Interrupted journey to Sawley

Despite the overnight rain the weather looked reasonable when we got up this morning. We started off at 9:20 and stopped at Swarkestone Wharf for 15 mins to fill up with water. Then we set off again passing through Swarkestone Lock, another deep and wide lock, and towards the next lock at Weston on Trent.

Fallen tree blocking canal at Weston

Shortly before the lock we were flagged down by a moored boater who gave us the news that we would have to stop as the canal was blocked by a fallen tree. British Waterways had been informed and had sent a surveyor to assess the situation. He confirmed that the tree, a large willow, had fallen and had blocked the canal, and arranged for tree specialists to be called out.

Nearly gone

Within 30mins of our arrival the tree men turned up rowing down the canal in a punt. It took then about 2 hours to clear the obstruction and we were able to move on. Their view was that the fall had been due to work being carried out by a digger in the field behind the willow and that the farmer concerned could expect a large bill.

River Trent near Sawley, Naga Queen and M1 Bridge in the distance

Another narrowboat, Naga Queen, had stopped behind us in the queue and we were able to descend Weston lock and the subsequent Aston, Shardlow and Derwent locks together. This final lock took us onto the River Trent for about a mile and then off the river to Sawley where we have moored for the night.