Atherstone

Today's Canals - Ashby, Coventry

Again a change in the weather. Still cooler but bright sunshine for the most part with lots of pretty fluffy clouds.

We set off at 10 with the aim of reaching Atherstone tonight, ready to descend the 11 locks tomorrow. The distance, just over 10 miles, is a bit further than we have been doing in recent days, but hopefully (wait and see) we will make faster progress once we re-join the Coventry Canal.

Before long we were passing the final mile marker before Marston Junction. This one is easily visible but most could not be seen from a boat as the vegetation beside the towpath has grown so tall and dense! These are modern posts but retain the original distances to the navigable end at Moira. Today's limit is 22 miles.

Under the final railway bridge over the Ashby - this is the electrified main line, although this is part of the three track section. By the way, it is strange that we did not see anything moving on the Battlefield Steam Railway. It runs four services on Saturdays and Sundays in June and we were close to the line at several places.

As we were about to leave the Ashby Canal at Marston Junction we could see that a boat was just arriving along the Coventry so we had to pause to let it pass. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a rather slow boat which we had to follow patiently for some time.

The occupiers of this house seem to have joined the fashion for displaying strange models to passing boaters - and towpath walkers, perhaps. Charity Dock no longer has the claim of uniqueness! But it is still perhaps the largest collection.

By now we had two further boats dawdling behind us. The next one to us was clearly getting very frustrated - yes, we had to drop into neutral at frequent intervals to avoid seeming to hassle the boat in front. Then this boat came right up behind us and demanded to know is we were intending to moor any time soon! They complained that they had had to follow on behind the same boat for some distance yesterday. We pointed out that there was little we could do to go any faster so please be patient!

Eventually when there was room to do so, we pulled to one side to let them pass us (look - they are not there but the next one was soon gto catch up!), with the comment that they could hassle the boat ahead if they wanted to. Which they did!

A little later the boat at the front that they had enough of the experience and let the hassler go by - kindly they also let us pass as well although we did not expect them to do so. There are not many places where it is safe to do this and not run the risk of being firmly grounded.

As we suspected, the  boat now leading was not actually much faster and were continually behind them, again often on tick over and occasional neutral - let's hope that they did not feel that our presence was a problem. They certainly made no move to let us pass.

The mandatory photo. we would not have bothered this time but the sky was bright blue and we needed something to distract us! Sorry about that but please don't tell it's passe.

We called at Boot Wharf as they are supposed to sell diesel and we have called here several times in the past. Whilst a member of staff confirmed that they did sell it, when the boss came out he made it clear that he really did not want to make the effort! So we continued on, knowing that we were not about to run out and also that Springwood Haven was not far ahead.

We arrived at Springwood Haven, now part of the ABC empire and they were very happy to serve us. They have a smallish chandlery shop and Mike looked for a couple of items but alas not in stock. When we had finished we moved across to the opposite bank for a rather late lunch.

Just after setting off once again we passed this sunken boat. Any boat in this condition is a sad sight but this one may have been here for a while as its licence was dated 2021. At least it was not in the way other than taking up good mooring space.

Approaching Hartshill, Christine checked the water tank and concluded that we could leave it until first thing tomorrow. (There is also water at the top lock and shortly after the bottom lock) However, as we were just passed the water point she revised her judgement and we had to reverse back a boat length. At least it was quite a fast flow.

Althiugh this maintenance depot is now little used it is still possible to recognise that at one time this was a busy place and that the buildings were quite splendid. The notice about the bridge weight capacity notice dates from 1892.

As the tank was filling we saw this cast iron post. Not sure what it was for - there is another, shorter post at the apex of the entrance that would more likely to have been a strapping post. Sometimes posts like this were used as part of a wheel making/mending service but this is in the wrong place for that. If you know more, please make a comment below!

When the tank was full we realised that the top of our plastic box for stowing the hose has disappeared, presumably with a string gust of wind as it was nowhere to be seen. It was in place in the photo but obviously not firmly enough!

Just as we were resuming progress Mike spotted the lid  blow towards the bridge and right on the opposite side. We did manage to retrieve it but it was a bit of a faff and fortunately no other boat wanted to pass under the bridge as we were doing so.

The rest of the afternoon was very pleasant as we made our way towards Mancetter and Atherstone.

The main base for Rothen (the principal engineering contractor to CaRT) is at Mancetter. When we passed last autumn they were constructing a new set of on-line moorings. Only one space is now vacant!

Just a little further and they have this large floating digger. As this is a narrow canal we were not sure what it is for - perhaps ready to be craned out to be delivered to a broad canal where it can do something useful. At the moment it does rather extend into the main channel.

We were not sure what we might find for mooring above the Atherstone Locks as we have generally found the visitor moorings quite busy but there is also a known informal mooring on the Armco just before at the last bridge. Luckily there was just one space free - the visitor moorings were all taken.

Tomorrow brings a big change. We will have to remember how to work locks! It is some time since we did very much. The last one was back at Hawkesbury Junction, Sutton Stop, at the end of May. The last flight of locks at Napton was 24th May.

10.9 Miles - 0 Locks