Atherstone to the Ashby

Sun 27^th September

Atherstone

In Atherstone in the past we have gone to Trinity Church on a Sunday, but this time we decided to visit St Mary's, the Anglican church this morning at 10am. We were pleased that we did.  There was a music group to lead the music, and there were three songs that we had not heard before.  The preacher was Michael Brandsma and he was inspired. The message was about being filled with the Spirit in order to reach out to others with the Gospel. He gave his own testimony about how he became a Christian. He is from South Africa, and has only been in post for two months.  He is keen to build the church and reach out to the community. He was very interested in Canal Ministries, and the possibility of working together. The previous minister was very traditional and was there for 27 years, and there has been an inter-regnum of two years.

  

St Mary’s Church, Atherstone

Revd Michael Brandsma

The church faces onto a square with several pubs, and has grassy areas where open-air work could take place.  The towpath is busy with local dog walkers and we had lots of conversations.  This would be a good place for a mission. There is a recreation ground further along where we could have entertainment, cream teas etc.

After the service we went to the Kings Head where we had an excellent carvery lunch, and thought their canal-side garden would be a good place for outreach.

Kings Head garden

Crown with chinstrap

We collected a few things from Aldi on the way back to the boat. We noticed that someone had had lots of fun picking up items and leaving them elsewhere in the shop.  Eggs were left with some shirts, bananas among the baked beans etc. What sort of person does this?

No boating today

Mon 28^th September

Atherstone to Mancetter

  Old hat factory, Atherstone

We had discovered that we were within range of Twycross Zoo, with a bus service from here, so we caught a number 7 soon after 10am and spent the day looking at animals.  They specialise in apes and monkeys and they have the only bonobos in the UK (a rare type of ape). Sadly there was no reptile house or aquarium, but we had a great day, and walked a lot. Fish and chips for lunch.

Black Headed Spider Monkey

 

The butterfly house

We caught the bus back at 3.30pm and did the rest of our shopping. These are the last big shops before the Ashby Canal.

We then reversed the boat to the facilities before setting out for just a mile to find a pleasant rural mooring near bridge 36.

Sunset at Mancetter

0 locks, 1 mile

Tue 29^th September

Mancetter to Springwood Haven

  

Moored at Mancetter

We think there must have been maintenance work on the railway, as every train hooted, and there was the sound of something like a generator running.  We also heard a lot of owls.

James went for a short walk to Mancetter. The church was locked which was a shame, but the gravestones were notable, and there were two sets of almshouses. The manor house is apparently from 1330 but looks Victorian due to over restoration.

Gravestones and almshouses

The church at Mancetter

Meanwhile Stephen Carter had phoned and was heading our way on his bicycle, wearing his Waterways Chaplain jacket. He arrived a short while later, and we put the kettle on.

We set off for a short cruise to Springwood Haven, and soon after we had set off we met coal barge Auriga coming slowly towards us. We flagged him down and bought two bags of coal (Supertherm) as we had started our last bag of Aylesbury coal.

 Coal from the coal boat

At Springwood Haven we visited the chandlery. We were hoping for some suitable matt paint for a second coat on the gunwales, but they only had gloss topcoats. 

We moored up just past the next bridge (27) in the sunshine.

Springwood Haven mooring

0 locks, 2 miles

Wed 30^th September

Springwood Haven to Burton Hastings

There was glorious sunshine this morning, but the boat was in shade from a large hedge, and was very wet from dew.

In the shade at Springwood Haven

Wet roof

We left just after 10am and tried to keep to the sunny side. Things soon dried off as we skirted Nuneaton. 

Why do we always have to take a photo of the telegraph pole?

 

Police box

We passed the boatyard where we had taken on diesel on the day of Princess Diana’s funeral.

Starline Boats

After 90 minutes, we reached Marston Junction and turned into the Ashby Canal. We continued for three miles, and moored just before Burton Hastings, at a place we later learned was called Hospital Bed, because the building up the hill had once been a hospital.

There is a sharp bend here, and we saw two boats turn round in the corner. The second one was 58ft, so we considered up to 60ft could turn here if needed. The first official turning option is 5 miles up the Ashby, at the Hinckley Boat Club Arm.

With text conversations we discovered that Penny from Heaven was at Springwood Haven, and were just about to leave.  We told them how long it had taken us (2h35).

Hugo was spending a lot of time in hunting mode in one particular place, listening intently to something in the grass under the hedge.

James went for a walk into the village. The church was locked, and the mill was private, although there was a grassy mound in a field, marked on the map as “Mill Mound” in black letter. If this was the old base of a windmill it is strange that it was not on the top of the hill instead of at the bottom.

Mary and Jim arrived on Penny from Heaven and moored just round the corner, next to boat called Eclectus. This was friends of theirs called Derek and Lesley. They also have a Norton Canes boat.

We discovered that Mary and Jim had a guest, Jane, on board.  We had prepared lasagne, which would easily have stretched to five people, but she is vegetarian, and also was not feeling well due to an eye problem.  So Mary and Jim came on board Gabriel for a meal. They also brought the Owatrol we needed, which they had bought for us in Stone.

We all then moved onto Penny from Heaven for a dessert. It is amazing that they have had this boat for six years, and this year is the first time we have seen it. Tomorrow they have to leave early to get back to their mooring, return to Stone in Jane’s car to collect their car, and then drive to Windsor, all by 2pm.

Mary and Jim

0 locks, 7 miles

Later in the week: cruise to the end of the Ashby to try out the new bit.