The passenger ferry across the River Soar near Loughborough

Here's something I didn't know. There's a chain ferry that takes foot passengers across the River Soar at Normanton on Soar, where the river forms the boundary between Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

The ferry operates on Saturdays and Sundays from the beginning of April until the end of September. A crossing costs £1 per person, with an additional charge of 50p for bicycles and dogs.

A report on West Bridgford Wire says:

The ferry, which is believed to be the last chain-operated passenger ferry of its kind in the UK, dates back to at least 1770. Estimates suggest a crossing may have operated at the site as early as the 13th century. ...

It was once used by fishermen and people travelling to markets in Loughborough. Newspaper reports from 1977 said the crossing was regularly used during the 1920s, when the fare was one penny.

Some 40 volunteers now operate the ferry during the season. It carries approximately 3,000 passengers each year, with a record of about 140 crossings in one day.