Ashby...what do you think?

[bassplayer]

Just been up and down the Ashby. Last time was about 12 years ago when teens with air rifles tried to put us off on entry to the canal but we persisted.

 

It's still a very shallow canal in places but very pretty for most of the part. You can guarantee meeting a boat at most bridges but that's part of the fun.

 

What's your experiece of the Ashby?

[churchward]

I have always liked it although I have never been down it in the summer. It has always been an Autumn/Winter cruise for us and it's been great and very peaceful.

[Guest]

Just been up and down the Ashby. Last time was about 12 years ago when teens with air rifles tried to put us off on entry to the canal but we persisted.

It's still a very shallow canal in places but very pretty for most of the part. You can guarantee meeting a boat at most bridges but that's part of the fun.

What's your experiece of the Ashby?

Done it twice but a few years ago now.

 

Loved it. Preferred the 'upper reaches' ( can you have them on canals)

 

Very pretty. We once grounded but another CWDF member helped us off. Worth doing.

[cuthound]

This is my most cruised canal. Relatively quiet, peaceful and very scenic. What's not to like except the lack of depth?

[bastion]

Planning on doing the Ashby canal next week. Any suggestions for car-parking for a few days as I shall have a guest arriving.

Thanks Greg

[cuthound]

Have a chat with the landlord at the Lime Kilns pub. I have found most pub landlords will let you park for a few days if you have a couple of meals and drinks in there first.

 

It is right on the A5, so easy to find.

[bastion]

Have a chat with the landlord at the Lime Kilns pub. I have found most pub landlords will let you park for a few days if you have a couple of meals and drinks in there first.

 

It is right on the A5, so easy to find.

Thanks, that fits in with my itinerary.

[Pennie]

Lime kilns is lovely. Fantastic pies and selection of ciders. Ask to see the ducklings and hear their story (if you do tell me how they're doing please)

[RLWP]

I like the Ashby. Busy in the middle and dead quiet at both ends

 

Richard

[FadeToScarlet]

Steered a 3'6" draft boat up to the head of navigation with no problems. It's a little shallow, but no worse than some.

[Ange]

Our first winter on Iona was on the Ashby and then we did the full length a few years ago. Love it and because it was the first canal we became very familiar with it'll always have a special place in my heart.

Lime kilns is lovely. Fantastic pies and selection of ciders. Ask to see the ducklings and hear their story (if you do tell me how they're doing please)

When we moored outside the Limekilns there was a flotilla of an assortment of ducks that I've not come across since on the system. I seem to remember there was one outcast that kept trying to join the group but was driven off.

 

Done it twice but a few years ago now.

Loved it. Preferred the 'upper reaches' ( can you have them on canals)

Very pretty. We once grounded but another CWDF member helped us off. Worth doing.

Yep depth is the biggest problem - I can't remember ever being grounded on a hire boat but the fact you were says it all. (We only had four hire holidays before we bought so maybe we were lucky ) Drawing 2" 4 Iona could only get to the side at visitor moorings - we do like to moor in the sticks sometimes and that was rarely possible on the Ashby.

 

I'd still recommend it

Edited August 7, 2015 by Ange
autocorrect failure

[Woodstock]

We like it - saw water voles and terrapins last year

[nomad - tuttle hill]

Hi to all,

 

I am part of the ACA for the canal , and I enjoy the canal so much, now I help out with the ACA. Are aim to return the canal to Measham .

 

Nice over stop around burton Hasting facing the moor off side boats, Lime kilns pubs ok then Hinckley for your shopping needs. Or nice Farm shop bridge 22.

 

stoke golding , nice pub , Sutton cheney wharf nice walk around the woods and the Battle field .

 

Market Bosworth , water point and nice walk into the Market town , safe car park facing the canal start of the new housing area

 

Shackerstone - nice pub and the railway ( station tea room nice cake!)

 

Snarestone - Globe Pub just re open nice pub and meals , then though the tunnel .

 

when you come to Snarestone Wharf , before you turn around , ( water,rubbish point ect) Please come and say hello to ACA , and look in are shop , Bargains to be found from books to cooking pans! all funds to the canal project to Measham.

 

so how your reversing ? ask caretaker to open the swing bridge and go up to the new bridge , you pass the old pump house and see what next for the ACA to " Gilwiskaw Brook aqueduct project"

 

next year its 50th year for ACA and open day for all 4 & 5th June please come and support us

 

thank you

[b0atman]

can you not keep going maybe not to bond end canal but somewhere on T&M will make a lovely ring

[Dyad]

I have fond memories of the Ashby. In 2007 we hired for the first time a boat called "Ashby" from Ashby Boat Hire, we still had both our dogs then and it was a trial run to see if they could manage it just as much as us.

It was only for a week in March and although there were no leaves in the trees and snow on the ground the sun shone all week and we loved it.

[Tony Dunkley]

can you not keep going maybe not to bond end canal but somewhere on T&M will make a lovely ring

I think it was originally intended to run to the Trent in Burton, but I know for certain that it was built for wideboats.

It never did go to Ashby, despite it's name, and was always called the Moira Cut, because that's where it did go to.

