When the going gets tough, the Tough get sandwiches.

It was a day of moving on, however if we hadn’t of had an appointment to keep we would have stayed another day at Shackerstone where the moorings south of the village are nice and straight, long and towards the end in full sunshine, then enjoyed a bit more exploring but…

As we jollied along who did we meet at a bend and a bridge but NB Oakapple, a simply beautiful boat just a few years old now but you may remember was voted ‘Best in Show’ by the general public at Crick a few years ago, (I too voted for it actually), and it was looking lovely today. 

We did know that Oakapple was on the Ashby and had hoped  to meet up but the timing was all wrong and today it had to be a quick chat and catchup mid canal as we were slightly pressed for time.  We’ll have a longer chat next time both.

Richard and Sharon on NB Oakapple

But today I had plans to meet an old work chum of mine Laura, who has just this week relocated from home to Ashby de la Zouch.  She was bringing her two little divine children so I had had the idea of a quick boat viewing at Market Bosworth and then a stroll to the Water Park cum campsite cum playground that is just outside the village to the west.  It proved a big hit as the children ran and ran in total freedom.

So lovely to see old friends again and although the time flew past, I love the Ashby canal and will return somewhat like General Douglas MacArthur “We will return” to play with divine children again.

When they had to leave us, I was sad of course as its such fun pretending to be a Grandma, but David said he fancied a pint.  Easy you would think, but he fancied it at the pub in Stoke Golding where we had been before so with TMS (Test Match Special) coming on I relocated to the pointy end, rolled up the cratch sides, fetched the paper and a cup of tea and far too big a slice of flapjack that I had knocked up quick and settled down in the warm sun.  Nice.

After mooring up, amazingly even though it was later on in the afternoon, the moorings were all empty.  We chose the sunniest spot, and off we went to , I guess it was maybe 6pm.  The pub was rammed with locals, a couple of families, workmen on their home, couples old and young, dog walkers on their way home and I have to say I LOVE THAT.  The village felt like it was a real community, friendly smiley staff, guest beers, tasters offered and I grabbed the last table while David chose his pint from a choice of about eight beers.  He really loved the “Standard” one from this local brewery in Nuneaton, Church End I think it was called.  So if you are near…… go sample.

Sunset at Stoke Golding, nice huh?

A lovely end to a lovely day.  Supper was to have been steak however after way too much flapjack earlier we had egg tomato and mayo sandwiches on fresh fresh granary bread instead.

Questions and teapots,

These two photos were overlooked from yesterday but I thought worth including.

This is the list of all workers from Ashby alone who served in the First World War. Very touching, it lists what was their fate.

No words necessary!

So after a couple of days at Congerstone we left this morning and toddled off to the top of the Ashby.  A pretty run all the way except for the longish section through  woodland near the end which I find deadly dull but I accept that plenty of folk like trees.

The tunnel was empty, its one boat though at a time, no traffic lights or anything but as you can easily see right though it there’s no need.  Not busy at all this canal, its been lovely all the way along.

Entrance to the southern portal of the Shakerstone Tunnel.

We watered up at the end but neither the water point or the rubbish point were marked on our guide book.  The Ashby Canal Society have a wee booth here and a representative selling souvenirs and there is information on the canal, maybe you might call it a garden shed, the chappie there today was less than jolly, I called across nicely to ask him if there was a rubbish point, (I could see the red skip 50 yards away but I thought it may be for the moored boats here) he raised his head and pointed his finger in the shape of a gun “There” was his reply.  Maybe he is still on the list for his Customer Service Training Day.

Still I did the bins and in walking back past him I enquired if we could walk up and see the work in progress for the canal restoration “No its all blocked off” says he.  Reader he was so grumpy I simply had to keep asking questions…..too irresistible.  

Could he tell me the progress then?  Could we please use that gate there to exit onto the lane (There is no road access here at all) and so it went on.  I have to report that all ended happily as when David appeared and then asked pretty much the same questions…. Then David made a generous donation and it was if the sun came out all over his face.  We are now best friends.

The top of the Ashby Canal currently.

