Leaving for Milton Keynes

On Wednesday 2nd December we finally left our moorings at Sandiacre. We had to wait for two weeks while BW changed the lock gate at Sawley flood lock before setting off towards the Trent and Mersey and onwards to Milton Keynes the long way round. Foxton Locks were on a stoppage for several weeks otherwise we would have gone up the river Soar and through Leicester which would have cut our journey by half. We were due at our sons the weekend of the 12th so finding out the River Trent was in flood after all the heavy rain was a blow to say the least. We started out with some trepidation knowing that we could be stuck at Trent Lock for some time waiting for river conditions to be in our favour. On travelling down the Erewash one of the many fishermen we encountered asked quite how were we going to get through the stop lock at Sheetstores because work had already started on changing the gates. Well by now I had visions of us never getting to Milton Keynes at all but as we came up to the lock BW pulled the barrier aside to let us through. Thank you, BW!!! The Next hurdle was the River but thankfully the levels had dropped enough to allow us on to the river and heading for Derwent Mouth on the canal. Sheetstores stop lock.