Hot days and sunny flags.

So Reader for the rest of the trip we ambled back down the Ashby.  The weather went from boiling and "It's too hot to sit out in, where is there a tree?" to "God almighty get the bloody heating on!"  I carried on my daily walks which I am getting into, David initially said he missed me on the back on WaL chatting nonsense but that has fairly quickly changed to him listening to his podcasts through his Bluetooth hearing aids, then when I do get back on, he pretends to listen to me, nodding sagely here and there while still listening to something else.

We had a couple of nights just north of Stoke Golding, on a south facing bend.  On the way up Lesley had spied this mess on one of her walks.  We were told that boaters in yoghurt pots had driven up to here, discarded all this over the farmers hedge and into his field, he in turn had put it back onto the towpath and who could blame him.  

But when we arrived back down the entire lot had gone.  

Thank you to whoever was responsible for the clean up.

People are disgusting.  So upsetting that it was a boater.

We weren't really short on time but it was really time to leave and return to Great Haywood.  I have a week of appointments coming up, David on the other hand doesn't.

We hopped and skipped our way back up the Coventry canal and then turning onto the Trent and Mersey.

We passed Al and Del again too.  Fingers crossed we'll see them by and by.

NB Derwent 6 utterly utterly gleaming and the reason is Del who takes great pride in her and just to remind you Derwent 6 is 17 years old.

I was on the bridge at the junction making sure the coast was clear for both boats to go Brobat, that is as my brother used to say, clean round the bend.

The Coventry shortly before Nuneaton.

Shortly before Springwood Haven marina.  A handy bench under a tree where i waited and got back on,  It was very hot this day.

Luckily no one waiting for this lock!

Two locks to go on the Atherstone flight.

Moored up after the Atherstone flight at Grendon.

Lesley, always so affectionate, 

I'd not ever noticed these before, that's walking for you.  What I presume is an original milestone.  If you can't make it out it says 2 1/2 on the left side and 5 on the right side

The very first yellow flag Irises I saw.  When we return I expect there will be masses, a joy to see them every year. 

Well it was a lovely fun trip, an interlude really as we were prevented from hightailing down the Severn to Gloucester.

The company, the food and by golly the weather.  David already gloom and doom saying that we have had summer and June is bound to be wet....... blah blah blah

We will be back shortly after a short spell at home, mowing the lawns and playing with the grandies.

Stay tuned.

Trains, Princes and blood all over the floor.

So we did some great faffing here at Snarestone.   After we moored up the four of us walked to the Ashby Society shop and brought rather nice ice-creams, after which books were calling and comfy chairs.

The late evening sun through the hedge that night.

Lesley David and I walked to the farm shop the next day.  This is a very undeveloped affair.  There were a couple of freezers selling pastries, some fruit and veg, some bread and rather a lot of factory made cakes which I left well alone.

Quite a shame as five years ago the lady, presumably the farmers wife, said the mobile shop was as she had just started and was going to see how things went.  We brought far more then than today.  It needs someone with a bit of imagination and pizazz.

On the way home from the farm shop, the suggestion was we visit the Globe for a swift half.

The pub in the village has recently reopened after a period of being closed, but there isn't any food being served at the moment and the new decor is somewhat stark and cold for a pub, it needs someone with some experience and pizazz, I fear in it's current state it will be by-passed by locals on their way to the Horse and Jockey a few miles down the road.

That evening Lesley and Joe continued their crusade on teaching David and myself Cribbage, there may have been wine and snacks.

The next morning was blowy, the roof was covered in fluffy, sticky stuff, it looked a right mess even if it didn't here so much.

We departed after the two permitted nights.  

Joe and Lesley had gone at a little after dawn, we followed keenly 90 minutes later! 

I was on foot and here I was already annoyed how he'd left the cratch cushions all in the wrong places.

Such a pretty scene ruined by those cushions.

May is my favourite month, the trees with the sun on them is just gorgeous.

Bye.

I was going to walk back to the next stop, Shacklestone.  It was a little under four miles, I wanted to walk fast.

