Sunday, October 25, 2009

More on the Ashby

We moved on a few miles to Market Bosworth visitor moorings and found them empty!
On the way we passed a dredger with one operator getting mud from the canal and depositing it on the tow path. Another operator was using a large rake to spread the wet mud level. “It looked like hard work.”
After a sandwich we walked up the hill to the town in sunshine with the copper leaves blowing about in the gardens.
More boats had arrived when we returned to the moorings. At least most of them are moving most days and we see them returning later. It is certainly slow going on this canal as we have averaged only about 2 miles an hour! Any faster and the boat drags on the bottom or makes a wash despite that dredging! The canal gets better after Shackerstone where there are a couple of miles of woodland to travel through. “Just have to clear the leaves from prop every now and then.”
Having heard that the canal trust had got their spades out of the shed we were disappointed to see what had been achieved. A side pond has been created for wild life between bridge 61 and the turn, but there was no progress north for boats. It is no longer possible to walk along the canal beyond the end of navigation. Having spent a packet on that side pond the trust are now waiting for yet more money to come their way. We found the Wendover Arm more inviting at its end.

No comments: