Thursday 12 November 2009

We cruised further than planned!

0 Locks, 11.51 Miles. Now moored at Battlefield Moorings.

For no other reason than doing the washing we decided we would cruise up to Market Bosworth. Our moorings at Hinckley were good, nice and quiet and only a 10 minute walk to the bus stop so we will come back there on Friday.

Ashby canal 020 Boat for Sale on dealers plates. I don't think it will sell in this condition half full of water. 

Passing Trinity Marina we spotted 3 men and a woman assembling what can only be described as a flat pack dinghy. The 2 sprung loaded sides were pulled out and held in position by 2 seats or boards. We didn’t see the completed article but later in the day they pulled into Sutton Cheney not long after we had arrived. We had made an unscheduled stop here to chat to Paul and Rosemary on Nb Hector who we have crossed paths with several times in the past. It’s nice to catch up occasionally. Rosemary informed us that the dinghy occupant was probably the Water Vole Protection Officer who does a monthly check along the canal as there are quite a lot of water voles on the Ashby Canal.

Ashby canal 018Water Vole Protection Officer assembling a porta boat to do her inspection.

All along the towpath we could see where the BW dredger had been and getting nearer to Market Bosworth it was obvious that some of the dredging’s hadn’t been on the bank very long.

Ashby canal 021  British Waterways have final got around to doing some dredging.

As we approached bridge 42 at Market Bosworth we could see reflections of 2 amber flashing lights and I thought it may have been a refuse truck servicing the apartments opposite the moorings. It turned out to be the dredger and tug dredging out the winding hole. We pulled onto the water point and when we were ready to leave the BW guys moved sufficiently for us to wind and head back to Bosworth Battlefield Moorings. We had planned on staying at Market Bosworth but the moorings were full. The BW guy on the dredger said that when they arrived there so did all the boats because it was empty yesterday. Ah well, we knew there was space available by King Richards Field, so that’s where we are now.  Rain is forecast tonight but then its supposed to fine up so we will head for Sutton Cheyney Wharf or further tomorrow.

Ashby canal 022 British Waterways dredger and tug with the barge attached dredging at Market Bosworth, Ashby Canal.

2027 locks, 3952.04 miles, 76 tunnels, 130 swing bridges and 54 lift bridges since Nov 2006

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