I had a phone call from David asking where I was, he seemed surprised when I told him I was at the intended mooring talking to Joe. 

The maize had come up in the two days.

So just around the corner to here where the canal passes over the river sense is where we moored up that day.

The next day we were going on a trip to The Battlefields at Market Bosworth, getting there on a steam train.

Great fun however it was cold.

I did't get a good shot of the engine that took us due to all the crowds, so this is the one that took us back just before it turned around, do trains "wind" or just turn around? 

Hard to get a selfie but here is Lesley and the handsome George Clooney.

This is the rear view of sweet Tucker.

Lesley and Marcia, sometimes called Lady Marcia.

This is a very impressive glass installation with King Richard 3rd at the centre, I tried to get the sun shining through but no luck.

David and I went through the interactive museum which was very impressive.  We had a run down by a whizz of a guide in there of the rather complicated Royal Family situation plus the opposing teams of the battle.  

I can't remember much now except that Richard almost had Henry beat but out of the jaws of victory grabbed defeat.  But the visitors centre is very worthwhile a trip, remembering that only last spring we were in Leicester city centre and visited the former council car park, also most impressive.

David fluffed up the train timetable going back so eventually we met back up with Lesley and Joe in the Rising Sun pub Shackerstone and I was so cold I ordered tea to warm up.

That night the Lockgate stove was lit, it promptly went out and the central heating went on instead.   

It's all gorgeous.

The next morning was cooler,  a delightful change from the pretty extreme heat we have had these past days but who's complaining?

Lesley and Joe departed first and about 9-ish.  We did a bit of faffing and I guess followed on 20 minutes after.

We passed through Shackerstone and what I call the Crescent moorings, private moorings following the curve of the canal all along a large field.  In the field are the remains of a Motte and Bailey castle, I can't find much about the castle except it was almost certainly wooden and Medieval.  Interestingly, during the WW2 an air raid shelter was dug within and it is said that a rocking chair still remains in there.

Private moorings on the left all the way around.

The Motte, the Bailey is not evident at all.

David dropped me in the winding hole (turney around place) and I set off to meet him, by way of a tarmac lane, at Snarestone, which I did, I arrived first!

I walked on the lane as its easier on the feet than a towpath.

On way way look at this dense hedge, small birds were whizzing in and out of it.

A spot of farming news.  I forget what this is, David Lewis will tell me I'm sure, but it's early remembering that these two photos were taken a fortnight ago.

Heads on in early may

A light dusting of green, maize planted and coming up.  Its a bit dry for it.  The field was chained shut with largest padlock or I would have got closer.

So I arrived at Snarestone, I had time for a good gander at some new builds which I liked the look of in the grounds of what I took to be a dilapidated farm yard, further into the village was a cottage for sale which I also liked....

I'd promised my mum I'd pop into the knitting shop, part of a complex of wee shops just out of the village, but now the shops are gone and a nursery of the children variety has arrived.

Sorry mum.

I'd said that I would hop on at the tunnel for the last bit having marched my 10K steps, but there was no way he could pull in and the steps down were chancy of slipping and taking a dip at the bottom.

There's a path under there somewhere.

Steps if you believe me.

Out of sequence, but last time we were here, five years ago, David and I caught this wee bus down to Congerstone for lunch at the Horse and Jockey, where we were yesterday.  He has no memory of it so I took this to show him.

This last half a mile is so after the tunnel is incredibly pretty.  The blossom, the greens of fields and trees, the birds song, the butterflies and the canal speckled with the petals.

and here the open views, David appreciated this as he had been in a green wooded tunnel most of the way.

The next boat on the left is NB Hogarth.

We left no Git Gaps, later two others popped on behind us and several more went onto the new section past the footbridge.

We filled our evening by teaching "The Yars" Hearts and later it was reversed and The Yars taught us Cribbage.  It took me a good while to pick up Hearts which we played whenever our now Kiwi daughter and SIL visited the boat or at Christmas and I can tell you that sometimes, only sometimes, I don't come last.

Cribbage was another matter altogether.  I'm trying hard to learn as my mother plays, she has tried valiantly to teach me but it was a hopeless task.  

