Geograph - photograph every grid square

This was my first experience of canal boating, and it was certainly a matter of being thrown in at the deep end.

A group of volunteers from the National Tramway Museum at Crich hired narrowboat 'Kimberley' for a one-week cruise. 'Kimberley' was built for Fellows Morton and Clayton as a butty boat (i.e. unpowered), being later fitted with an engine. By 1978 she was owned by Union Canal Carriers, based at Braunston, having been 'converted' to a camping boat. The conversion consisted simply of putting a floor in the hold and installing some plain dormitory-style beds. The hold was enclosed using traditional tarpaulins over the traditional cratch frame.

'Kimberley' is the traditional full length 70 foot, and in addition draws nearly 3 feet of water at the rear, so without a load sits high in the water at the bow. This combination makes her quite crank to steer, and is quite a challenge to a novice boater – she does not steer easily round tight corners!

What this all means is that she still presented the appearance of a traditional working boat, and this is reflected in the pictures in this collection.

The idea of completing the Leicestershire Ring within a week was certainly ambitious, but with a crew of 6 and the long hours of daylight in June, it was possible to make good miles. In addition to the crew, we carried a bicycle enabling one of the crew to cycle ahead to prepare locks in advance. This so called 'lock-wheeling' is frowned upon by some boaters, but if done with consideration for other moving boats is a real time saver. It has to be said that there were far fewer craft moored along the canals in 1978 than today, so it was possible to maintain the normal speed limit for much more of the trip than would be possible today.

The full route of the trip was as follows. (I didn't keep a record of where we overnighted, so can't break the trip down into individual days).

Start from Braunston along the main Grand Union via Braunston Tunnel to Norton Junction where we took the G.U. Leicester Line. Up Watford Locks, then on to Foxton, including doing the Welford Arm. Down the fine Foxton staircases, including a quick visit to the site of the inclined plane (the buildings still ruins), then along the Market Harborough Arm and back. An interesting excursion as the arm had not then been improved and silt had built up to leave only about 18 inches of 'clear' water. 'Kimberley's' large propeller, largely turning in the silt, certainly ensured that the water was not clear after our passage! Quite a narrow channel through reeds in places as well.

Down through Kibworth to Leicester and on to the Soar Navigation. At Soar Mouth we made the left and right turn into Cranfleet Cut and then via the River Trent and the Beeston and Nottingham Canals to Meadow Lane Lock at Nottingham. A brief turn in the River Trent, and then back upstream via the river and its cuts to Derwent Mouth where we joined the Trent & Mersey Canal. We followed this to Fradley Junction where we turned into the Coventry Canal, completing this the whole way to Coventry Basin. Back to Hawkesbury Junction where we joined the Oxford Canal, which we then used all the way back to Braunston. Even here we had just enough time in hand before turning the boat back to the owners to enable a quick side trip along the combined Oxford/Grand Union section to Napton Junction and back.

A total of 108 locks, and I haven't calculated how many miles!

The Trent and Mersey Canal is 93·5 miles in length from Derwent Mouth to Preston Brook. The first cut was made by Josiah Wedgwood in July 1766 at Middleport (Stoke-on-Trent). The eastern section between Derwent Mouth and Shugborough (the junction with the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal) was already operational by 1770 and the whole canal through to Preston Brook, where it linked with the Bridgewater Canal was open for business by 1777. James Brindley was the engineer until his death in 1772. There are seventy-six locks en route to raise and lower the water level where hills impede the course. There are four tunnels, including the famous Harecastle Tunnel near Stoke-on-Trent.

Listed buildings and structures are officially designated as being of special architectural, historical or cultural significance. There are over half a million listed structures in the United Kingdom, covered by around 375,000 listings.
Listed status is more commonly associated with buildings or groups of buildings, however it can cover many other structures, including bridges, headstones, steps, ponds, monuments, walls, phone boxes, wrecks, parks, and heritage sites, and in more recent times a road crossing (Abbey Road) and graffiti art (Banksy 'Spy-booth') have been included.

In England and Wales there are three main listing designations;
Grade I (2.5%) - exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important.
Grade II* (5.5%) - particularly important buildings of more than special interest.
Grade II (92%) - nationally important and of special interest.

There are also locally listed structures (at the discretion of local authorities) using A, B and C designations.

In Scotland three classifications are also used but the criteria are different. There are around 47,500 Listed buildings.
Category A (8%)- generally equivalent to Grade I and II* in England and Wales
Category B (51%)- this appears generally to cover the ground of Grade II, recognising national importance.
Category C (41%)- buildings of local importance, probably with some overlap with English Grade II.

In Northern Ireland the criteria are similar to Scotland, but the classifications are:
Grade A (2.3%)
Grade B+ (4.7%)
Grade B (93%)

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