Hail to the Hive!

We live on a boat full time and have no fixed mooring and so are required to keep moving or 'Continuously cruise' as they call it. This means no longer than 2 weeks in any one location and our 2 weeks in and around the Leicester City area is up 😞.

So we plan to very slowly make our way out of the city centre area and back up to a Canal & River Trust facility near Kilby Bridge and stay a few days and then very very slowly back track again. There are quite alot of locks between us and Kilby bridge, 12 in fact, and it can be quite a bit of work for Hive account@millycf1976. Plus she is an extremely busy Hiver so it consumes alot of valuable Hive time also.

But we had a lighbulb moment on our return to leicester a few weeks ago when we roped in the assistance of a good friend Elliot. Between him and another boat we made very light work of 19 locks and had a blooming marvelous time while we were at it. A real win win.

So this time I've roped in the help of another friend of mine I've known since my very mischievous childhood days in this very area. I have also got him to sign up to #hive and Hive account@mingetoot will shortly be doing his intro post so if any of you are followers of us then please show him a little love when he does. The more active Hivers the better.

Soat a very civilised 10:30am we set off from our preferred mooring spot in the heart of Leicester, Castle Gardens. I do love this location and am already looking forward to returning in a few weeks.

We had to quickly go in the opposite direction to fill up with water at the other City Centre mooring spot, Friars Mill, before we headed out. As you can see it was laundry day on Badger but we don't mind shoowing off our undergarments to the world 🤣.

Just before we hit the first lock we moored up for another last minute supply run as there is a Lidl very near this spot. This could almost be 'The Leaning Tower of Lecester'. I do hope it's just an optical illusion.

hmmmm what do you all think?

And then the work begins. The first lock is upon us and Hive account@mingetoot is now under the master tutelage of Hive account@millycf1976 who now has a good 13 months cranking the lock experience behind her.

We seem to have lucked out with the weather again too. It even makes the electricity pylons look nice.

Having an extra pair of hands makes a huge difference as with there being 2 lock gates and 2 sets of lock paddles to open and close each side it literally halves the work.

Hive account@mingetoot and myself grew up in this very area and spent a lot of our youth around the canal area here so it's really kind of cool we are doing the locks together here. A lot of memories.

A last look back from below.

And after the water has lifted us up.

And then on around the corner to the next lock, Marys Mill lock. This stretch still has remnants of some of the old industry along it.

The units are now used for a multitude of different purposes, fitness studios, there used to be music practice rooms but I really don't know if they are still operational, and there's a place for youth with challenging behaviour here. We've met them on several occasions and they couldn't have been nicer or more helpful with the locks. Nice to see. The always seem very interested in boatlife. Having horizons and dreams is important so who knows we may have inspired some of the kids here. Hopefully not to become pirates!

A sure sign of being near an urban area, street art.

As we go through the locks Hive account@mingetoot and I are sharing stories of our time here and often reminding each other of things we hadn't thought about in years. Going through here with an old friend brought a lot of memories flooding back not unlike the water filling up the lock to raise us up yet another level.

Despite it being a little rough looking to the casual eye the area is actually very pleasant and we pass many dog walkers and families a long the way.

There are still some dye works for clothing in operation along this stretch of canal.

Not the prettiest

But good for a bit of #monochrome snaps.

And then almost immediately the country feel returns. It's still an Urban area but there are more nature walks and parks along this bit and it makes you feel you are in the countryside long before you actually are.

Hive account@millycf1976 & Hive account@mingetoot have got into a bit of a rhythm now and I am noticing that we are subtly making better time on this exit from the city than we woud normally make.

The combination of beautiful weather, old friends, nice scenery and a relaxed vibe is pretty cool. I truly enjoy my visits home now whereas in years gone by I never really enjoyed them and they always felt like an obligation and I would count the days down to departure. Now it is quite the reverse, I am counting down the days til my return in a few weeks as I really didn't want to go but the rules of the waterways are there for everyones benefit so it's all good.

Look at this dynamic Canal Lock Team!

Lock 4 now 'Kings Lock' we were thinking of stopping here, as we have before but there's a pesky boat in the only spot so we will go one more lock up.

We soon make light work of the lock. There's a bit of an audience as there can be quite often. people like to watch the locks in operation and also offer to help open and close the gates. Another old mate was at the coffee shop and came running out to say hi. Not seen him in about 9 years. That was nice too.

And the 5th and final lock of the day. Blue banks lock.

in and up

and i can't help but smile at me old mate helping us with all of this. I think I should make a habit of always roping in old friends to help and share with this as it really does make the world of difference, not only to the work load, but to the overall enjoyment of it all.

We love this watery nomadic life and it's really great to be able to share it with not only with friends on days like this, but also with you all on here.