We did however decide not to moor here for the night as the road access was tricky, but to retrace our steps to the far end of the tunnel (Which goes under the entire length of the village) and moored on a nice straight section of armco, we were in full sun.  We got the bikes out and cycled off to Measham.  Sadly the museum closed ten minutes before we arrived.  

TEAPOTS  click on Teapots to read about them.

This town is or rather was famous for the Measham Pottery.  We searched for any evidence of the canals former route… We couldn’t spot it.  We left.  

Hand on heart, I couldn’t really recommend you go visit Measham.

Skinny supper tonight were Beef burgers and salad, yes really some of them are low calorie!!

Trains & World Leading Women

Today was such a fun day.  So here we are at Congerstone just north of Stoke Golding.  Its a sweet little village with many beautiful period cottages and modern homes all together in a healthy mix.

Today was a bike riding day.  Off we went taking the most lovely scenic route through several villages going northwards.  Past a field making hay or silage, irresistible to retired farmers…. 

David checking out these two machines and their progress. Reader you will be pleased to hear he approved of what he saw.

No traffic on any of the roads and we ended up at Shakerstone.  This is a sweet place, many of the old farm buildings have been converted into homes and done rather nicely too, although far too small for me, I get twitchy if I am in a village, unusual for a farmers wife I know, but true.

Eighteen months ago when we were last here we went on the Battlefield Railway, they have steam engines here but on the day we visited they only had a diesel engine running, but I enjoyed it all the same.

Today when we cycled in the long driveway for cars it became apparent that they were not busy.  We had already agreed that we would only go on the train again if indeed it was the Steam engine running.  The five aged volunteer gentlemen all gleeful to see us approaching was heart warming.  I just couldn’t say no, so “Darling lets go on”  

“But….” says David who is not quite such a big fan as me.  But off he goes to get the tickets, I pop to the wonderfully restored Ladies dating from Victorian times and when we return the lovely group of elderly volunteer gentlemen had loaded our bikes into the Guards Van, Reader do you Guards Vans???

I was sat smiling, David returned coughing and spluttering at the price of the tickets, especially as we had agreed not to go on!  

But oh what joy, oh what heaven, Reader let me tell you, THE DRIVER WAS A WOMAN.  Marvellously wonderful I say.   There are not many of them about I can tell you.  The ride was bouncy and faltering, I am so glad that even though I love these engines I did not have to travel long distances on them!

As we went along some other volunteer gentlemen struck up conversation with us, we were the only ones on the train.  One of these gentlemen was a real live working boatman, HURRAH.  

Now its such a pity that the trip only lasted 15 minutes, and we only got talking to him after about 8mins.  But, he had two boats in 1967 a motor boat and a butty, he took 50 tonnes of coal to London, 20 tonnes on the motor and 30 on the butty.  He was paid 14/- (Shillings) a ton, which David worked out as £35 a load.  That took him him five days down and four days to return empty.  He did this for three years with another “Lad”.  It was brilliant to meet and chat to him I only wish it could have been for longer, but we arrived at the terminus and the whole group alighted to do maintenance work.  

Now the lady driver came and chatted to us at half time, she said she was only permitted to train as a driver at the age of 42, this was because the Unions had blocked the training of women up till then…. She said that the old British Rail didn’t have any steam drivers, and that when she had trained she had indeed been the only woman.  A world leader maybe? She is still working herself although she declined to give her age, and today she had taken a day off to come and drive our train.  She said that she drives for the Battlefield Railway a couple of times a month and  that she was driving a Steam engine for another railway the following week.  She has a website too HERE  

Guards van with rather fetching bicycles therein.

Driver cab

Very bouncy seats

All in all a fantastic trip on the Railway meeting fantastic people and so easily the opportunity could have been lost by not buying a ticket….

Beautiful beautiful Victorian station building

Lovely chap selling tickets.

Victorain café on the platform, 

Served really the most delicious cake.

We took the scenic route back, got caught in a short sharp shower and sheltered in a bus shelter like a pair of OAP’s.  At a village called Barton-in-the-Beans a rat ran out into the road in front of me, stuck its tongue out and ran back into someones garden! Marvellous.

