After spending our third night in and around the vicinity of Foxton locks, it was time to start heading back across the Leicester summit. It was still windy when we awoke but the sun was out and the sky was bright blue so we got up and made an early start by pulling the boat back around on to the water point so that we could top the tank up. In the few minutes that had passed since we climbed out of bed the sky had turned dark grey and the odd spot of rain had started to fall. I made a quick trip down to the CRT facilities and had a final farewell chat with the ever friendly lock keeper before returning to the boat where Sue had sorted out the water and was cooking us up a super breakfast.

Despite all of our activities it was still only a few minutes after nine when we pulled away from the bank and into the drizzly morning. The first boat for the locks arrived as we left and we didn’t meet any more until we passed one an hour and a half later in Husband’s Bosworth tunnel of all places! The rain gradually faded but the dull skies and fierce winds persisted but with so few boats around we made good progress and had no difficulties in steering at all.

It is well reported that this stretch of the Leicester summit is quite desolate but on a sunny summer’s day it is a pleasure to cruise along it. This was not a sunny summer’s day however and the cruise became a bit of a chore so we were quite glad to tie up near Yelvertoft at half past one.

In the time it took to secure the boat, the weather changed as quickly as it had in the morning and we were suddenly presented with blue skies again. After a shower and a change of clothes we were ready to walk down to Yelvertoft village roughly half a mile away. Still as windy but warmed by the sun, the day had suddenly become very pleasant for us as we explored the main street of this picturesque little village. I did my usual research at the local pub, The Knightley Arms and Sue got her fix with a walk round the local graveyard, so with a short stop at the village shop in between, our village tour was complete.

We were back on board Phoenix III by half past four and with the sun now warming the boat and the wind still blowing a gale, we settled down and found ourselves drifting into a sort of boater’s siesta!