Back to No Locks

Saturday 21 June The Longest Day

It was certainly the longest night last night as at 4:45 in the morning there was an almighty bang on the boat that woke us both from a deep sleep! Out went Keith to investigate, as it was already light by then, to find nobody about but, bizarrely, a bicycle upside down on its handlebars in the middle of the towpath. We peered out the back of the boat within another minute and it had disappeared. Must have been a disgruntled England supporter!
Just four hours motoring saw us at Hawkesbury Junction the home of the famous Greyhound pub. We moored up short of the junction adjacent to some common land where there were a number of tethered horse grazing in the heat of the day. Their leashes were long enough to allow them to quench their thirst in the canal. We were fascinated by one who took great delight in admiring himself at his reflection in one of the porthole windows. Whilst enjoying a cup of tea away from the heat of the sun inside the boat we were aware of a strange sound coming from the side of the boat. It was one of those charming horses gnawing away at the paint of the handrail. He taken it right back to the steel the little b.......! We quickly moved the boat back out of harms way and Keith set about treating the damaged paintwork in two places.

Sanded and primed Keith went off on his bike to pedal away his annoyance of what had happened.
During today's trip we rang the Greyhound to book a table for an evening meal but they were fully booked so decided to take our chance in the bar. When we got there it was jammed outside with Gongoozelers soaking up the evening sun and it was just as busy inside. Keith, just like when he is looking for a parking space for the car, always finds one at the first attempt. So it was in the bar, a table became free just as we walked in! A fine meal was had and so back to the boat for a bit of footy.

Sunday 22 June

The sun soon warms the boat up in the mornings these days and so it was an early breakfast and Keith then attended to the boat scars again by applying one of many coats of undercoat in order to make up the deep scratches left by Dobbin.
There is only one stop lock at the junction but by the time Keith had finished there were five boats waiting to go through so we made use of the time in the queue to top up with water at a handily placed tap and to empty the loo.

 

Old Engine House

 

Just before we approached the junction for the Ashby canal we came across some delightful garden art at Charity Dock.

Lunch was had in the garden of The Limekilns and we were able to purchase some of their lovely Battlefield Blue cheese made at Sparkenhoe Farm in Leicestershire that we sampled when we came along here last year.
Moored up at Stoke Golding and Keith went off to explore again and visited the mooring where we spent Christmas Day on our previous boat back in 2004. It was adjacent to the Ashby Canal Centre and low and behold, sitting on a ramp ready to be re-launched after blacking, was Beacon Boat's No4, Ethlron. Must pay her a visit in the morning!