The end is nigh....

....end of the navigable Ashby Canal that is.

Yesterday was a bright but chilly start to the day but by 11am the sun was out in all it’s glory and hung around until about 1pm when it clouded over again.

I got on my bike about 10am and set off in search of a shop at Market Bosworth, just about 3 miles away down two country lanes before passing behind the new marina and up the hill to the town, I was glad of the battery powered pedal assist. A quick purchase of a few bits in the Co-Op and back again to the boat, I will be stopping at Market Bosworth on the return journey so I didn’t look around or take any pictures.

After putting the bike away and having a rest and cuppa I walked into Congerstone, another very small village, just a few pics.

Memorial on the small green

'St Mary the Virgin', Congerstone's Church

Very pretty 'Gable Cottage'

'The Old Forge'

There was also a pub ‘The Horse and Jockey’ not very picturesque and closed on Monday and Tuesdays but I Googled it and it looks like a very nice Gastro pub, more restaurant than pub I think.

This morning was very chilly but again bright, so at 9:30 I set off towards Snarestone, open country for the first mile or so

Then passing Shakerstone, which again I will stop at on the return leg, a nice setting for the residential boats with a pretty pond to look out at.

Then it was through 2.5miles of Gopsall Wood, which is designated an SSSI, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, sign posts request that you travel slowly so you do not create a wash, try to keep to the centre of the channel and not dishcharge any grey water (sink or bath waste), hidden from the sunshine it was chilly but very nice, I only passed one other boat on the move today.

Entering the Wood

and leaving it behind.

Leaving the wood behind the final mile to the moorings before Snarestone Tunnel is again lovely open country and farmland.

My mooring for tonight

It is before the tunnel and current terminus because I heard there is a fuel boat on it’s way and I want to make sure I catch him, these moorings are 14day whereas after the tunnel they are 48hrs, so once I have fuelled up I will cruise the final stretch before winding and heading back.

I noticed this lady farm worker in the distance in the field opposite collecting pumpkins, this picture is on 64xzoom and I got her 1^st attempt clear and central, I like my camera, for those interested it’s not a fancy expensive one, it was £99 a Canon SX170IS, worth every penny.

"That's a good one, I'll keep that for Halloween"

Unfortunately when I started to moor up I was missing a mooring chain, at Congerstone I was on fixed ring at the stern and loose mooring chain at the bow, I must have forgotten it, karma I guess, earlier in the year I found a windlass, so some lucky boater will gain a nice shiny mooring chain.

And the downside to all this lovely rural landscape is a distinct lack of phone signal and a very erratic intermittent internet signal, uploading this post has taken just under 2 hours, but it passes the time !

Total today: 5 miles

Slow pace on the Ashby Canal

A very chilly start this morning had me lighting the stove at 7am just enough to warm the boat until the sun broke through the mist.

I left it until 11:30 when the temperature had risen a bit and set off.

Nature’s colours are changing now with Autumnal yellow’s and gold’s showing in the leaves changing the landscape to compensate me for the colder weather, it’s much quieter on the canal as well, most holiday boats have disappeared although the odd late bookings are still to be seen, it makes for very pleasant cruising, tranquil and calming, how can anyone not enjoy this aspect of boating.

I intended to only go as far as Bosworth Wharf but it was far closer than I expected and a new Marina has obviously been built after the publication of my Pearson’s guide.

Entrance to the new Bosworth Marina, it looked very large !

This confused me a little as the visitor moorings that were shown as being after bridge 42 have now been moved to before it, but it was so lovely cruising along that I decided almost immediately to carry on to Congerstone a couple of miles further along.

So I’ve moored there, another tiny village that hardly merits a comment in Pearson’s guide but the mooring is lovely and at the moment I have it to myself, so apart from the occasional toot of a car horn as they approach the narrow road bridge I am looking forward to a quiet 48hrs here with a stroll around the village tomorrow.

The sun has disappeared and rain clouds are forming now so I seemed to have timed it well today.

 A few pictures of where I am moored, once again surrounded by fields.

Looking down from Bridge 47

View from side hatch

Total Travel today: 4 miles

Sutton Cheney and Shenton

On Friday I took my life in my hands and walked the country lane route to Sutton Cheney, a small village (uphill) with once again a large church, St James.

There wasn’t much else there so I continued walking along the slightly better road until I came to The Bosworth Battle Centre overflow car park and then was able to walk across safer fields to reach the Center itself.

Center Entrance

In the grounds of the center now resides King Richards Stone

With an admission charge to enter and not being that interested in spending too much time learning about the battle I took a stroll across the nearer parts of the site.

Monument to commemorate the loss of over a thousand lives
on the 22nd August 1485 on Bosworth Field.

For those who are particularly interested in this major part of English history which effectually ended the War of the Roses, there was also a trail that could be followed on foot across the very spread out area of the battle with audio posts at various places, I listened to the first one which told the tale of a farm hand, voiced by an actor as if it were the farm hand speaking, who was called to join the battle force, I didn’t follow the rest of the trail, as I said it didn’t particularly enthrall me although it also gave some wonderful views of the surrounding area.

