The end of the line

Yesterday we left our mooring at bridge 13 and carried on down the lovely Ashby Canal.  We see some unusual craft on occasions as we cruise around….

but this one takes some beating!  It could be a relic of “It’s a Knock Out” or some ones’ primary mode of transport – who knows?

As we’ve said already the Ashby is a beautiful and, in the main, rural canal and at this time of the year the autumn colours are starting to show themselves to full effect.  With the fine sunny periods we’ve been getting you never know what fine vista might be round the corner….

through bridge 26 with the Ashby Canal Centre entrance on the left there was this fine sight.

Just after this photo was taken the weather took on a threatening look and we were soon plunged into some heavy rain.  After several abortive attempts at mooring up ( the chosen moorings were not deep enough to take our 30 inch draught! and we ended up grounded on silt and mud banks).  Enduring the rain we eventually ended up at our original destination choice of King Richard’s Field moorings.  This is right next to the field where Richard 3rd was slain at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.  We pitched up in the pouring rain and quickly settled in for the night.

This morning we took a walk with Oscar (actually more of a very gentle saunter – he’ll be 14 later this month!).  This photo is of King Richards Field with the commemorative stone in the foreground.

The inscription on the stone – and nearby an explanatory notice to say that they’ve now found (in 2009) the correct site of his murder and the aforesaid stone will be removed this winter (after forty years!) and placed where they now think it took place.  When we came here 3 years ago we questioned whether this was really the site .. well well.

We carried on with our walk to Shenton Station which is part of the Battlefield Line steam railway which we went on last time we were here.

Shenton Station.

A walk back to the boat and we were off again and soon mooring up at Bosworth Wharf for a long walk into Market Bosworth for a newspaper, milk and bread.  This is a stunning little town with every viewpoint a pleasure…….

the Market Place, Market Bosworth.  Too many cars!

Another view of the Market Place.

On our walk back to the boat we had to cross the railway bridge over the Battlefield Line and we were lucky enough to get there just in time to see the train arrive at the station.

A pity we can’t reproduce the smell!

Off again towards Shackerstone Station (what another great name)

Back on the ‘Chance’ and another great scene on our way to the end of the canal at Snarestone (this time at bridge 59)

We got to the end of the canal at 2:45 this afternoon and winded to face the right way to go back tomorrow.  A fine evening with another red sky and, again, we are on our own.  We’re promised a firework display in Snarestone village tonight which we should see over the field in the background.