Onto the Ashby

Wednesday 6^th July; Hawkesbury Junction to Ashby canal bridge 22

This turned out to be a quiet mooring as far as passers-by went, and the motorway was not too noisy overnight although there was a low rumble from somewhere that was a little annoying.  We were away by 8.30.  It’s a few years since we were last in the area but we remembered the approach to Hawkesbury Junction quite well.  The garden on the offside which had all the old cars (non-functional shells from films, as someone commented then) was getting even more overgrown and seemed to have fewer cars.

The tackle shop by the bridge appears to be closed now, and then we were into the rather unlovely area closer to the moorings.

It didn’t take long to drop down the lock and do the 180^o turn onto the Coventry.  The Greyhound is having some maintenance done.

Shame about the scaffolding

We were keen to see how Charity Dock looks now.  Her Maj was paying a visit, but didn't give us a wave.

 but at least the Stig is still monitoring the passing traffic.  I think he needs to wash his overalls though, he can't have changed his clothes for years.

The sun was coming out as we made the tight turn onto the Ashby, the wind not helping.  We stopped just short of bridge 3 for lunch.

It’s 2016 since we were last on the Ashby.  We know this because there is a fervent Leicester City supporter living on the mobile home park at bridge 5, and 2016 was the year that the Foxes won the Premier League (football, in case you weren’t aware!)  The bottom of his garden was then a sight to behold with celebratory flags, banners and scarves festooning his fences and sheds.  All rather modest at the moment.

Apart from the bit round Hinckley, the Ashby is rather pretty.  Attention has been paid to the mowing and strimming to protect the flowers, and planted-up coir rolls have been fitted to the banks in places.

Purple Loosestrife

 Long stretches of vegetation prevent access to the edge for mooring.  Excellent for wildlife, though a little frustrating for boaters.

Reed mace - the towpath is somewhere behind them!

 

The Ashby has a reputation for being very shallow, but while we were having lunch an old deep-draughted working boat came by so it can’t be too bad.  We were conscious of needing to go much slower than on the North Oxford though, to avoid creating a wash.  Most of the bridges are very pretty, just don’t get too close to the offside if you have to wait for a boat to come through one! 

We needed to be fairly close tonight to Willow Tree marina, aka the Ashby Canal Centre, where we have booked in for a couple of weeks, so we stopped before bridge 22.  We moored on the very end of the Armco, furthest away from the bridge where cars were beeping as they crossed.  On our last trip up here we stopped on the picnic area, but it’s too close to the road for Meg.

11 miles, 1 lock, 3 canals (N Oxford, Coventry, Ashby).