I had taken a circular route to get to the center so it was only a short 15minute stroll through Albion Wood to bring me back alongside Quinquireme, where a beautiful serving wench made me tea and buttered scones while I relaxed, or maybe not, as this is 2015 and not 1485 I had to make my own.

Saturday saw a chilly and late start for me and a short hop to just past Shenton, mooring again in the open countryside rather than the designated spots.

After sorting myself out I watched the Formula One qualifying sessions and then took a quick stroll to the local farm shop for milk, I had no bread and neither did they so I had my first attempt at bread making on the boat, filling the boat with that gorgeous smell, and as the evenings are definitely cooler and for the past few days I have lit the stove so it really was nice and toasty on the boat.

I had a strange dream last night about needing a new engine, like most dreams it made no sense at all; I just hope it wasn’t a premonition. With the weekly fry up breakfast sorted and washing up done I decided to walk to Shenton Station, it was 10:59 and with coat and boots on and everything ready to go I thought I’d better check the time of the Grand Prix, assuming it would be 12:30 or so, what a good job I looked, coverage began at 11:00am, postpone walk.

After the F1, well done Lewis, I walked the towpath back to the lane leading up to Shenton Station 

This is the southern end of a 5mile section of preserved rail line that was originally the Ashby and Nuneaton Joint railway, which closed to passenger trains in 1931; it’s now referred to as “The Battlefield Line” and runs between Shenton and Shackerstone, I got there just in time to hear the steam whistle of “Cumbria” approaching with the engine reversing and pulling the carriages into the station.

The engine then reversed back further and moved forward past the carriages to face the correct way before setting off again with tourists and enthusiasts aboard.

I headed off toward the aqueduct to take me under the canal and into the village of Shenton and snapped this picture from the top at canal level before continuing on into the village.

Here are just a few pictures to tell the story of a pleasant stroll through the lovely small hamlet of Shenton.

St John the Evangelist Church

Even the road signs are pretty.

Main Street

17th century Hall

View back along the lane towards the canal

I wonder what it's like to live in Sheepy?

Weather permitting another short hop tomorrow.

The Game is in the Name

I’ve been at my current mooring just past Hinckley for just over a week, during that time I did three cycle rides into Hinckley (2.5 miles) to visit Tesco and stock up a bit, I’ve arranged to put the boat into Trinity Marina for the week 3^rd to 10^th November and hired a car so that I can attend my son’s wedding in Surrey and visit my granddaughter and daughters and I’ve dodged a lot of rain.

I spent a few hours bent double in the engine bay fixing a frustrating long term leak on the hot water cylinder (calorifier), which then left me with a difficult to budge air lock, but I finally cleared that!

I also did a small wiring job re-routing the surface wiring to the tunnel light and horn, which previously went through the metal cratch frame (which I removed), they now pass through the bulk head into the gas locker and reappear just behind the supporting tube terminating with waterproof plugs, this is in preparation for painting the foredeck area (sometime).

As was, you can see the wires coming from the right and laying on the deck

Now hidden from view and terminating with two little plugs/sockets

I was quite keen to move although there is no hurry really as I have over three weeks to cover the remaining length of the Ashby canal and get back to where I am currently moored on the 3^rd November, so at 9:30 with the sun shining, although a chill in the air, I set off.

The canal passes through lovely countryside now, no hint of modern industry or motorway bridges.

Passing beneath bridge 21 which leads to Higham on the Hill

You need to be careful here, although who checks your speed is a mystery.

Havent seen many of these chaps, a little Shetland pony.

Either side of bridge 25 which takes you to Stoke Golding there were Ashby Boat Company hire boats, most are finished cruising now with winter approaching and will lay idle until next year.

Past the entrance to the Ashby Canal Centre where they carry out painting, sign writing, blacking and repairs along with boat safety inspections (needed every 4 years), it has a slipway and a wet dock, if I get the chance I may have a look around on my return trip.

This boat had a sign on it which said ‘Boat under repair.
 Do not touch’ I would never have guessed!

A lovely view of the windy lane leading up to Darlington, just to the left of the parked car is a little picnic area with 24hr moorings.

Passing beneath a weeping willow to reveal a reflected bridge, it looked lovely.

These cows were happy it was warm and took a drink at a convenient spot.

This one wasn't going to let a barbed wire fence stop her getting a drink!

I really liked the look of this boat ‘The Black Pearl’ not the ornaments, colour scheme or DIY rear canopy but the general shape and lines of it, and I loved the two little portholes in the bow, I have to say although the decoration was not my cup of tea it was certainly impressive.

 I was soon at my intended stop, Sutton Cheney Wharf

Firstly taking on water and emptying  the cassette and rubbish, I could not see any real chance of mooring, there was a 1 hour section (I hope the food is served quickly) just by the cafe and a 24hr (full) small section before the service point, but as I moved off again expecting to have to find a towpath spot further along I noticed this nice little landing area, which had looked as though it would be private was in fact a 48hr mooring, so here I am.

This area is where (the exact location is now disputed somewhat despite having the Bosworth Battlefield Center here) in 1485 the Battle of Bosworth took place, and I like this, in the village of Market Bosworth the fish and chip shop is named...... The Batter of Bosworth J hence the post title.

I’ll have a wander tomorrow.

Total today:  4 miles.