Jump to content

Up The Ashby


Featured Posts

 

Friday 26 July we arrived at the boat a day later than planned. We had intended to come Thursday afternoon but it was predicted to be (and was) the UK's hottest day ever. So far. As the air conditioning in my old banger no longer works we decided that travelling the next morning at 25°C, rather than 35°C, might be a sensible option. 

 

Saturday 27 July was the day we had planned to set off after doing the food shopping. About 5 days earlier the forecast was for a pretty decent weekend. They got it wrong. It rained all day Saturday and most of Sunday so we stayed in the marina.

 

Sunday 28 July we set off at 4 pm as the rain radar suggested we probably had at least a couple of dry hours ahead and I just wanted to get Calcutt locks done for a speedier getaway from the area on Monday. It was busier than I expected, no doubt we were not alone in making a break for it when the rain eased off. We managed to moor just before bridge 102 in one of the spots with a view unspoilt by trees etc on the offside. These are usually taken when we pass through but this time there were only three boats moored along this stretch.

 

Monday 29 July brought beautiful weather, so much so that it briefly felt like summer again. It was very busy as we cruised to Braunston and then on up through Hillmorton before mooring for the night on the new rings at the approach to the visiter moorings at Brownsover.

 

Tuesday 30 July was a day of predicted thunderstorms so we decided to move to a just-vacated spot on the offside, near the water point in the picnic area, and stay put for the day. There's no rush as we have up to a month for this relatively short trip of leisurely boating. I didn't notice any thunder or lightning but there was frequent torrential rain all day and well into the evening.

 

Wednesday 31 July was another day that did not feel very much like summer but at least it stayed dry as we cruised for about 6 hours or so from Rugby to Sutton Stop. That's a very long day by my standards. Still undecided on whether Coventry basin is worth the 11 mile round trip.

 

Thursday 1 August we decided stay at Sutton Stop for a 2nd night and will probably cancel the trip down to the basin, or maybe postpone it until we pass back through in 2 or 3 weeks time. Fortuitously it turned out that esteemed forum member Ray_T's weekly visit to see Captain Mike, who lives nearby, was postponed from Wednesday to Thursday this week so we were able to meet up for lunch in the Greyhound. We hadn't met up for at least a year, probably more, so it was good to catch up. 

 

Since we were last here the rubbish and recycling area, previously an outdoor compound, has been moved inside the facilities building due to problems with fly tipping. When I went to use the Elsan I discovered someone had dumped several bags of rubbish and a load of bottles in there. Apparently it was too much effort to walk 10 yards to the door at the end of the building.

 

Friday 1 August. Moved up from Sutton Stop to bridge 6 of the Ashby today in beautiful weather. Didn't seem to be many boats about. One of the not-very-many that we did see, soon after set to g off, was fellow forumite Dogless (Rog) on Paneke. We just about had time to say hello in passing. 


It took us about 1 hour 10 minutes to get from Marston Junction to where we moored for the night and only met two boats coming the other way. It got a bit busier later when 3 boats passed us in the space of about 10 minutes but I would say that in the five and a half hours we've been on the Ashby the number of boats we've seen moving is still in single figures and probably also the same for the number of moored boats.

 

The canal has a little less rubbish floating in it around here as Mrs Lily Rose has been putting her recently purchased butterfly (?) net to good use as we cruised along. Trouble is, the well deck now looks like a rubbish tip until we get to the next disposal area.

 

Hinckley tomorrow to stop for a walk to either Aldi or Lidl to top up the supplies to ensure we have enough to last at least a week up the top end.

 

  • Greenie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We travelled to our new mooring at Sutton Cheney from Fazeley Tuesday took us 11hrs 40 mins in the torrential rain i admit me and the nephew didn't hang around when got past moored boats we also saw many boats on the move even in the sometimes terrible weather but was well worth it when we reached our destination pity we couldn't appreciate the journey more due to the heavens opening up every five mins its seemed :huh:   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saturday 3 August
I spotted another forum member as Tabula Blue went past this morning before we set off. We stopped for lunch at the VMs just before bridge 17A and then later I went to Aldi for some shopping. A shade over 0.9 miles each way according to Runkeeper but it felt like more, especially on the way back. 

