A Narrowboat Cruise Through the City of Leicester

A narrowboat cruise through the city of Leicester, what’s there to worry about? Well plenty if you listen to the rumours but is Leicester’s reputation justified? Andrew and Val cruise the Grand Union Leicester Line and The Soar Navigation to find out. Are there any safe moorings? And what’s the city’s association with the South pole?
Episode 69.
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Music:
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[@talesfromtheswansneck]

I must say that I think ethnic and cultural diversity enhance our towns, cities and villages, and as such any racist remarks or inferences will not be tolerated on my channel, and will be removed and possibly reported. Please let's respect all people from all backgrounds. Thank you.

[@user-il3nn1vl4w]

I am not sure if you got the trip out of sync, there is a lock, sluice gate and weir at Abbey Meadow pumping station very near the space centre. The river and the canal meet at this point. I remember that there was a stink of untreated chemicals being discharged into the river around the chemical dyes being applied to the yarns.

[@bigKDL]

How can you complain about traffic noise when you are using a diesel engined boat sounds a bit hypocritical

[@arnolddill]

Yeah. Same thought occurred to me😅

[@davidfinch5062]

I'm guessing you don't suffer from ADHD and anxiety issues then? It's easy to criticise others from the moral high ground.

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Ah... you see thing with people on the spectrum is that many of us find the extraneous noise stressful or difficult to cope with - Colin from Foxes Afloat has also made this point. But, for us our own noise is acceptable because we are making it, so the engine noise doesn't really bother me. That said, I do find it a relief to turn the engine off after a long cruise. It's like you will no doubt enjoy listening to your music, but I bet if your neighbour is playing his music too loud and it's invading your space you'll find it uncomfortable.

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Ah... you see thing with people on the spectrum is that many of us find the extraneous noise stressful or difficult to cope with - Colin from Foxes Afloat has also made this point. But, for us our own noise is acceptable because we are making it, so the engine noise doesn't really bother me. That said, I do find it a relief to turn the engine off after a long cruise. It's like you will no doubt enjoy listening to your music, but I bet if your neighbour is playing his music too loud and it's invading your space you'll find it uncomfortable.

[@danhoppy5517]

Love the travels of you two together. No longer think of it as a channel of an elderly guy trying to escape depression. Now it is two soulmates floating down the river, raising our spirits, and informing us of what we may encounter.

[@valhudson]

That’s so lovely Dan. Thankyou.

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Cheers Dan, she's a welcome addition to the channel...!

[@danensis]

When we were passing through Leicester there was some sort of regatta going on, and we had to negotiate with the stewards to weave our way through the rowing boats.

[@thomasmackenzie7811]

So Happy I tumbled on your site !!!! Simply Marvelous 😊!!!! I subscribed. Many Thanks 👍!

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Thanks Thomas, I'm pleased you're enjoying the content.

[@keithtomey5046]

The old part of Leicester city is amazing - you missed out! (Dot)

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Thanks Keith, yes I'm sure it's great, most cities have beautiful and fascinating areas, but these days given the choice I'd rather be out in the sticks.

[@davidfinch5062]

Thank you for the upload. You can see, quite clearly, why some are fearful of travelling through Leicester let alone moor up.

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Thanks David. I think I'd be OK mooring in the gated moorings although there aren't many spaces, but the mile straight has loads of mooring rings and not one boat tied up. I think that speaks volumes.

[@barryedwards4481]

Hi you both are looking great I like seeing a great mural on the wall as people are very talented and the you get some little prick that comes along and put a a tag over something so nice

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Cheers Barry. Totally agree, the murals were created by very talented people, pity some toe-rag has to ruin them.

[@shawnsalazar5416]

You have very good reflexes Val !

[@clivebaxter6354]

Growing up in Leicester in the 60's next door had working narrow boats so spent some nice times on them around the area. Seymoore Roseblade was the name of the company.

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Wow! I would have loved to have seen boats working the canals but grew up in areas without canals. What were their cargos?

[@clivebaxter6354]

@@talesfromtheswansneck wood mostly for Wells & Root company in Leicester

[@pamelamckenzie2685]

What be good head phones have some nice classical music playing while you heading to city love what you selling great video.

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Thanks Pamela, good suggestion, although I'm not one for playing music whilst cruising. Glad you enjoyed the vid.

[@bloodynorahvan2203]

Always loving your vids, no matter when they come out - balm for the soul! Nice to see you both doing well

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Thank you so much.

[@laurapavoni6507]

thanks for the ride 😉🛳

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

glad you enjoyed it Laura

[@nathanberry4339]

Another great video Andrew , I might be asking Val to make a matching set of ponchos for myself and two rescue doggies later on , hope you are both keeping well

[@yeoldfart8762]

Gave me a good reason to put off work for awhile yesterday. That was good as I think i over did it a great to leave a city.on my back. I feel the same way about cities. Always great to leave a city. still snow here but going fast. Summer birds are arriving. Good luck with your enterprises. Going to a Contra Dance tonight and I get to dance instead of making the music.

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

yeah cities aren't great are they. Not sure how big Fairbanks is, I guess that's your nearest city. Can't believe you've still got snow, spring is well and truly under way, most of the trees have leaves or blossom now, and the water birds are breeding like crazy. Hope your back holds out after dancing!

