Sunday was a day of rest. Jake, Gemma & Co visited us and we took them for a ride up the canal, had a very nice Indian meal overlooking a marina and then motored back again admiring all the ducks and cows on the way. Despite some determined efforts by two of the smaller members of the crew no one fell in the water or was injured. Heavy boats, locks and lock gates are a bit of a health and safety nightmare when small people are involved.
Henry Lamb was Home secretary and then Prime minister between 1834 & 1841. When he was made a lord he took the name of his village which was our first stop today. A few years later someone looking for promotion named a town in Australia after him, I have now been to both the city and village of Melbourne, I prefer the village.
It was the northern HQ of the Normans and consequently they built a huge Norman Church which was what we wanted to visit. Shops, hairdressers and pubs are now open but churches remain firmly locked. Surely if you believe in the Almighty you can expect Him to protect you whilst in church but no, a great disappointment as the guidebook says the inside is a bit special.
Still it was a nice walk and we also came across a group of archaeologists doing an emergency dig prior to some new houses being built. They have found Roman remains so I suspect the builders are worrying about what the outcome will be.
We then left the canal and sailed down the River Trent for a few miles (picture at the top of the page). The main lock onto the river is manned by someone who clearly spent his apprentiship on the Canal du Midi where we found the lockeepers most unhelpfull. This chap tried to avoid eye contact and seemed to be using the control panel for support, he may have spent a little too long in the Lockkeepers micro pub next door. From the Trent we turned into the River Soar, there do not seem to be many boats on this river and approaching a lock we became well and truly stuck on a mud bank. It took us nearly 30 minutes of pushing with poles, rocking the boat and using all sorts of nautical terms before we managed to free ourselves. If another boat had come along they could have towed us off.
We are now moored up at the end of the runway of East Midlands airport but I am pleased to say there are not too many fights at the moment.