Tue 25th August Sutton Wharf to Shenton
We had a catch-up morning in the rain, and when it paused, we went to the café for lunch, sponsored by the chancellor. No inside seating, and rain was forecast, so we had a takeaway, and took it back to the boat.
We were on a 24H mooring, and the 48H mooring was closed so we decided to move as there was a gap in the rain. There were high winds when we set off, and fortunately we didn’t plan to go very far.
48H moorings closed
The moorings by Ambion Wood looked good, but there were lots of trees around, and with Storm Francis around, we thought we would go somewhere else. To highlight the point, we came across a hire boat that had been blown right across the canal, trying to moor up. There was a lady on the bank holding the stern rope. We helped them by nudging them back alongside with our bow fender.
Ancient farming methods in evidence
A little further along we saw that the offside moorings before Shenton Aqueduct were very overgrown. These are marked on our 2009 Nicholson Guide as “Battlefield Moorings”, and they used to have a flight of steps going down into the field where it is said that Richard III was killed, and there is a stone memorial there. More recent archaeological surveys suggest that the entire battlefield is three miles to the southwest of the traditional site. As a result, the farmer has stopped access to “King Richards Field”.
We moved on past Shenton Aqueduct in very strong winds and decided to moor before bridge 36, where there was piling, covered in wooden planking, requiring chains to moor effectively. It was hard to get the boat into the side due to the wind, and there was no easy landing are on the bank. As James leapt off the boat, he missed his footing on the bank and fell in! It was only waist deep, and he still had the chain and rope in his hand. Thankfully, he did not have his phone on him. He managed to climb out on the bank, and grab the rope, pulling the boat into the side, before mooring up properly. He then had a shower.
No easy landing area
Moored at Shenton
Storm Francis shaking the trees
0 locks, 2 miles. Dep 1415, arr 1510.
Wed 26th August Shenton to Shackerstone
As we were about to leave this morning, the lady from the hire boat we had nudged yesterday came along the path and told us that a tree had blown down across the canal behind us. It was a good thing that we had moved from Sutton Wharf yesterday, or we would have been held up. And we were pleased we had not moored under trees. We told every boat going the other way, but there weren’t many of them.
Mileage marker
We stopped to fill the water tank just before Bridge 42 near Market Bosworth, while James went to Bosworth Marina for some milk. He found he had forgotten his mask, and a lady on the path offered to lend him hers!!! He declined, and went back to the boat for his.
Bosworth Marina entrance
The canal is very rural along here, with very few houses. At Bridge 44, it becomes a SSSI, because of rare plants and native crayfish. We spotted a kestrel sitting on a post
SSSI
Kestrel
We crossed the aqueduct over a small brook at Shackerstone, alongside a separate bridge for a farm track. We moored soon after for the rest of the day.
Shackerstone Aqueduct
The bridge alongside
Moored at Shackerstone
Water art
James went for a walk along the towpath, hoping to see badgers, as he had here once before. Sitting in silence, listening to all the woodland sounds is a special experience. He didn’t see any badgers this time, but heard lots of owls.
Evening light at Shackerstone
Waiting for badgers
0 locks, 5 miles. Dep 1005, arr 1225.
Thu 27th August Shackerstone
We had carefully planned a visit to Moira Furnace using bus timetables and weather forecasts. Sadly, both let us down later.
The first part went according to plan: the number 7 bus from Shackerstone, scheduled for 1032, arrived at 1050, and took us to Measham. From there we took a taxi to Conkers, a family activity centre at the top end of the isolated restored section. We started our pleasant walk along the canal, in mild slightly cloudy weather, with little wind.
The top end of the Ashby Canal
An unusual footbridge
We came across the only lock on the Ashby Canal, and noticed that it is wide enough for two boats, and has two sets of lower gates, perhaps to prepare for the future, when this section hopefully will be connected to the rest of the canal, and 70ft narrowboats could arrive on the scene. Two volunteers were there armed with windlasses, preparing to operate the lock for the trip boat, which only needs the shorter length of lock.
