Saturday 2nd May; A miserable cold grey sky with light rain and freezing (well b. cold!) when on the move. Decided to brave the elements despite the chap passing being dressed for the arctic and decidedly shivering. Stopped to water up at the Lime kiln next to A5 and then pressed on to Trinity marine in Hinckley where we stopped (fighting the wind to get moored alongside) for a couple of bags of coal and some milk. Not much else on display in Chandlery which is under re-organisation. Off and on to Stoke Golding where we caught up with an Ashby Hire boat called Oakethorpe under (all too brief) instruction. They dropped off their tutor at the hire base and we were then forced to proceed at tick-over and less (using reverse on more than one occasion) all the way to Sutton Cheney where they moored at the water point. At this point they had hit almost every bridge along the way, piled head on into the piling on a bend, rammed a moored boat, gone aground and we were freezing! We moved on, tried to moor at the bend near Shenton but couldn't get within two feet of the piling and went another mile to be clear of over hanging trees.
Moored up with a field of bright yellow rape on the offside out in middle of nowhere (well about 300 yards from the aqueduct which will let us walk to the Battlefield Railway if the weather is kind tomorrow).
Sunday 3rd May; Heavy rain overnight and this morning so staying put for a lazy day. Having said that we have some chores to do and we will see how the weather is later. Fire still in and although temperature supposed to be about 15degrees outside it does not feel it. Had intended to try and catch first train of day but weather not conducive so aborted. Painted bathroom radiator and bottom of the fridge door which had started to rust. About 2pm sun shining and passing boat crew saying what a great day it was so took dogs for a walk to Shenstone station. No sooner are we a 100 yards from the boat and the heavens opened again so we were fairly wet by the time we got to the station. Watched glass blowing in the new waiting room! and then took a quick look at the pottery in the old waiting room. GWR 2-8-0 3803 arrived at 3:20pm with five coaches.
Had 20 minutes in Shakerstone before the return trip departed and once back at Shenstone we walked back down the lane and tow path to the boat, this time the weather being a little more kind and we did not get wet.
Monday 4th May; A pleasant sunny morning and a bank holiday Monday - hardly compatible! After a slow start and pleasant dog walk in the Leicestershire countryside applied final coat of paint to fridge door and prepared to move off. First stop at Market Bosworth for water. Had to wait for another boat already on the water point and an Ashby Hire boat using the winding hole to turn. This winding hole now leads into a new marina which was not there on our last visit. What happened to the second tap? Is it buried under the entrance? There used to be room for at least four boats to moor up for water with two taps. Now only one tap and room for one boat and WHY oh WHY are there permit holder moorings immediately outside the marina entrance? Is there no one in CRT capable of joined up thinking? It is BW mentality all over again, say one thing and do another! Perhaps we should encourage every visiting boat on the Ashby canal to turn into the marina and request they provide a tap to water up at?
Having hovered in the winding hole to let the Ashby Hire boat proceed past the water point and the boat filling up depart we then reversed onto the it and filled up. Then off onwards and upwards through Shackerstone, through Snarestone and the tunnel and onto the terminus at Snarestone wharf.
Once moored we took the dogs for a walk to see the latest addition to the canal which now goes about 200yards beyond the old pump house to a point where a narrows, for a bridge(?), leads to what will be a small winding hole. We then walked along the old line of the canal to where it was breached due to mining subsidence in the 60's. It is very obvious on this stretch how the level descends to a point some 5 metres below the old canal level. Talked to some Ashby Canal association members working at felling and burning trees where a slight deviation and major raising of the canal bed is required. They told us we can expect to be able to travel by boat along this section in about 2 years time and that there will be a new winding hole and moorings there. Walked as far as this post showing depth of mine seams below the old canal bed
For more info on the restoration of the Ashby canal see http://www.ashbycanal.org.uk/ashby_canal_restoration.html
and for more pictures of the canal see http://www.ashbycanal.org.uk/ashby_canal_slideshow.htmlhttp://www.ashbycanal.org.uk/ashby_canal_slideshow.html
Managed a dry walk back to the Globe in Snarestone about 4pm and had a 'happy' hour in a rather deserted pub listening to the local gossip, new owners just taken over, new glasses first use (!) but no food other than crisps and nuts so after a couple of pints/wines we headed back.
Tuesday 5th May; Not a day for cruising with winds of up to 60mph forecast for today. Heavy rain overnight and very blustery from first thing although I did manage a dog walk down the new stretch of canal to take photo's of the site of the new bridge 62
The weather forecast for tomorrow is more of the same wet and very windy (40mph +) although there may be a dry and calmer spell between about 6am and 10am. The Ashby Canal association hut and bric a brac stall stayed locked up all the time we were at the terminus so unable to get a magazine as I had hoped.
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