I ended the ride at Market Bosworth where the car was, folded the bike bush bash bosh and I drove the car back to Congerstone while Darling rode. I would have beaten him to the boat too however there was a gripping play on the radio, so I and to sit and listen to the end.

Home for tea, shower and putting on best boating clothes available to go and meet new friends George and Sue from NB Caxton.  We were meeting them at the great pub at Dadlington called The Dog and Hedgehog.  We were lucky to get there as when we got in the car neither the village where we were nor our destination were on the car road map.  I really don’t think there are villages in the south east that are not on the map anymore.

Winner of the prettiest cottage today.

Splendid supper and splendid company thank you both.  Enjoy your holiday next week and if you see them out Reader call out a cheery Hello!

That’s not far, go on JUMP!

Well still hurricane Bertha’s high winds with us today, but few boats were moving and the winds were a little less than yesterday.  David said it was fine so we did set off, nice and bendy this section, nice and reedy so if you meet someone on a bend, chances are you will end up in them.

 It was boiling when the sun peeped through, but chilly when the clouds raced across again.

A pretty run up to Sutton Wharf again, I was below decks doing a spot of housework… as we approached the wharf which was empty, however two boats were coming towards us and David didn’t want to hog the landing if they both wanted water, we didn’t need water,  but I did want to unload the smelly rubbish.  “So then lets be quick” he says, “Hurry up, Jump!”  

I’ll give him jump with a bin liner full including wine bottles… Well I stepped of ladylike and ran all the way but neither oncoming boat wanted to stop.

We umm’ed and arrr’ed about mooring up, as we approached Market Bosworth.  Last time 18 months ago we accidentally moored up on Long Term Permit Holders only, there were no signs as we approached from the south side and there were spaces, it was only when we left the following day that we went past the signs on the northern end and felt very bad.  This year with the building of the new marina right here we saw that these moorings are now all visitor moorings for 48hrs.  There also were three water points here but now currently only one so we pulled in to wait our turn on the rubber side entrance into the new marina.  I clung onto the middle rope and got chatting to two workmen the other side of the fence, it turns out that one of these chaps is the new manager of the marina and told me half the moorings are already sold, a side refuge pool is in the process of being built or filled so that the wildlife can “Escape” when they get fed up with boats.  A very nice chap who also said that local shops in the town are pleased with the boaters presence as they spend more in shops and pubs than the locals! HA!!

Later, after I had sneezed about 68 times I decided that I would not go with Darling to fetch the car, but instead stop home and have paracetamol and a nice cup of tea.  So he went for a short tour and then popped the car into a tidy spot, not annoying anyone… we hope.

Skinny thai green chicken curry made by David and I have to say it was far far nicer than any I have made previously.

Top marks sweetie.

Whaddya mean the waste tank is full......?

Now sadly, due to my age and daftness I have blogged recently out of sequence, its all nonsense so go with the flow Reader and it will all become clear in the end.

David had been up early and off on his bike all around the neighbouring villages, he had got a newspaper and milk.  What was stark was the white powder all over WaL.  Overnight rain had moved it and made a paste of multi rivulets but not washed it off at all.

So Melanie’s last day.  She has really enjoyed the break from her busy busy life on dry land and I have enjoyed her company and conversation.  Some tricky subjects have been covered, not least how far should western intervention in the middle east go, different degrees of rape, (A gulf of opinion here between some of us), prospect of Boris as PM, TV Programme Embarrassing Bodies, what can be done to help the seriously obese confined to bed, last but not least Scottish Independence, Phew.  

All of these were covered and I reckon we have solved most of them too.

So on we went this am.  Heading towards Sutton Wharf where we watered up and deposited the rubbish.  Then started on the great boat washing task started.  Him with his new long brush and me on hose pipe duties, too tempting not to spray him a bit either.  Yes Reader, on a water point too however this was a matter of urgency after all it was Lime powder, not good on the paint work.

It was covered, believe me.

OMG all of a sudden David looked at the waste tank, which he had thought half empty proved on inspection to be on 9.5 full.  No pump out here only cassettes.  He happened to speak to the next door boat who informed him that there were indeed no pump out services northwards from here.

