Sawley to Swarkestone (7 miles, 4 locks)

Yesterday we left Sawley cut in thick fog for the Trent and Mersey canal.  We had stowed the anchor (always get this out ready in case of incidents on the river!) and new  gas bottle and drifted slowly out of the relative safety of the cut for the junction of Derwent mouth the Trent and the start of the T & M canal.
The first double lock was empty and seemed so easy to navigate compared with the huge river locks.

I jumped on the tiller on the butty as we approached Shardlow and as I have called it 'carnage corner' - an 's' bend at the entrance to the village, but luckily without incident.  At this time in the morning there was no one about, what a shame as we navigated through beautifully and didn't hit a thing!

This is Swarkestone lock, very deep and very heavy gates.  When we arrived the lock was empty and some helpful bystanders opened the gates for us.  Not being a lover of heights, I hesitantly scaled the ladder leaving Richard in charge of the boats.  An old friend from Chapel Hill had moored his boat there, so we chatted for a while once we had moored the boats.

A lot has changed at this end of Derby since last we came through.  A short walk along the old Derby canal now opens out into a housing estate and shopping complex including doctor's surgery , chip shop (sampled - very nice!) and convenience store.  A helpful pleasant surprise for boaters as this stretch of the T & M is lacking in shops, the next one is Asda at Sinfin!

It will be amazing when the restoration is complete on the Derby canal, apparently progress is good on the planning side, then need to get those shovels out!  The canal itself is still visible, just some 60 year old trees to dig up and we're away, and some relocating work where the town centre now stands, but still optimistic for it's opening in our lifetimes!