Kimberley' for a one-week cruise. 'Kimberley' was built for Fellows Morton and Clayton as a butty boat (i.e. unpowered), being later fitted with an engine. By 1978 she was owned by Union Canal Carriers, based at Braunston, having been 'converted' to a camping boat. The conversion consisted simply of putting a floor in the hold and installing some plain dormitory-style beds. The hold was enclosed using traditional tarpaulins over the traditional cratch frame.

'Kimberley' is the traditional full length 70 foot, and in addition draws nearly 3 feet of water at the rear, so without a load sits high in the water at the bow. This combination makes her quite crank to steer, and is quite a challenge to a novice boater – she does not steer easily round tight corners!

What this all means is that she still presented the appearance of a traditional working boat, and this is reflected in the pictures in this collection.

The idea of completing the Leicestershire Ring within a week was certainly ambitious, but with a crew of 6 and the long hours of daylight in June, it was possible to make good miles. In addition to the crew, we carried a bicycle enabling one of the crew to cycle ahead to prepare locks in advance. This so called 'lock-wheeling' is frowned upon by some boaters, but if done with consideration for other moving boats is a real time saver. It has to be said that there were far fewer craft moored along the canals in 1978 than today, so it was possible to maintain the normal speed limit for much more of the trip than would be possible today.

The full route of the trip was as follows. (I didn't keep a record of where we overnighted, so can't break the trip down into individual days).

Start from Braunston along the main Grand Union via Braunston Tunnel to Norton Junction where we took the G.U. Leicester Line. Up Watford Locks, then on to Foxton, including doing the Welford Arm. Down the fine Foxton staircases, including a quick visit to the site of the inclined plane (the buildings still ruins), then along the Market Harborough Arm and back. An interesting excursion as the arm had not then been improved and silt had built up to leave only about 18 inches of 'clear' water. 'Kimberley's' large propeller, largely turning in the silt, certainly ensured that the water was not clear after our passage! Quite a narrow channel through reeds in places as well.

Down through Kibworth to Leicester and on to the Soar Navigation. At Soar Mouth we made the left and right turn into Cranfleet Cut and then via the River Trent and the Beeston and Nottingham Canals to Meadow Lane Lock at Nottingham. A brief turn in the River Trent, and then back upstream via the river and its cuts to Derwent Mouth where we joined the Trent & Mersey Canal. We followed this to Fradley Junction where we turned into the Coventry Canal, completing this the whole way to Coventry Basin. Back to Hawkesbury Junction where we joined the Oxford Canal, which we then used all the way back to Braunston. Even here we had just enough time in hand before turning the boat back to the owners to enable a quick side trip along the combined Oxford/Grand Union section to Napton Junction and back.

A total of 108 locks, and I haven't calculated how many miles!

The Coventry Canal enabling Act was passed in 1768 to connect Coventry with the Trent and Mersey Canal. Coventry to Bedworth was completed in 1769 for the revenue earning coal traffic but by 1771 when the canal reached Atherstone all authorised capital had been spent and James Brindley the first engineer was sacked. The canal didn't reach Fazeley, 12 miles short of its intended terminus, until 1790. The Birmingham and Fazeley Canal continued along the proposed line of the Coventry Canal to Whittington brook. The Trent and Mersey Canal (Grand Trunk Canal Co.) completed the section to Fradley and later sold it to the Coventry Canal which explains the disjointed section. It was one of the most profitable canals ever built in Britain paying dividends up to 1947. Coventry basin to Fradley junction is 38 miles with 13 locks.