Market Bosworth to Atherstone
Saturday 14th September
Yesterday was a lot of fun! We left Market Bosworth at about
8am and, after a stop at Sutton Wharf took a slow crawl down to Bridge 23,
where there’s a Farm Shop that we wanted to visit. Getting ourselves moored up
was not easy, simply because a small stretch of the moorings is silted up, but
we managed it eventually, after which we paid a visit to the shop. The beef was
recommended by a customer but, when we think of the price it makes us shudder.
But, we bought a couple of items, including ice cream tubs –yummee!- and a
chicken and mushroom pie, which came in the same casing as your average pork
pie, so we’re looking forward to that with a bit of salad.
Yesterday evening, well, no actually, more like from
yesterday afternoon, we were inundated with flies. Of course, we do get the odd
one or two, like most folks, but this lot were really annoying. I put it down
to the slight drop in temperature, encouraging the little blighters to seek
refuge in our nice, warm boat. The alternative doesn’t bear thinking about,
they could be breeding in some secret cranny within the boat. Yeuk!
Anyway, we couldn’t move on yet because it was raining quite
heavily, so we had to stick it out and kill as many of them as possible. So far
this morning I’ve killed about half a dozen, but they are still whizzing
around. Hopefully they will disappear once we move off later this morning.
Can’t come soon enough for me. Hinkley Wharf and the nearby Tavern of the same
name, look out ‘cos here we come.
Saturday 15th September
Just to be sure of a mooring at Hinkley Wharf; there’s only
space for about three boats; we waited until 9am before leaving our mooring at
bridge 23. Even so, when we arrived just after 10am, there was still one boat
there but, since it was one that actually ‘lives’ on the Ashby, we figured it
would probably move on later, which it did. This boat was moored at the
furthest point from the bridge, so we moved back to that point as soon as they
moved on. This was just as well, because two more boats came through the bridge
and moored up in front of us. Luckily the people on the first boat realised
what we were trying to do and held off until we’d finished.
Apart from walking to the paper shop, we did nothing special
for the rest of the day, unless you count killing flies as special. However,
having found the hidden can of fly spray, we were free of the little blighters
by the evening, and there’s no sign of them this morning. Job done!
Today we’ll visit Hinkley Wharf Tavern at lunchtime, simply
because we haven’t tried it before. I do hope we’re not disappointed. More
about that later.
Monday 16th September
Yesterday was a pretty mixed bag of weather but, since we’re
usually pretty fortunate in that regard, it stayed dry whilst we visited The
Wharf Inn, where we found snacks on the bar and a friendly barmaid. I suppose
the snacks and smiling barmaid were there to offset the exorbitant price if the
Guinness which, at £3.70 per pint, ranks as the record high price now. So, on
this trip we have gone as low as £2.90 and as high as £3.70 and for no
particular reason that I can see.
On the walls of the Wharf are black and white 1960s photos
of the pub and some of the places in Hinkley. The photo of the pub; taken from
a turning across the main road; shows two, Mark II Jaguars which, at that time
were pretty expensive cars, so I suspect that the brewers, in their infinite
wisdom, still deem the area to be rather salubrious, else, why charge so much
for booze. Consider this, Guinness per pint is even more expensive than petrol per litre at that
place!!
Anyway, back to the boat and, yep the heavens opened up.
But, that’s OK, we had no plans for long walks, or anything like that. However,
by the time Wifey took Rusty out for her evening constitutional, the rain had
stopped and we had a clear sky and, although it came as something of a
surprise, we still have a clear sky this morning. I’m hopeful it will stay that
way, because after taking the bus into Nuneaton, we’re moving along to bridge
three in readiness for leaving the Ashby.
Tuesday 17th September
Yesterday morning saw us taking the bus into Nuneaton for
shopping, back to the boat by 11.30 and on to Lime Kilns by 12.30. The last bit
was not much of an achievement since Lime Kilns is only about ½ a mile from
Hinkley Wharf. Once again we were lucky and did all that without getting wet.
No sooner had we tied up at Lime Kilns than the heavens opened up, then it was
on and off rain for the rest of the day.
Just by the bridge at Lime Kilns there is just one space for
a boat of our size, after which is the water point, which is supposed to be
free of overnight mooring. Not so yesterday because, yet again we have a boat
there. We could just about get past it and top up with water, but the reason
for restricting moorings on water points is to allow freedom of access. Still,
if we give that boat a clout as we pass it and pull in, the owner has only
himself to blame.
We are almost at the end of the Ashby now and we should be
back on the Coventry by tomorrow morning and settled in at Springwood haven Marina, but this
does depend upon the weather which, according to the experts, is not looking
good.
Wednesday 18th September
After topping up with water yesterday morning and chatting
to a boater who, with his info about a pub charging £4.00 for a pint of
Guinness – he seemed genuine enough – we moved along to just half a mile from
the end of the Ashby canal. It was dry, but quite cold; enough for me to dig
out my winter coat; but an easy 1½ hours of steady cruising.
This stretch of canal, whilst having the usual corrugated
metal upon which to hang our mooring hooks, does have a lot of overhanging
tufts of grass. As a consequence of and despite keeping Rusty on a fairly tight
lead, she managed to slip over the edge and into the canal. One second she’s
there and then ‘plop’, away she goes. Without the lead on her, I doubt very
much if I could have kneeled down to pull her out. Wifey then has the job of
rubbing her down with a bath towel, which our pooch seems to enjoy.
This morning, possibly due to that dunking yesterday, Rusty
now has an upset tummy, the growling of which can be heard from one end of the
boat to the other. She hasn’t had a problem for about three weeks now, and we
certainly haven’t given her anything different by way of food. Still, three
weeks is pretty good, I have to say.
This morning; assuming the rain doesn’t bucket down; we’ll
be moving off and heading for Springwood Haven Marina for diesel and will moor
up opposite. This is quite a small marina on the Coventry canal and is one of
the places that we regularly top up and moor overnight.
Thursday 19th September
Despite the promise of warmer weather to come, we suffered
chilly winds and slight showers on our five mile trip to Springhaven Marina and
moored up just a few hundred short of it. This morning we’ll call in for fuel
and then go on to Atherstone, assuming the weather stays dry of course.
Since there are no shops or anything like that near the
marina, there’s not much to report, so I shan’t bother. Today’s another day…..!
Friday 20th September
Yesterday was certainly another day, but it started out well
and we had to suffer some light rain on the way to the locks at Atherstone.
Most days we’re pretty lucky with the weather, but I suppose I’ve been bragging
about that for too long, as I will now explain.
Shortly before arriving at the top lock, we were treated to
some heavier rain and Sheila suggested we might stop before the locks and go on
in the morning. However, as we neared the moorings the rain stopped again and
so we decided to go on.
Now, once you are past the moorings there’s no turning back,
but all seemed well at that point and we pulled in to top up with water and
dispose of rubbish. Then, just as our water was gurgling to let us know the
tank was almost full, along came a boat just exiting the lock. So, I backed off
from the water point; just in case he needed to top up; and waited for him to
come out.
Wouldn’t you know it, as he came out of the lock down came
the rain, and pretty heavy too. We had five locks to do before the next line of
moorings and, by the time we had tied up we were soaked and the rain had
stopped. It seems our luck had run out!
We are planning on being at Polesworth for the weekend, so,
this morning after Wifey has walked into town for the paper, we’ll go down
another three locks and moor up there ready for our run into Polesworth.
Meanwhile, as this is getting rather long, I’ll post and
wish you all a great weekend.
All the best from Dave, Sheila and Rusty.
No comments:
Post a Comment