It isn't a particularly shallow canal, and never was, although some bridges lengths ( Bridges 5 to 6 - Gudgeon Brook - is the worst) are slow going, it's down to restricted channel width and not lack of depth. In the last years of commercial carrying, after the last mining subsidence closure from the Ilott Wharf near Measham to the waterworks at Snarestone, coal for Dickinsons paper mills at Croxley from Donisthorpe pit was loaded at Gopsall Wharf near Snarestone.

Going up there to load, the normal running time for a pair of empty boats from cut end at Bedworth to winding at Snarestone and tied up at the wharf was 7 hours.

Back down the cut loaded, including getting both boats out of the stop lock and onto the Coventry, was the best part of 10 hours, not because of getting stuck, but just down to slow speed with two boats, drawing up to 3' 8'', in a very restricted channel, and in Summer being slowed up more by weed, worse towards the top end.

[Bunny]

Fond memories also of the Ashby , our first holiday was from Coventry. ( hire base no longer there) . Laughed alot , stinging rain , a cracked rib , wonderful !! We booked a build slot 18mths later. Never looked back . Had a wander back there several times since , peaceful and great walking . Bunny

[john6767]

Went up the Ashby at Easter, really enjoyed it. When is the new section going to open for general access, it is a shame that the mooring at the end is so limited when there is all that shiney new canal doing nothing.

[nomad - tuttle hill]

If you a awcc member or member of ACA for a small yearly fee , then ACA member can have a week free! non members £5 night .

 

we have a new section with moorings at the wharf or at the new bridge , and very soon 50ft winding hole

 

access is very the caretaker next to the shop .

 

I like to point out the new section is ACA and not CRT as we must look after the section for 5 years .

 

ACA welcomes all boaters and the public

[Tony Dunkley]

If you a awcc member or member of ACA for a small yearly fee , then ACA member can have a week free! non members £5 night .

 

we have a new section with moorings at the wharf or at the new bridge , and very soon 50ft winding hole

 

access is very the caretaker next to the shop .

 

I like to point out the new section is ACA and not CRT as we must look after the section for 5 years .

 

ACA welcomes all boaters and the public

 

How far back towards the Illot wharf have you got now? I would think the stone aqueduct that used to cross the river Mease would be one of the biggest jobs to reinstate.

Edited August 8, 2015 by Tony Dunkley

[nomad - tuttle hill]

tony

 

we up to the new bridge and now in water, with winding hole. The level of the canal bed is now been cleared up to the corner "Bosworth house" with the correct level to cross the brook . two brick pillars which will hold the aqueduct this will take us to Ilott Wharf hopefully next year , then its 50th years the last boat crossed the brook and 50th of ACA.

 

after that run with the road then under the road section to pick up the old railway line to Measham railway station .

 

if all boats the comes to the top spend £1 in the shop it would go along way to fund this project ,

[frahkn]

Lime kilns is lovely. Fantastic pies and selection of ciders. Ask to see the ducklings and hear their story (if you do tell me how they're doing please)

 

It's a pub that:-

 

Doesn't sell Guinness

Doesn't sell any recognisable premium lager

Doesn't sell wine except in those little individual bottles

Doesn't allow dogs

And a woman eating in the garden gave her steak to our dog rather than eat it.

Didn't see the ducklings but hopefully, they will turn out better than the steak.

 

Otherwise, I couldn't argue with a word of your post!

 

The Wharf Inn is only 15 mins walk away.

[Nightwatch]

It's a pub that:-

 

Doesn't sell Guinness

Doesn't sell any recognisable premium lager

Doesn't sell wine except in those little individual bottles

Doesn't allow dogs

And a woman eating in the garden gave her steak to our dog rather than eat it.

Didn't see the ducklings but hopefully, they will turn out better than the steak.

 

Otherwise, I couldn't argue with a word of your post!

 

The Wharf Inn is only 15 mins walk away.

Also, in February he wouldn't let us park our car there for a few days as we moved the boat north. Miserable so and so as well. I asked what time is best to come in for food. His response was that they have an eating club or something in so no food, but for a drink leave it until after nine thirty.

 

Got the impression he doesn't like boaters. His loss. I won't be going there again.

[lydfordcastle]

 

It's a pub that:-

 

Doesn't sell Guinness

Doesn't sell any recognisable premium lager

Doesn't sell wine except in those little individual bottles

Doesn't allow dogs

And a woman eating in the garden gave her steak to our dog rather than eat it.

Didn't see the ducklings but hopefully, they will turn out better than the steak.

 

Otherwise, I couldn't argue with a word of your post!

 

The Wharf Inn is only 15 mins walk away.

 

Agreed. I've never been able to understand why so many contributors to this forum find the Lime Kilns such a good place to be. Personally I think it's awful, the food is very middlin' and the welcome is non-existent. It's one of the few poor things about cruising the Ashby. What's the Wharf like?

[Athy]

I am very sad to hear of the decline of the Lime Kilns. It used to be (1990s) a good pub, friendly welcome, decent ale, tasty and good-value meals.