Hawkesbury Junction to Market Bosworth
Saturday 7th September
Well, contrary to those people who tell us what weather
we’re in for – some of whom should only be paid by results – this morning has
dawned bright and calm, although there is a chilly breeze to go with it.
We’re meeting up with Alan and Chris, sometime in early
October, which means we have some time to spare, so instead of staying here, at
Hawkesbury Junction, for the weekend, we’re going to take full advantage of
this bright weather and set off for the Ashby canal, one of our favourites. I
don’t know how far we’ll get today, but it will be near a pub. Can’t miss out
on our Sunday lunchtime drinks, now can we?
Whilst we’re on the Ashby, we’ll also take a bus into
Nuneaton, another of our favourite shopping centres. Somehow Nuneaton doesn’t
present itself as just another shopping centre, a difficult concept to explain.
Suffice it to say, it’s different!
Sunday 8th September
So, where is all this horrid weather? This morning has dawned
bright and sunny again.
Yesterday we left Hawkesbury Junction at about 8.30 and made
our way to the Ashby Canal, all in very good weather, albeit a little chilly in
places. With no locks to worry about, we made the seven miles to Lime Kilns in
just 2½ hours. We had hoped to find a bus stop and take a ride into Nuneaton,
but, since this stretch of the Ashby runs under the main A5, there wasn’t a bus
stop to be seen. So, that trip will have to wait until we get to Hinkley Wharf
tomorrow.
Monday 9th September
Looking out of our windows this morning, directly east, we
have a beautiful sunrise. But looks can be deceiving, because when I took Rusty
out and looked due south, we have some pretty ugly, grey clouds. So, on our
trip to Stoke Golding; not Hinkley Wharf as I mentioned yesterday; we might
just get a bit wet.
Yesterday we paid a visit to the Lime Kilns pub and, much to
my surprise they didn’t have Guinness. Instead they had their own Marston’s
Stout which, of course, I shied away from. I did have a wee taste of it but,
much like the stuff they sold in The Clothworkers Arms in Sutton Valence, where
we had our shop, it was pretty insipid. So, I had to suffer that Carlsberg
lager or, perish the thought, Kronenberg, yeuk!
This pub however, does something with food that we’ve never
seen in all the years on the cut, they serve ‘small’ Sunday lunches. They also
serve full sized meals but, for those who really can’t face a full meal at that
time of day, there’s a smaller version. We both had the roast lamb, which
turned out to be quite nice, although I have to say, the broccoli was a bit
overcooked. Still, it was well worth the £4.95 price.
Shackerstone; which lies about two miles this side of the
end of current navigation; held their festival weekend this week, which
accounts for the amount of boats that passed us at Hawkesbury Junction.
Yesterday evening some came back and passed us, but three of them, all working
boats, sat themselves at the water point and stayed the night. Why they do it
goodness only knows. With their reputation of good sense and consideration,
these boaters especially should abide by the rules. This now means that, unless
they move off early and well before we do, we’ll have to wait a few more days
before we can top up with water. Just occasionally we find holiday boaters
doing this, but that’s because they tend to travel later than most and, when
they arrive at their destination, they find the water point is the only free
space.
So, rather than stop at Hinkley Wharf this morning, which is
only a couple of miles away, we’ll be going on to Stoke Golding and catching
the bus into Nuneaton from there.
Tuesday 10th September
We had intended going on through to Stoke Golding yesterday,
but as there was plenty of space at Hinkley Wharf, we decided to take the bus
into Nuneaton from there. (Which was just as well, as you will discover.) From
the moorings here it’s a straight and level walk to the bus stop and there’s
more than one bus into Nuneaton. Whereas, from Stoke Golding it’s a steep
hill-climb up to the bus stop and the service is only one per hour.
I had hoped to buy a pair of good, solid, waterproof boots
whilst we were in town but, instead of calling into Clarke’s we popped into
Stead and Simpson, where they had a clearance sale on. Would you believe, I
picked up a pair of wide fit shoes, with a wide Velcro strap, for just £14.99p?
Wow! They will do until we get to Crick, when I can take my time in choosing
those boots.
Today has dawned calm and dry, so we’ll be off to Stoke
Golding this morning. We’ll probably stay for two days and, I have no doubt,
we’ll pop into town again at some point.
Thursday 12th September
I didn’t have enough time to update this yesterday morning,
for once in a blue moon, I overslept.
So, on Tuesday we moored up at Stoke Golding as expected,
but that happy situation wasn’t to last. After a couple of clouts by holiday
boaters; who don’t seem to understand how to navigate a wide bend; we finally
settled in for the day, or so we thought. Good grief, it’s not rocket science!
We have to wonder how these people cope on the open road. Do they smash into
parked cars when taking a bend? Probably not. But they treat boating as a
contact sport. Sadly, it’s a cross that most boat owners have to bear.
Later on though, another boater asked if we might move back
and give them some space to get in. As usual, being the kind hearted boaters
that we are, we readily agreed to do so, with the result that we found the tail
end of Shiralee on a bend and were unable to hang a fender. So, in somewhat
high dudgeon, we decided to move along and ended up on the 24 hour moorings at
Sutton Wharf, where we spent a pleasant and quiet night.
Yesterday we made our way to Market Bosworth and, what with
Wifey doing some washing we were a wee bit late for catching a bus into town,
which meant yet another hike up that pesky hill. Luckily the rain kept off
until we returned about 1½ hours later, at which point it fairly chucked it
down.
If anyone reading this blog has any reason to call in to
Market Bosworth, you might want to visit the butcher’s there. Their pies are
out of this world, they really are. We bought a large chicken, leek and
mushroom one, along with a large pork pie, and the man himself warned that,
because the chicken one was chock full of meat we would have to make gravy. He
wasn’t wrong there, it really was absolutely stuffed full with meat. The pork
pie is pretty tasty too!
Friday 13th September
We decided to stay another day at Market Bosworth and, being
gluttons for punishment, we walked up that pesky hill again. I always seem to
enjoy an almost pain free evening when I’ve been for a good walk, so although
the hill gives me gyp in my calf muscles, it’s well worth the effort.
For most of yesterday we were alone at these moorings. It
wasn’t until much later in the afternoon that a few other boats arrived and
tied up. Around about 8pm Sheila took Rusty out for a short walk and, just as
she did so another boat came up behind us, quite obviously with the intention
of stopping the night. Unfortunately for them, they had chosen the winding
hole, and that is definitely a no-no. Then, when Wifey told them that we would
be backing up in the morning in order to take on water and turn around, they
quickly scarpered.
Ordinarily, being so late in the day, it was unlikely that
anybody would be using the winding hole, but, since they didn’t fancy being
woken up at 7.30 this morning, they decided to move on. Actually, there was
plenty of room further along the 48 hour moorings, so the really didn’t need to
moor behind us. Some people!!
We are now well stocked up with essentials and won’t need to
do any shopping for a few days, so, this morning we’ll be doing just what
Sheila told those two last night, backing up, taking on water, turning around
and heading back to Hinkley Wharf. We really don’t want to leave it too late
for meeting up with Alan and Chris.
And that dear friends, is that, for this blog so do take
care and have a great weekend.
Dave, Sheila and Rusty
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