14 May 2022

We have cruised this journey a number of times before, each time it was fantastic but today we had a very special guest, making this journey extra special 🤤

Trent Lock is at the point where the counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire meet, with the Soar forming the border between Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire, and the Trent  the border of Derbyshire.

It was 10:00 am in the morning and our special guest had arrived. Cane in hand, the figure of a slightly frail but very determined gentleman emerged from the towpath and proceeded down the pontoon in the direction of our boat.

Paul had promised Steph’s dad a river cruise about 6 weeks ago and every week Steph went round to see him, the first question was “has the boy remembered my cruise”. We had been waiting for a suitably warm day. The weather seers must have tossed extra giblets into the caldron, as their predictions of a sunny day looked to be good. A wiseman always comes prepared and dad was suitably dressed in the warmest coat that wouldn’t be out of place in the arctic. 😊.

A “Lancaster Bomber” fly-pass was planned, just before 2pm,  however that would have meant a late night for dad and he was already looking forward to a pub lunch our daughter had promised him.

We moved off the pontoon, past the entrance to the Erewash canal and proceeded down the Cranfleet Cut. Constructed in 1797 as part of the improvements to the Trent Navigation, it greatly improved the movement of coal from the Erewash collieries, across the Trent and up the Loughborough Navigation. Today it was once again a hive of activity as boaters and gongoozlers alike prepared for a boating festival. All seemed calm aboard Holly the Café boat as we approached the lock and a wave from Vic suggested they were ready for business after a break to have their son William. 

Cranfleet lock drops the water level by about 15 feet and is usually managed by local volunteers,  today was no different. On our approach the lock the gates slowly opened as if by magic and we were beckoned in. “I see you’ve brought the Captain with you today” one of the volunteers said pointing at dad who was standing on the stern ensuring everything was “Shipshape”. 😊

On reflection, it would have been nice to have offered dad the tiller as we left the lock, however I think the smile on his face said it all. He was happy, just to be standing on the back taking in everything that was going on with his daughter beside him.

We chatted about dad’s fishing days on the river, somehow the river has a magical quality of being able to bring the past back to life, as if it was yesterday. Despite having breakfast, when Steph asked dad if he wanted a toasted hot-cross bun, he eagerly nodded with a cheeky glint in his eye.  

Suitably refreshed, we continued down the river on the look out for a kingfisher or two but apart from the herons, terns and cormorants, the Kingfishers escaped us yet again. We chatted about the restoration of one of the Dunkirk boats we had seen on a previous trip down the Trent (Lady Sylvia), hoping to catch a glimpse but for some reason it wasn’t there. The weather more than made up for anything we might have missed, definitely T-shirts & shades, unless you’re dad, who managed to keep his coat on just in case.  

We continued down the stunning River Trent and the wildlife-enriched wetlands of Attenborough, soon arriving at Beeston marina.

Beeston, referenced in the Domesday Book of 1086 as the name of an early settlement but recorded as Bestune. The name derives from the Old English words bēos (bent-grass) and tūn (farmstead, settlement). The putative "bee" derivation encouraged the notion of Beeston as a "hive of industry". The bee was adopted as the emblem of the town council. Beehives appear carved in the brick of the town-hall exterior, and in 1959 three bees were included in the coat of arms. Beeston outgrew its village status as a silk weaving centre in the early 19th century. The first silk mill was burnt down (along with Nottingham Castle) in the Reform Bill riots of 1831. With the decline of the silk industry, many former mills gained light industrial uses in the early 20th century. Now better known for The Boots campus which includes three Grade I & II listed modernist buildings designed by engineer Owen Williams.

We stopped for fuel before going through the lock and onto the Beeston canal. Somehow Paul always feels like a kid in a sweet shop when entering a chandlery, an array of things you don’t really need but they all just sit there saying “come buy me”😊. This time Paul resisted all temptation 😊

As we meandered along the canal we noticed signs asking boaters not to moor on certain sections due to nesting Sand Martins (Riparia riparia). Its great to see how nature is really making the canals their home, further elevating the experience for boaters and walkers alike.

The imposing view of Nottingham Castle soon came into sight as we passed Castle marina, we now needed to find a suitable mooring location, not too far from the venue for dad’s refreshment and not too far for him to walk back to the car.

Dad made his way along the towpath, for what we believed to be a 10 minute walk to The Navigation Inn.

Unfortunately it seemed more like 10 miles for dad.

He was right, it would have made more sense to moor a little closer to the pub 😥. We eventually arrived just before calling for a Sedan Chair, dad, exhausted, but looking forward to seeing his granddaughter and having a beer and food 😊.

We ordered the beer and studied the menu with the ferocity of a herd of starving lions whilst waiting for Chantelle to arrive. Well, that’s not all together true, dad doesn’t like big meals, so after a word with the landlady, he was served a small portion of one of his favourites, “Scampi & Chips”, (NOT on the menu). Dad shared his experience of an operation Lady Rosemary was soon to undertake, reassuring her there was nothing to be concerned about and she was in good hands.

It was soon time for goodbyes (always all too soon), Chantelle nipped off to get the car so she could pick dad up outside the pub, Dad winked “Not sure I could manage another 10 miles today”.

It truly was a fantastic cruise, “One To Remember”, and a comfy chair for dad next time wouldn’t be a bad idea. 🤗

Bet dad won’t forget the promise Paul made while cruising either, A Cricket game at Trent Bridge 😊 later this year.

Links:-

Holly the Café Boat Holly - The Cafe Boat - YouTube

Lady Sylvia :- LADY SYLVIA | The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (adls.org.uk)

Cruising The River Trent  https://youtu.be/B2-bUDjFWzA

Intstagram Video:- Instagram reel of our journey with Dad

Our dining venue:- The Navigation Inn