I probably bought a bit more than was good for me so I was well cream-crackered by the time I got back. So much so that I couldn't be bothered to move again, despite the fact that it's a bit noisy here from traffic on the A47 going over the bridge and seagulls noisily hanging around nearby. After a while the lack of scenery and the traffic and seagull noise got to me so we moved a little further along to the long stretch of Armco just past the Triumph factory and the Tesco distribution centre. 

 

It seemed to be a lot busier today but I guess (hope) that's just the weekend effect. One of the hire boats that went past, heading up, was from Wyvern Shipping. Quite a long way from home and on a 12 day hire planning to go all the way up to Snarestone.

 

Must remember to look out for nb Eliza Jane (Chas78) at its new mooring when we get to Sutton Cheney.

 

Edited by Lily Rose
  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

Saturday 3 August
I spotted another forum member as Tabula Blue went past this morning before we set off. We stopped for lunch at the CMs just before bridge 17A and then later I went to Aldi for some shopping. A shade over 0.9 miles each way according to Runkeeper but it felt like more, especially on the way back. 

I probably bought a bit more than was good for me so I was well cream-crackered by the time I got back. So much so that I couldn't be bothered to move again, despite the fact that it's a bit noisy here from traffic on the A47 going over the bridge and seagulls noisily hanging around nearby. After a while the lack of scenery and the traffic and seagull noise got to me so we moved a little further along to the long stretch of Arco just past the Triumph factory and the Tesco distribution centre. 

 

It seemed to be a lot busier today but I guess (hope) that's just the weekend effect. One of the hire boats that went past, heading up, was from Wyvern Shipping. Quite a long way from home and on a 12 day hire planning to go all the way up to Snarestone.

 

Must remember to look out for nb Eliza Jane (Chas78) at its new mooring when we get to Sutton Cheney.

 

I'm in the process of painting her at the moment so is partially sanded down and so unnamed at present but you should recognise it its quite scruffy at the moment Lily Rose :blush:

Edited by Chas78
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Sunday 4 August to Thursday 8 August


We spent Sunday night on the moorings outside Bosworth marina but deliberately not between the two signs stating a charge of £5 per night payable to the marina. They can bog off, I'm not paying £5 to moor on the towpath with no facilities and no adjacent pubs or shops.

 

Lots of nice quiet moorings available after Market Bosworth, not Armco but nearly as good, being faced with wood that you can easily get a chain round.

 

On Monday night we moored on a long straight stretch just before the bend and aquaduct as you approach Shackerstone. If the person who accidentally left their old corroded chimney and coolie hat, after temporarily laying it next to the hedge on these moorings, is reading this they need worry no more. We bagged it up and took it with us to go into the rubbish skip at Snarestone Wharf.

 

Apart from this, Mrs Lily Rose has had little to do in her quest to remove all the litter from England's canals since we left Market Bosworth. Perhaps you get a better class of canal visitor on the upper Ashby, they appear to take their litter with them rather than just lob it into the water.

 

On Tuesday night we moored for the night on the armco just before the tunnel.

 

On Wednesday we went through the tunnel mid-morning to maximise our chances of finding a place on the limited CRT moorings at Snarestone Wharf. There is probably room for about 5 boats, assuming no git-gaps. This proved to be a good plan as we found a space easily and have since noticed that spaces are tending to be available in the morning, as overnighters leave, but it gets busier during the afternoon and the chances of disappointment increase.

 

We were/are on these moorings for Wednesday and Thursday nights and at some point on Friday, when the rain hopefully eases for a while, we will move beyond the swing bridge and have another 48 hours on the Ashby Canal Association moorings in order to sit out the predicted wet weather on Friday and high winds on Saturday.

 

Our first narrowboat hire (2011) was a trip up the Ashby and this is now our fourth visit as we love it so much. It therefore seemed fitting that on Wednesday we spent the 4th anniversary of owning our own boat at Snarestone.

