Great weekend and on to Swarkestone.

Travelled 4.15 miles, worked 2 locks in a time of 2 hours.

After a nice weekend above Aston Lock, it was time to move off, so we left our weekend mooring at 8.25 am. The sun was shining and there was a bot of a cool breeze, which was very refreshing after the heat of the past few weeks.

First lock was Weston Lock, where someone is not sure of the spelling of Cill or is it Sill?

Weston Lock has a nice lock cottage, which is clearly loved by its owners.

At bridge 12 Masseys Bridge near Cuttle's Wharf we met up with Claire and Roy on NB Foxglove another Roger Fuller boat. NB Foxglove has recently had a whole new paint job and is looking fantastic. I had seen the photographs of her paint job, but she looks stunning up close and personal. We managed to exchange “hello’s and destinations”. Claire and Roy are off on to the River Trent and I know they will love it as we did. So pleased we got to see them, if only in passing this time.

As we approached Swarkestone, we saw The Cuttle Summer House or Pavillion depending on where you read about it.

Above Swarkestone Lock we stopped for water and to get rid of a bag of rubbish, before pulling Hadar back on to the 48 hour moorings.

After lunch we took a stroll into the village.

From the boat we walked to the refuse point, turned left before the crane.

Across the field to the railway.

Over the railway line, making sure we looked and listened for any oncoming trains.

Across the line we then crossed another field of Wheat, which is ripening nicely.

Swarkestone Cricket Club.

As we came out of the field on our right across the junction was the Marston pub The Crewe and Marpur.

The pub gardens go down to the River Trent.

There was quite some flow on the river today.

Lovely bridge over the river. Swarkestone Bridge  is the name given to the collective length of a bridge and causeway, crossing the Trent floodplane, in the village. The Swarkestone Causeway, at 1304 yards long the causeway is the longest stone bridge in England. Today both the bridge and causeway are Grade 1 listed buildings and the causeway is a scheduled ancient monument. The bridge is subject to several local legends. It is supposed to be haunted by the ghosts of the two Bellamont Sisters that constructed the bridge. Others have alleged the bridge is haunted by Bonny Prince Charlie's troops. The most commonly reported phenomena is the sound of horses approaching at speed when there is nothing about.  The bridge is also subject to a local legend which says that the river must claim 3 lives every year in order for it to be 'pacified'. I do hope that is not true.

Down Church Lane, we found St. James Church. A pretty village church which was restored in 1874-76 by F.J.Robinson with only the 14th century tower and 16th century Harpur chancel remaining intact. The chapel contains alabaster monuments to Sir Richard Harpur (1577) and Sir John Harpur (1627). There is a chancel tomb to John Rolleston who died in 1482. Sadly the church was not open, but we did look around the grounds.

This lovely monument was to Ethel May Osborne, who died in 1902 having accidently drowned with two friends in the River Derwent. Ethel was only 20 years old. So very sad.

Having left the church, we walked back up Church Lane to the junction where fine stone pillars stand.

This was the entrance to  Harpur Hall. The Harpur family resided at Swarkestone Hall and in 1632 commissioned architect John Smythson, one of England's first true architects and son of the great Robert Smythson, to design a bowling green enclosure and pavilion in the grounds of the Hall. The family moved to Calke Abbey in the 17th century after the Civil War and the building was leased out before being partially demolished in 1746-1747 and the site is now a field known as the Cuttle or Grand Stand.

We could not get any closer as it is now part of a farm and is run by The Land Mark Trust, you can however stay in the pavilion.

We walked back along the road and took Pingle Lane, which lead us back to the lock and the start of the Derby Canal.

Mile post.

At present the Swarkestone Boat Club occupies the entrance to the derelict Derby Canal. This is from the bridge over the entrance to theDerby Canal looking towards the junction with the T&M.

We got back to the boat with thunder rumbling over head and lightening in the distance. It turned out we got back just in time, because it began lashing it down with rain.