The lock
We continued our walk from there, and, a little further along, we found the trip boat coming through a swing bridge. We had arrived at Moira Furnace, built in 1804 to produce iron, using the locally found iron ore, coal, and limestone. It is now a museum, but it only opens at weekends, so it doesn’t coincide with country bus services, which are generally midweek.
The trip boat coming through the swingbridge
Moira Furnace
We had a coffee in the café there, before walking on down the canal to Donisthorpe, where the restored section ends.
Mileage marker
We had intended to catch another bus from Donisthorpe to Measham, 1½ miles away. However, we had 40 minutes to wait, and we decided to walk rather than stand around. Just after we set off, the rain started, two hours before the forecast had predicted. Thankfully we had brought collapsible umbrellas in case.
We arrived very wet in Measham, and still had more than an hour to wait for the bus back to Shackerstone. We found a pub that was open, and went in to have a drink and use their facilities. We met some friendly chatty people, and warmed up by the open fire (in August!).
Our bus was due at 1500, so we allowed 7 minutes for the 2 minute walk to the bus stop, and stood there in the rain for half an hour. We phoned the bus company to check that the bus was coming and discovered that it had left at 1452. The on line timetables were out of date, and so were the ones on display at the bus stop!
Out of date timetables
As that was the last bus, we phoned for a taxi. We asked to be dropped of at the Rising Sun, as they had boards out on the road saying “Food all day”. After a wet walk we fancied a nice pub meal with no washing up! Their door was locked!
So, with the rain coming early, the bus leaving early, and the pub closing unexpectedly, the last part of the day was a bit of a mess, and so were we.
We walked back to the boat, and arrived just as Mary and Jim were arriving on Penny from Heaven. We had expected them to have gone past us up to Snarestone, but they had experienced difficulties which delayed them, and then the early rain meant they chose to stop here. We decided to do our own thing on board that evening, and catch up with them in the morning when we hoped the weather would be better.
We had a Zoom meeting with our life group later.
No boating today.
Fri 28th August Shackerstone to Snarestone
We left early to avoid the forecast rain later. Penny from Heaven followed us a few minutes behind. Not many boats were moving.
Moored with Penny from Heaven at Shackerstone
A damp cruise through Shackerstone
The length from Shackerstone to the end goes through rural areas and is very remote. The final village of Snarestone has a pub but no shops, and the canal goes underneath through a short crooked tunnel. The final original bridge 61 is a turnover bridge, as the towpath changes sides.
Snarestone Tunnel is short but crooked.
Bridge 61
At the end, there is a winding hole, a sanitary station, followed by a swing bridge leading to the recently restored section
There was a boat on the facilities, which departed while we were turning in the winding hole. We reversed back through the swing bridge to find a mooring. Chyandour (Fred and Lisa) was just in the process of being cleaned, and when they had finished they moved across the canal, and we took their place on the towpath side, with Penny from Heaven behind us.
In the restored section
Hazel went to a farm shop for a few bits. Later on everyone ordered Chinese food from a takeaway in Measham, and we went aboard Penny from Heaven to share a meal with Mary and Jim. It is two years since we have seen them. It was raining heavily for most of the evening, but we managed to time it right when we returned to Gabriel in a short gap.
0 locks, 3 miles, 1 swing bridge. Dep 0845, arr 1010.
Sat 29th August Snarestone
We all went for a walk up the hill to the Alpaca Farm, where we had coffees. Fred and Lisa had just left, but Alan and Stella (Polestar) joined us, having been by car to Measham to visit the Co-op. They brought us back some milk.
We had a look around the shop which sells wool and other craft items, and we visited the animals. Hazel likes Alpacas.
Alpacas
Back at the canal, we visited the Ashby Canal Society’s bric-a-brac shop and bought a small vase. They have a busy enterprise going here to raise funds for the Ashby Canal restoration. They have also acquired some old pump beams from the pumphouse by the canal, and these are on display nearby.
Fred on the bric-a-brac stall
Pump beams
More rain in the afternoon, but after debates about whether or not to, we all congregated round the barbecue. It was good to meet some others including Dave and Sue from Vole, and Rodney and Eleanor from Storm Petrel, moored at Shackerstone. It was quite chilly and we retired to our warm boat, where we had lit the fire, even though it was still August!
No boating today
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.