Clarted Undercarriage

We are now on the Ashby Canal - we’ll go on to the current terminus (this is one of the canals under restoration), turn round and come back! Got mixed feelings about this canal ---- a) very open countryside which is lovely; b) have to trek for miles to a town/village for any supplies (so we came thru Hinckley where town centre is at least a mile away which is ok except when you are trolley-ing bags of supermarket shopping); c) mooring is quite difficult as the canal is fairly shallow and therefore hard to get into the side and impossible most of the time as reeds line the majority of the canal towpath side ; and d) lots of boats around because this canal does get a good press because of its countryside location, therefore mooring even more difficult! There are “designated mooring sites” but most of these are full to the brim with boaters who have obviously decided “we’re in, so we’re staying put” and to top it all, not really enough space for number of moorees (is that a word??).

Oh - and there are no locks which some boaters find a welcome relief - especially after doing Atherstone Flight of 11 which are so, so, so slow to fill (but relatively quick to empty).

We went to the “Samuel Barlow” at Alvecote Marina on the Coventry Canal last Thursday for the first (of several) celebrations for Dai’s 60th birthday. It looks like it’s the marina’s clubhouse as just a boxxie, red brick, newish building but we were reassured that it was a pub and everyone welcome. We had a meal and must say that it was really very good. A good choice on the menu with some dishes you don’t usually see in a pub, as well as the usual pub grub. The chef, Paul, came out when we sat down and talked us through the menu - and we weren’t disappointed with the food which tasted good and plenty enough of it. Excellent, friendly service and good beer --- and didn’t break the bank. Suffice to say, we will call in again on the way back and that is as good a recommendation that we can give.

Towpaths on here are pretty muddy (surprise surprise I hear you say!!) and Foxxie is now sitting on the back deck, banned to come inside until she dries off a bit. Her legs and undercarriage are clarted up with mud - at least the rain is somewhere else right now and the sun is shining in a blue sky enough to sew a sailor suit (although I expect it will rear its black cloud here again before much longer as it must be all of 2 hours since last downpour).

Since last blog we have done … 28 miles and 11 locks
Total since Setting Off ….. 1873 miles and 1556 locks