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Today's Canal : Ashby

A better day than yesterday, slightly warmer and very little rain. Although it was largely cloudy, there were breaks for the blue sky and sunshine to show through. When it was sunny it was very warm.

We set off in good time, leaving the terminus mooring through the little swing bridge. As another blogger wrote yesterday, coming back down the same canal after turning around at the end is a challenge to a blog, especially finding something different to say or show. In the case of the Ashby it is even harder as there are few notable landmarks. Even so, we still found it a relaxing, undemanding experience.

After a few minutes we passed the ornate boat mooring we mentioned yesterday. We are still not a lot wiser about the place to which it belongs and why it was built.

Inside Snarestone Tunnel

This time we managed some pictures inside the tunnel, showing its size and how dry it is.

Gopsall Wharf

Gopsall Wharf does not look especially interesting but on the information board at the terminus we leaned that it was used to load boats with coal from local mines, using lorries, up until the late 1970's. However, it seems possible that this was an enthusiast's attempt at resurrecting water-borne freight rather than a remnant of long-standing trade. Another web site also indicated that it was a good place for wheelchair fishermen, complete with car parking!

A couple of bridges before Shackerstone, Christine alighted to walk along the towpath, leaving Mike to follow on behind on the boat!

Station Road

At Shackerstone we decided take a short break and walk the short distance to the main station of the Battlefield Line. The present footpath was once called Station Road - failed to find out how visiting cars reach the station. The road from the canal bridge, which we thought at first went to the station, is definitely not!

No trains were officially running today but a diesel loco was slowly moving up and down, pulling a long line of miscellaneous wagons and coaches.

Shackertson Station

A couple of people (they were all men!) were keen to chat - one had just been on a helmsman's course and the other told us about why the footbridge is closed - it is supposed to carry a public footpath over the railway. He blamed the local council who botched a repair and now refuse to find the money to restore it and have forced its closure. An official notice states that it it a temporary closure but it seems that this has already been going on for 18 months.

Closed Footbridge

Other people were much less welcoming and we came away with the feeling that intruders into 'boys toys' were definitely to be excluded! Our initial sympathy over the bridge quickly evaporated - money from the council is only likely to be found if there is a greater willingness to visitors outside the weekends which are the only times that trains run. The tea room was open, although it had no customers and its prices seemed unrealistically high.

We were running short of milk and we already knew that there are no shops near the canal north of Hinkley although we had spotted a farm shop at Bridge 23 advertising bread and milk. As a result we felt that we should make an effort to reach there by mid afternoon. So, back to the boat and we set off planning to have lunch 'on the run'.

Our occasional series of unconventional design canal boats continues with this one.

For a little while we were almost back from autumn to summer . . .

There are several sharp corners on this canal and most have a bridge with a blind corner. We came through one bridge and were about to make the turn when a boat came the other way, not able to see where it was going and apparently unwilling to slow down. As a result, since it was on the inside of the bend, the inevitable happened and its bow hit our side. Fortunately it was not too forceful but we were not best pleased when the steerer said without a hint of an apology, "These things happen on the canals".

Approaching Market Bosworth we were now better informed and took a closer look at the new marina under construction. Several diggers were hard at work - it is early days yet. We could not be sure where the entrance will be but all along the edge is currently a popular visitor mooring for the town.

By half past three we reached Stoke Golding and the advertised farm shop at bridge 23. Whilst Mike tied up the boat Christine went in search of milk and also hoped for some logs which they also advertised. Alas, the shop was rather a disappointment although she did come away with just some green top milk. They had sold out of logs and bread.

We continued so that we could at least look for a newspaper at Hinkley. We stopped at the mooring we first considered on the way up. Whilst Mike continued with meal preparation, Christine went in search of shops. Local enquiries only told her about a Londis and seemed to say that there were no other shops! However, when she returned we looked up o Google and there is at least a Tesco close to the station. Perhaps, at about a kilometre distance, the locals just thought that to be too far!

However, Mike managed to set the satellite dish and found a signal through a gap in the hedge - we were perhaps in a slightly better place than last time. As it was now just after 5 we called it a day and stayed put. At least Mike has the chance to looking for tomorrow's paper before we set off - there is little sign of shops now before Rugby.

16.5 miles - 0 locks