 

As on previous visits here I couldn't help noticing how the e!san and toilet are kept in an excel!ent state of cleanliness. The facilities here, and at Sutton Wharf, are the best I've come across. It was no surprise to learn  that the same people clean both (3 times a week).

 

Today I decided to walk along the next length of canal to be restored, apparently commencing this winter, and then continue on by road into Measham where there is a Tesco Express and a Co-op. I went to both but Tesco is easier as the Co-op is quite a bit further on down the hill. From the CRT moorings to Tesco was a round trip of 4 miles. The road is relatively minor but fast so care is needed. My hi-vis best came in handy.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

They can bog off, I'm not paying £5 to moor on the towpath with no facilities and no adjacent pubs or shops.

Great marina. New and clean. Very, very nice people there. Extremely helpful and friendly. Boater’s lounge with WiFi. Chandlery and groceries. Toilets, showers and laundry. We paid £5 per night. Were we ripped off?

 

Should we have moved a hundred yards up the towpath, and just used the facilities anyway?

 

Oh. They never chased us for payment. We had to chase them.

 

Whatever!

Edited by 4468
  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, 4468 said:

Great marina. New and clean. Very, very nice people there. Extremely helpful and friendly. Boater’s lounge with WiFi. Chandlery and groceries. Toilets, showers and laundry. We paid £5 per night. Were we ripped off?

 

Should we have moved a hundred yards up the towpath, and just used the facilities anyway?

 

Oh. They never chased us for payment. We had to chase them.

 

Whatever!

Blimey, that comment seemed to have touched a nerve, prompting a first ever post. And finishing with a "Whatever" as well, I so love that ending to a disagreement.

 

Anyway, I never said it was a rip-off, athough I can see my words could be interpreted that way. My throwaway comment was about paying for something when the exact same thing is free just a few yards further on. No doubt without access to the marina's facilities but I wasn't going to be using them anyway.

 

I'm pleased to hear it is a good marina, although I never doubted it, as I haven't ruled out moving to it from my current marina of 4 years at some point in the future. Anyway, I'm probably banned now.

 

 

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 03/08/2019 at 16:50, Chas78 said:

i admit me and the nephew didn't hang around when got past moored boats.

I know the rules say you can go past moored boats at twice the speed when raining.....but have a thought for those pouring a kettle of boiling water as you pass.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Dr Bob said:

I know the rules say you can go past moored boats at twice the speed when raining.....but have a thought for those pouring a kettle of boiling water as you pass.

Don't be daft, too many selfish ignorant folk out there who don't give a dam about anyone but themselves. Where are those rules about twice the speed??????? Im sure tongue in cheek.?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We considered using the Market Bosworth marina,  £5 moorings for the night in order to access the facilities (laundry and elsan).

However the lady in the marina informed us you are NOT allowed to use the facilities unless moored IN the marina at £12 per night (£15 if on hook-up).

A 'local resident' did tell us that unless you go into the marina to pay, it would be free as the moorings are not monitored in anyway.

We didn't use the moorings in the end.

Rog

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, dogless said:

We considered using the Market Bosworth marina,  £5 moorings for the night in order to access the facilities (laundry and elsan).

However the lady in the marina informed us you are NOT allowed to use the facilities unless moored IN the marina at £12 per night (£15 if on hook-up).

A 'local resident' did tell us that unless you go into the marina to pay, it would be free as the moorings are not monitored in anyway.

We didn't use the moorings in the end.

Rog

In which case I'm not sure what 4468 got for his £5 other than having a few yards less to walk to get to the marina's facilities, some of which he would not be entitled to use. If I stop overnight there on the way back I'll keep the £5 in my pocket until the next pub I go into. At least there you get something for your money.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It would have been a very expensive laundry trip to stay in the marina, so we didn't bother.

I'm no fan of marinas, they remind me too much of childhood trips to huge caravan sites.

We went in for an ice cream and a cold drink.