[@narrowboatersatlarge]

The Space Centre is well worth a visit, as are the immense pumping station and beam engines next door.

[@clivebaxter6354]

Space centre is more for kids

[@narrowboatersatlarge]

@@clivebaxter6354 😂I'm a big kid at heart lol.

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

at the time it felt like the final frontier...

[@narrowboatersatlarge]

@@talesfromtheswansneck 😂

[@GaryCSchade]

Nicely done you two

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Cheers Gary

[@freespeech3673]

Why close the locks for Diwali?

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

I have no idea

[@robhetherington8896]

The local community float decorated boats and sculptures in the lock while providing refreshments for visitors in a lock-side marquee

[@keithtomey5046]

It's not duckweed! It's non-native, and therefore invasive, Pennywort - introduced by garden centres (+ of course provided with excess nutrients from farmland run-off pollution) ...and ruining the ecosystem (& costing boaters - including via the CRT having to attempt clearing it). (Dot)

[@templar1694]

Having a solar generator in a narrowboat is such a convenience.

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Thanks. I don't know how I managed without the solar now.

[@wennawoods5189]

Leicester has always been a happy NB experience for me and I moored on the Soar for a couple of years. Very safe and convenient moorings for me to explore the city😁

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Hi Wenna, good to hear from you again. Great that you had such a positive experience there. Places tend to get bad reputations which then get exaggerated and put people off. I remember when I first got the boat chatting to someone who said that your boat can get bricked whether you're in Manchester or Stratford on Avon.

[@ramseybarber8312]

Perhaps Leicester Council could take a page from Milton Keynes book and clean up the waterway in conjuction with CRT and volonteers . M K managed to clear 10 miles a couple of weeks ago.

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

I've not yet been through Milton Keynes so I have that pleasure to come. Sadly many places are blighted by litter, not just the inner cities anymore.

[@wal9574]

You should live here, it's wonderful 🤔

[@terencegardner644]

😂 great video but how impressive that stadium 😉

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

It's very similar to St Mary's, I've an idea it was the same architects. Great location too. It's just a shame we'll be playing one another in the championship next season!

[@willduckworth4789]

Well done. Some of the street art is great.

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Thanks Will, some of it was brilliant but such a shame it has been defaced.

[@jeremywood2129]

You mentioned a reputation several times but you never said what that reputation was, coming from Leicester I'd be interested to know?

[@letsbefrank6269]

Street murals or graffiti, it’s hard to know the difference sometimes, it’s hard to justify both, maybe that’s why people don’t know where to toss their rubbish, they’re confused by contradiction, but I’m a voice in the wilderness these days. 16:20 😊

[@robhetherington8896]

Shame on you for not stopping in the city.😕

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

In fairness I did state at the end that Leicester doesn't deserve its reputation. Also, my main reason for not stopping (and I've talked about this in other videos) is my aversion to noise. This is a symptom of my ADHD. Constant noise (from traffic especially) and the bustle of city life causes me a lot of stress and anxiety.

[@davidsedlickas8222]

Scruffy, criminally neglected cities, don't fill me with enjoyment they are a means to an end. Tagging and graffiti should be in a book and not on buildings. Hope you are well both Safe travels.

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Thanks David. Sounds like you're not the biggest fan of cities either. Give me fields and trees any day

[@nw3803]

Another great vid, if anyone were to have asked me about going through Leicester via canal I would have had the same thoughts as you, I was pleasantly surprised, you the get the spray bomb artists in all over the westernized world, unfortunately not much can be done given their stupid justice systems. Cheers, Nigel

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Thanks Nigel. Yes I was pleasantly surprised too, and won't have a problem cruising through Leicester in future. I would happily use the gated moorings now, although might not get much sleep!

[@Boatdog_Traveller]

Another brilliant vlog guys. Please don't get me started on litter. I sold some oil and a filter to a man in Rugeley the other day and mentioned to him "Plese don't forget to dispose of your oil responsibility " He replied and said " oh don't worry I'm passing loads of hedges on the way to Fradley. I refused to sell him the oil and he said he was only joking. But was he ?. The world is broken and full of morons and the futures not looking good.

[@davidfinch5062]

Good for you BT.

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

Good for you refusing to sell it to him. A couple of months ago I was looking online for places to take my old oil, and saw on a canal forum people saying "just dump it in the hedge". Twats! Glad you've got a new vlog out, we'll watch it tonight.

[@phantomtrijder6493]

Tragic - the graffiti is just horrendous, how any city can condone this is beyond belief. It is simply desecration and vandalism. The fact that so much graffiti is apparent points to the failure of civic administration, alienation and apathy by all most us towards disaffected communities in city's such as Leicester. And by the way the canals are in a sorry state.....

[@davidfinch5062]

I agreed with what you say in part. However, rather than leave it to others, what actions will you be taking to overcome this national blight?

[@clivebaxter6354]

The city is an absolute dump, so they blend in, I left years ago

[@alanglass8161]

Oh dear, being a Pompey supporter born and breed, l hope your team does get relegated.

[@talesfromtheswansneck]

😂 sadly doesn't look like we'll be meeting your boys in the championship though.

[@alanglass8161]

@@talesfromtheswansneck well maybe Pompey will be promoted and saints relegated again. That would be perfect.

[@antonhoward9027]

Unfortunately Leicester has lost too many historic buildings over the years. It has its good bits but more bad.