Lesley is unfailing in her efforts to make me understand and do the scoring.

Phew. 

  

No, no rain.....

 The very sad thing about the Ashby canal now is that some pubs have closed, in line with other towns all across the UK of course but it's a real shame.

But!  Today we were headed to the Horse and Jockey at Congerstone, about two thirds of the way up the canal.  There are moorings close to the village so that is where we headed to.

Pretty pink fluffy thing.

A bit out of sequence but this is where we moored at close to Congerstone village.

Beautifully trimmed hedge.  Why is it some farmers keep them shaped and lower and some the hedge goes to rack and ruin and eventually trees.  Today the majority of boat owners surely have solar panels and want sunshine, besides I hate tall trees.

I do like these bridge reflective shots, the canal utterly calm.

We arrives at Congerstone, and walked to the pub late afternoon.  It was fabulous to see it busy, the pub was full inside with two large groups but in any case we all wanted to sit in the large garden, that too was busy on a mid week evening.  

The food was excellent, but I can't remember what I ate, sorry.

The day had been hot, sun cream was applied and hats worn.  It clouded over a bit, is it going to rain I asked the "Weatheraholic" no says he, no rain about.  I was sat next to Lesley....  It's looking a bit grey says I, yes she agreed, shall we make a move?

Well us girls did start the 15 minute walk back, after five minutes it was as black as yer hat, faster steps, ten mins we were on that bridge in the photo and the men catching up, we got in the boat and it bucketed down.  

D consulted his in depth satellite app to find one big shower right over Nuneaton.

The pub was great, definitely a "Use it or lose it" as other good ones along the way have gone, not so many shops either on the Ashby.

We just stayed one night and moved off in the morning heading for Snarestone and for us the top of the canal. 

Walks, pubs and heat.

 Reader I've never really been one for walking, David and I do stroll about the place at home but at snails pace and overtaken by old ladies with small dogs, I insist in a cafe half way too.  So this new regime of walking 10,000 steps a day has become something for me.  

I am nearly enjoying it too....  headphones on, podcasts on and away I go.

Today was no exception but my golly it was hot today, I didn't realise until I forgot my drink.

Over some fields, onto the canal, along the tow path way past Sutton Wharf then onto lanes and in the blazing sun back down to Stoke Golding.  I walk without David as I'm a faster walker than him plus I'm trying to keep up a brisk pace.

I was boiling and thirsty when I got back to the boat,

On my walk I spotted this well known boat, NB Oakapple, once exhibited at Crick, Amanda and I loved it.  Later we knew past owners Richard and Sharon, but I think they would be horrified at the state of her now.  Looking very dirty and unloved.

Lots of these where I live on the chalk, but a surprise to see Cowslips here

So this was on the tow path, dumped by a boater in a cruiser.

Lookey Lookey NB Derwent6 came by.  Owners Al and Del had this absolutely GLEAMING boat from the same boat builders as WaL, Derwent6 is now 17 years old and looks truly amazing.

Al and Del couldn't stop as they had friends following them and sadly no spaces here I sat down for a short while but then the cry went up "Let's go to the pub"  

An easy decision and we sat in the garden of the The George and Dragon, luckily in total shade..

 We didn't eat there but really enjoyed our drinks.  Then walking back to the boats still in the baking heat.  Naps were had by David and I but Lesley walked the little doggies.  I was just about to throw some supper together when messages were exchanged.  Al and Del plus friends were up at the other pub in Stoke Golding, The Three Horseshoes and would we like to join them.

Of course we would.  More ex-Bloggers Reader, Al & Del used to blog indeed it was the very first blog I ever read.

Another lady took this for us, look carefully and you might spot myself on the left with sunnies, Lesley leaning forwards, Joe at the very back next to David in his sunnies then Al and Del.  I'm very sorry to say I don't remember their friends names, but five boat owners all together and even at this time in the evening it was really warm.  

So great to meet up with friends that you haven't seen for months and this case a good few years.

A great end to a good day 

A cloudless sky as it had been all day.

Supper was late, rushed and eggs on toast!