It seemed very bleak and charmless to me, but I enjoy a 'homely air of neglect' :)

Rog

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Dogless ...we moor at Bosworth and I've just checked with Chris , the manager, £5 gets you outside mooring which INCLUDES free WiFi in boaters lounge, elsan and access to laundry facilities . There is a small welll stocked shop on site and you are alway welcome to enjoy a cheap beer or coffee while you wait for the laundry!  Not a lover of the Ashby and i only came in for a week's mooring 2 years ago but everyone was so friendly and helpful that I stayed..

Ps. The lady in the office was new...sorry for the mis info.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, at least we'll know for next time ... provided the staff on duty also know what's what.

I got diesel at Trinity as their diesel point is on line ... would have done it at Market Bosworth had they been more welcoming.

Just demonstrates how easily poor impressions are made.

Rog

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, frangar said:

I can’t help thinking that charging for towpath moorings near a marina could be the start of a slippery slope....whatever it gives you that you may or may not need. I wouldn’t pay on principle. 

Maybe it's a rouse to keep the frontage of the marina free from boats, and looking more tidy? I've noticed a couple more marinas doing this, not a lot of boaters appear inclined to pay.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, frangar said:

I can’t help thinking that charging for towpath moorings near a marina could be the start of a slippery slope....whatever it gives you that you may or may not need. I wouldn’t pay on principle. 

I also wonder how/why they are able to do it. Presumably it's with the agreement of CRT but I don't know why they would allow it. Perhaps they receive a payment but it must be trivial.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

I also wonder how/why they are able to do it. Presumably it's with the agreement of CRT but I don't know why they would allow it. Perhaps they receive a payment but it must be trivial.

Don’t let posh Tim at braunston get the idea....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Blimey, it's 13 days since I last updated this. Not a lot has happened but then we were on the Ashby. For 21 days. Not any more though.

 

We spent 6 nights at various points in Snarestone with the last being South of the tunnel near The Globe where we went for a very nice Sunday lunch (and very nice beer).

 

We then went back to Market Bosworth, stopped one night, went shopping at the diddy little Co-op (1 mile away), turned round and went back to Snarestone for another 2 nights. This was partly because that's our favourite part of the Ashby, and we had plenty of time, and partly because another very windy day was due and we fancied sitting it out there.

 

Then back to Market Bosworth, another trip to the Co-op then off to Shenton for two nights so we could spend Sunday going back to Shackerstone again (twice) but this time by steam train.

 

After a quiet night moored at this very nice spot, https://w3w.co/alleges.subtitle.dissolve, we stopped at bridge 25 (Ashby Boat Co) to buy a bottle of gas (£30, seemed a good price to me) and also went to Tomlinson's Farm shop for some very nice sausages and a couple of huge and delicious pork chops which the farmer cut for me while I waited. Excellent stuff, well worth stopping for.

 

The next night we stopped by the Lime Kilns Inn (moored opposite the garden) on the edge of Hinckley for Tuesday fish'n'chip night. The beer was excellent but the fish and chips a bit disappointing. It was only £6 and ok but you get what you pay for. I'd be very surprised if the "large battered fish" was fresh, dipped in batter and deep fried. It seemed more like a frozen fillet from the supermarket freezer section and oven baked. And that bloody road, the noise went on right through the night. I would advise anyone stopping here for an evening visit to the pub to moor as far away from the road as possible. After a trip to Lidl in the morning (1.2 miles, but note that it relocated the next day, not sure exactly to where) we were glad to get out of the Noisy Hell Hole of Hinckley and hoping for a nice quiet spot to moor for the next night.

 

We found it near Burton Hastings so our final night on the Ashby was much more peaceful.  This afternoon we moved back into the Coventry to head back to Hawkesbury junction. Just after the first bridge we crossed paths with a man on a mission to get to Alvecote on Friday for the festival. That man was @Mike the Boilerman . One day I might even get to speak to him as the boat he was on is moored in the marina on the opposite side of the cut from ours. 

 

Back onto the busy Oxford tomorrow just in time for an undoubtedly busy hot and sunny August Bank Holiday weekend. A bit of a contrast to the Ashby. I want to go back there but alas we've got to be home sometime next week for grandparent duties.

 

 

 

 

 

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.