A trip down the Ashby Canal

One of the aims of this cruise was to go down the Ashby Canal. Tilly May has passed the junction on a number of occasions but in each case circumstances contrived for us to pass it by. Saturday we moored at Dadlington and on Sunday we motored to the end, winded and moored at Shackerstone for a meal in The Rising Sun pub. The Ashby is a meandering, narrow, and shallow canal with a complex rural character. It is flanked in places by some very old woods, and much of the land looks like it is or was part of a large country estate characterised by huge pasture land and acres of arable fields.

The return passage down the Ashby was fraught with problems: extremely shallow areas, a family in front of us who had just picked up their first hire boat (travelling at just over tick-over) and dredgers.
The plan is to be home for Saturday evening which means we need to be in Fradley for Thursday evening. To this end we pushed along to more just north of Nuneaton. The last time we came through Nuneaton it was cold and hailing. At the time I said it was a dump and even the rats had moved out. I thought that my recollections were tainted by the weather, so this time I look through sunshine and fresh eyes. Nuneaton is still a dump that even the rats have moved out. On to the Atherstone flight today.

Jan leaning out the side hatch of TM 

Spot walking in the Leicestershire countryside

The Ashby Canal

Leicestershire from the Ashby Canal

Prison visit and sea shanties

Got up early and took Spot for a walk along the towpath. After only a few yards we came across a brand new gate set in the hedge of the towpath. It was not locked and had no notice to say private or footpath so we went through for a bit of an investigation. The gate lead to a newish wood with a number of well used footpaths heading in all directions. Finally we emerged into a car park full of cars in front of a massive building with a sign informing us we had just entered Her Majesty's Prison Rye Hill! Exit stage left followed by small spotty dog. Jan had a bit of an accident at Hilmorton Locks: the catch which holds the paddle open popped off and the windlass spun around on the shaft and hit her on the arm. Very painful and initially a bit of a mess but nothing broken. After a bit of first aid while we filled up with water we moved on to Newbold on Avon and a few pints and a meal in the Barley Mow. Only just managed to find a mooring at Newbold so we were quite close to the Newbold tunnel entrance. In the morning we could hear music in the tunnel, after a few minutes a boat emerged from the tunnel with a group of students stood on the bow playing instruments and singing sea shanties - what a fun way to start the day!

Music on the cut

 The cut will always surprise you when you least expect it. We cruised steadily through some superb open vistas and closed-in wooded glades and on to Hawksbury Junction (known on the cut as Sutton Stop, named after the first lock keeper). The Greyhound pub is one of our favourite watering holes, the beer is good and the food is really good, also dog-friendly. Last night I ate one of their famous pies: steak in red wine and Stilton sauce. It was to die for!

Watford Locks

Had a very pleasant evening at Elkington moored between bridges 26 and 27 - see photo below. The wood next to our mooring is owned by the Woodland Trust and is a wonderful place to walk. Many of the trees are very old and the woodland floor is quite open so Spot loved it.

Evening moon over Elkington

Elkington - Tilly May by the left edge.

Due to heavy rain fall previous day, had to sit under umbrella through Crick Tunnel to prevent getting drenched from roof dripping.

We took our time moving to the top of the Watford Locks flight as we'd had a couple of boats go past us before we cast off so knew we could have a bit of a wait to traverse the flight. This flight is right next to Watford Gap Services so after all the quiet of Elkington the traffic noise appeared horrendous. Once at the top of the flight we went to find the Lock Keeper to book in, but didn't see much of a problem as there were no other boats waiting to go down. The chap told us he had 11 boats waiting to come up (had told Jan 7) and he was going to bring 6 up and then we could go down. Not a lot we could do but put the kettle on. After half an hour we had only seen 2 boats come up so we decided to go see what the problem was and give a hand. No lock keeper in sight and chaos on the locks. Lots of hire boats without much of an idea what to do. We set to to help move things along only to be told by the next lock keeper that they were bringing all 11 boats up before we could go down. They would not let us move down into the next pound ready for the staircase, said it was "too windy" although we felt it was such a waste of water.  Finally after two and a half hours we were at the bottom. I know these chaps are unpaid volunteers but in this case I am not sure that they helped at all.

Had a nice meal at the New Inn at Norton Junction.

Going through Braunston tunnel met a boat head on with a failed tunnel light - chap on the bow with a torch: felt sorry for him as same happened to us 2 years ago! Lots of traffic through Braunston flight.

Decided to call it a day between bridges 80 and 81 as only one other boat moored.  Just putting in pins when 4 boats came down and 3 up all passing us at the same time resulting in total chaos!!

Spot Alert & Ready It Move!

