Not all those who wander are lost
Date published 10 April, 2019
The Inland Port of Shardlow
You are entirely correct. Shardlow, on the border of Derbyshire and Leicestershire, is nowhere near the sea.
Our wanderings saw us parked up there for a few days, which inevitably centred around the end of Shardlow where the large marina is.
In the 18th century, the Trent and Mersey canal happened. Somewhere in your memories of history, you learnt about the industrial revolution, and the importance of canals, and somewhere in those memories you have heard of the Trent and Mersey canal. Also, the River Trent is here, and the two join.
If you enjoy a bit of walking around places where history happens, Shardlow serves up a good helping. You can explore the upper parts of the canal, and you can still see some buildings left over from those days of more commercial activity here. Close up, you see the amongst of engineering that goes into a canal system to manage the water levels. Sadly, on our visit, a boat failed to close the gates on one of the locks - thankfully we were able to put that right.
Inevitably, the marina dominated our visit, and the walk from there along the canal in both directions. The marina is fairly large, dominated by long boats. It has that deliciously languid partial activity which goes with marinas like this. Never busy, and never nothing to watch. That is the correct pace for life.
There is a biggish boat yard there, too. A magical place of unhurriedness, in which piles of ropes ask questions, and bolts and things to fit to boats all look wonderful, whilst people conduct eternal restoration projects on boats that may never again see water.
Watching boats go through locks is seriously addictive, we discovered.
Shardlow does have stuff other than the marina, of course. We walked the length of the village to visit the post office, which had just closed. I don't mean because it was lunch time, I mean it closed last week, as did the shop it shared. Hopefully, someone will reopen it - there are plans, albeit with no post office. We muse elsewhere about villages with no shops. The village is pretty, though, and very well served with places to eat out.
This is a nice spot, we decided. And one worth lingering, and exploring. Most places are like that, of course. If you just drive through you would not see the extent of the canal here, or the marina, or the great old buildings, or the goats tucked around in the footpath to Castle Donnington, or the beautiful reed beds. Neither would you notice how the pace of life is slowed by a the mere presence of a canal, and that has to be more healthy.
Did we mention it has a canal and a marina?
We are happy snappers!
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