Small amount of bad language followed, well yes you are right, quite a bit of bad language.  All in all this meant that we turn here and retrace our steps and return to the Ashby Boat Hire place.  

The nice man on the phone said if we could please arrive no earlier than 2pm as he was busy, I thanked him profusely.

So off we went backwards as it were.  A taxi ordered 

to return Melanie to the train station and sorry to see her go I was.  Till next time.

So David and I alone, it always seems so lonely when guest depart (Unless they brought a suitcase with them)…. 

We retraced our steps again this time heading north again, actually we landed back where we had spent the previous night!  A day getting precisely no-where.

A text from Melanie explaining that her trip home had coincided with rail closures for the entire weekend and Monday coming too had in fact taken her 6.5 hours, whereas her journey up had taken 2.5 hours.  Marvellous eh?

A skinny supper of griddled salmon, french beans and mini sweetcorn.

Dates cakes and feel the love.

Over the weekend somewhere in the papers was an article about how to keep happy in a long term relationship…  David read it and passed it onto me, I read it and decided that I quite liked what it recommended;

*Three romantic “Date” nights out a month.

*Visiting new places together.

*Talking to each other.

*Being spontaneous. 

*Five hugs a day and five “I love you” a day.

*Most importantly an “I love you” last thing at night.

(There were one or two more, but there are other websites more appropriate)

Now all in all, I really like the first one and this boating malarky takes care of number two, Talking, well yes we do that however sometimes the tone slips to a more shouty kind of talk, but I am going work on that.  So today Truest Darling Angel Love thought it would be nice to go out on a romantic coffee date.  Now I have great coffee on the boat and I mostly keep cake on the boat too, but I wash’t going to say no now was I?
Bikes out, off we go, to the centre of Market Boswell. First place, a hotel type place did not say coffee, but afternoon tea, second was shut and the last one we tried had coffee and hot chocolate for me but can you believe it no cakes delivered that morning from their bakers…  

Anyway, it was a jolly nice thought darling and I am looking forward to the next one.

Back to the boat and we moved on, we wanted to get out into the countryside again and on The Ashby its not far to go to get away, in fact we went all of two miles to a lovely bit of straight armco with only one other boat way over there near to Congerstone. David fetches the car, not too far to go and sat in the warm sun in the cratch, well it would be warm if the sun stayed out long enough.

In the evening while I write David created this amazing tasty, colourful supper which I just had to share with you.

So we have roasted beetroot with goats cheese, sweet potato, crispy bacon and avocado salad. Divine.

PS We are not quite getting in the full quotas of love you and hugs but will continue to work on it.

Wet, Empty and Cold.

So then Big Bertha show us your worst.  Ooooo actually I didn’t mean that, how much longer is it going to last?

So the day dawned wet, grey and miserable looking.  We decided it would be a good day to go fetch the car.  Charming lady taxi driver arrived just as the heaviest of downpours arrived too.  We made a dash for it and jumped in.  David had thought that he might cycle it, he had thought that I may cycle with him, he said 23 miles which I could have done, but on a pleasant day maybe, today? No way.

At Debdale we were pleased to be invited into friends Mike and Gerry’s Boat NB Tubbs for coffee.  

Nice to see you both again!

This weekend is the 200th Anniversary of the opening of Foxton Locks, we thought we would go along to support the occasion as I consider this to be our stamping ground.  Oh what a sorry sight, limp bunting, a bedraggled poster, a lock keeper had instructed a boat through the penultimate lock then turned and hotfooted it back up the cafe at the top.  No other people in sight.  A sad sight.  

We left. 

David in full golfing wet weather gear, not a soul in sight, not us either for long...

Home to the boat and here I have sat writing up this weeks posts in the sure hope and firm conviction that there will be some 3G somewhere on this canal so I can actually post it for you Reader.

WaL third back on the left.  Inbetween showers at Stoke Golding.

Supper was pizza, salad and sweet potato wedges followed by homemade Panna cotta, a first time make for me, it won’t be the last though.