Rainbow from the side hatch

Back Cruising and moored near Elkington

We now have a new pump out toilet that works much better than the old model. We rented a cheap car from Enterprise and went home for the weekend while I sorted getting a new toilet fitted. Jim Packer had a look at it last week and after talking to Lee Sanitation we discovered the unit was obsolete so I drove the Fenny Compton on Saturday and picked up a new loo. I returned to Tilly May on Sunday with new loo and moved her back onto the 48 hour mooring at Welford. Jim arrived and we managed to fit it ok. Back home Sunday evening and back down Monday morning with all washing done, lawn cut and shopping done. I took the car back to Daventry and Enterprise drove we back to Welford and were on the move by 1pm. We cruised in the sun until about 4pm when the thunder started. We were caught by the first storm but moored near Elkington where we have moored before. We have now had 3 more thunder storms, I just love storms when we are on the boat, the sound of rain on the roof reminds me of camping when I was a kid.

On to Welford

From Newton Top Lock we had a pump out at Debdale Wharf - very obliging people.  Fortunately the tunnel light worked ok at Saddington Tunnel but Jan always turns on all inside lights “just in case”.  Coming out of tunnel we were met with superb views - almost aerial - of vales and fields up to Foxton. Moored there for the night.

Foxton Basin early morning before the Gongoozalers arrive

We had burger and chips at the Foxton Lock Inn and it was ok-ish. Not having been down to Market Harborough before we decided next day to go down that arm and moor in Market Harborough Basin.  For the uninitiated (as we were) the first swing bridge has a WB key which is not needed as bridge not locked.  The second swing bridge has a plaque with instructions on it; however, the first most important ones are missing: ensure orange barriers are installed across the road BEFORE you insert your BW key for the quarter turn, otherwise you will not be able to retrieve your key.  Also, you MUST ensure white markings on road match perfectly otherwise you cannot move the bridge.  We were fortunate in having local walkers point these out to us as they had come across many boaters tearing their hair out trying to  decipher half-instructions.  Bridge works really easy once these instructions are followed.

Market Harborough Basin

At Mkt Harborough we ate at The Riverside in the basin and were not very impressed. Next morning we walked into the town centre - what a beautiful old town, so full of character and individual providers.  It was Sunday so most shops were closed however we managed to find a Co-Op and get a few bits (apparently there are other supermarkets only a few hundred yards down the road but be prepared to walk back up a steep hill with your shopping). Had a nice coffee in the town at the 3 Swans Hotel down a courtyard then moved Tilly May back to Foxton ready to go up in the morning. We booked in to go up Foxton Locks about 9:30 and were at the top in about an hour.  All thanks to the CaRT volunteers who make the flight transition so easy. Then on to the Welford Arm of the Grand Union and we moored at the Wharf and had a very nice steak pie in the Wharf Inn.

Jan and an upside down Spot half way up Foxton Locks

View across Leicestershire from the top of Foxton Locks

Yet more bad news, the macerator pump on the toilet stopped working. The old adage comes to mind: glass half-empty or half-full; things come in threes or third time lucky - we think we have had the former in both cases as this is our third attempt out this year. Thanks go to Ian and Fliss on NB Ubique (based at Crick but moored at Welford on our arrival) who gave us details of a local boat engineer who could help us. Fortunately Welford Wharf has toilets so we are here for a couple of days while we wait for the engineer to come and sort it.

Small lock on the Welford Arm

On the way down the Welford Arm we spotted a tow plane taking a glider up 2 or 3 times. This reminded me that an old friend Mark operates a glider around here so I dropped him an email and we met for a meal at The Wharf Inn on Tuesday evening - excellent food and company. The plan was for Mark to take us into Market Harborough for a Mexican this evening but the engineer said he could not get to us until early evening Wednesday so we had to cancel the meal with Mark.  What bad news - we have to eat at the Welford Arms again - all available fresh meat on board TM has gone to Spot as she is not eating very well and is being tempted by anything we can get her to eat.

Foxton and Welford Wharf

From Newton Top Lock we moved on to Foxton for the night. Not to go up but to move on to Market Harborough Basin. We ate burger and chips at the Foxton Lock Inn and it was ok.
Next day a short trip up to the Basin in Market Harborough. We ate at The Riverside in the basin and we were not very impressed. Next morning we walked into the town centre. It was Sunday so most shops were closed however we managed to find a Co-Op and get a few bits. Had a nice coffee in the town the moved Tilly May back to Foxton ready to go up in the morning. We booked in to go up Foxton Locks about 9:30 and were at the top in about an hour. Then on to the welford arm and we moored at the Wharf and had a very nice steak pie in the Wharf Inn. Yet more bad news, the macerator pump on the toilet stopped working. Fortunately Welford Wharf has toilets so we are here for a couple of days while we wait for an engineer to come and sort it. On the way down the Welford arm we spotted a tow pain taking a glider up. This remind me that an old friend Mark, operates a glider around here so I dropped him an email and we met for a meal at The Wharf Inn in Tuesday. The plan was for Mark to take us into Market Harborough for a Mexican but the engineer said he could not get to us until early evening Wednesday so we had to cancel the meal with Mark.