Sawley - Trent Lock
w/e 09 March 2025
All of this week's pictures were taken with a Nikon D3300
It's nearly nine years (June 2016) since we had a wander around Trent Lock and
back then we shivered under an overcast sky. Although three months
earlier in the year when we returned this year, the conditions
were much more to our liking.
The Trent Lock pub looks very similar to its appearance back
then, the only obvious change being that all of the picnic tables
in the garden have been rotated by ninety degrees.
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The dovecote still stands in the garden and is still occupied
by a number of white doves. In 2016 the birds appeared to have
shorter necks but they were probably hunching their shoulders
and trying to keep warm.
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From the bank of the River Trent, the Ratcliffe on Soar Power
Station has been a familiar landmark since the 1960s but it was
recently decommissioned and the site is to be redeveloped and
the landscape will be changed for ever.
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On this bright sunny morning we nearly had the place all to ourselves.
Despite a number of vehicles on the car park we only saw about
half a dozen other people. An angler was just setting up on the
riverbank and although a boat was moored in the Visitor Moorings,
there was no sign of life on board.
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Benches by the river were being used only by more of those doves.
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From the riverbank we could see the bridge over the Erewash Canal
leading to the Lock House Tea Rooms and when we reached it found
a couple sitting outside but first we continued along the path
by the river.
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As we neared the channel leading from the river to the canal
a welcoming sign by the Canal and River Trust has a picture combining
a recent colour photo with an old black and white image. The
text reads "Trent Lock is a place to pause and enjoy the
view, no matter how busy your day. 200 years ago, today and tomorrow
too."
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The path by the River Trent continues over a bridge at the mouth
of the channel and that is a good place to "enjoy the view"
whether it is onwards to the Cranfleet Cut which bypasses the
river, across to the Power Station or back along the towpath
to the Visitor Moorings and beyond. An excellent viewing platform.
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We didn't cross the bridge but walked by the side of the channel
to the other bridge leading to the Tea Rooms. This bridge overlooks
the first lock on the Erewash Canal and also offers a good view
of The Steamboat Inn. At first glance the inn looks the
same as it did in 2016 but on closer inspection the lettering
on the front and side of the building has been removed and a
fresh coat of paint has covered the previous yellow
façade.
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We completed our wander by following the road back in front of
the Trent Lock pub to the car park.
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