Onto the Trent and the Erewash Canal

Easter Cruise day 6, 6th April 2013

After Shardlow, where we didn't stop, we went down Derwent Mouth Lock ...


... and Sawley Lock.


We shared Sawley Lock with Jack Daniels, who were also headed for the Erewash Canal. We saw a lot of them over the next day or two.


They let us out of the lock first, and we zoomed along the Trent.


Shadow liked having plenty of deep water, and a bit of current helped too.


It's not often that 1600 rpm gives 5 mph on this boat.

And I said there was still snow around: here it is on the right bank of the Trent.


Moments later we arrived at a watery crossroads. Straight on and slightly to the left is the Trent's Cranfleet Cut; slightly to the right is Thrumpton Weir; further to the right is the River Soar (which we would be going up later); and sharp left, hidden behind the sloping masonry wall, is the entrance to the Erewash Canal.


I could see from Nicholson's that it was a sharp turn, but it was even sharper than I was expecting. We had no problem, though, as there was plenty of room and benign conditions.


Here we were at Trent Lock and the start of a new waterway (to us). Exciting!