Seeing the Erewash in a Different Light

Today I saw the Erewash Canal in a different light - sunlight!  And what a difference it made. The green bits seemed greener, the scenery better and even the urban sections around Ilkeston and Long Eaton were less depressing. 

Sandiacre Church from the canal

Headquarters of the Erewash Canal Preservation and Development Association  at Sandiacre Lock

If yesterday we had slogged up to Langley Mill in a respectable seven hours, today we really flew back down in six. We made an early start  -so early that we poled Starcross into the first lock to avoid disturbing our neighbours  - and were helped by having all the locks in our favour, which not only meant we didn't have to fill them but also that we didn't have to fiddle around unlocking the top paddles and locking up again (the Erewash locks are a bit more elaborate than the spring-loaded bolts found on the BCN for example).
I did have to make two visits to the weedhatch, but only for weed, and we were back at Trent Lock by 11.20. I had my second taste of the Trent on the way down to Beeston. I'm slowly getting used to it and I was almost enjoying it in the sunshine. Getting used to it slowly and a bit at a time has been a good idea and has done a lot in overcoming my "river nerves".

Approaching Beeston Lock from the Trent

Today's weather was an unexpected bonus but it's raining again in Beeston tonight with a dreadful forecast for the morning!