Wednesday 18th March 2009
Took our final walk around Bosworth Battlefield this morning - a bit cooler today - took these pictures of Spring.

The catkins are pretty - like decorations on the tree

what a picture!

Speedwell

Pegasus

Hawthorn in bud and daffodils growing wild

Wild Violets

We left the battlefield and upsticks - off to Stoke Golding for the night

a sparrow hawk looking for his tea

It was starting to get misty by the time Stoke Golding came into sight.

dusk.

Monday 16th March 2009

After shopping and filling up with water we upsticks from Market Bosworth where we had met Chris and Ann(e?) on Innisfree - nice to meet you both.

We moved on towards the the battlefield moorings.

Spring lambs - pass the mint sauce please!!











wow pussy willow - what a sight for sore eyes.


It's been the warmest day yet!!

Sunday 15th March 2009

I could really get used to this weather - we did the reverse of yesterday's walk today and took a diversion to the Gopsal Temple ruins - glad the weather has been dry as we wouldn't have been able to walk across the fields a week or so ago.

Gopsal Temple Ruins - it is said that George Frederick Handel closeted himself in this temple for 3 weeks in August/September of 1741 to write his masterpiece "The Messiah"

a fallen arch !!

Molly's favourite perch (when she can't sit on the top of the boat)

another pefect evening dawns

Saturday 14th March 2009

Woke up to a fine blustery day - perfect for washday.

saw a boat load of children having fun

Once the washing was dry and the roast was in the oven, we took at walk into Congerstone - very pleasant indeed. A group of primary school children were running round the villages of Congerstone and Bilstone for red nose day.

Take the road at bridge 47 .....

...... into the village centre passing cottages with delightful names such as Herdsman's Cottage, Dove, Wisteria, etc

.... turn left at the church and follow the footpath across the field to ....

.... the Mill House (under renovation) with these stop gates at Bilstone; turn left at the junction to ...

The Smithy where we saw ...












.... a host of golden daffodils!

Turn back to the junction and continue to follow the road (we saw no traffic on it at all) out of Bilstone (look out for the permissible pathway on the left to the ruins at Gopsall Temple) and back into Congerston past the school and ...

... The Old Post Office - note the stained glass posthorns on the windows.

Turn left just here, then right at Poplar Terrace back to the canal at bridge 49. You will have seen the new developments in Congerstone and I think that they sit quite well in the village.

Molly on the towpath when we got back to Rock 'n' Roll.

Another great sunset!

and BBQ number 4 rounds off another purrfect day.

Thursday 12th March 2009

Fabulous day today; the weather has been near perfect, just the occasional nip in the wind but for mid-March we certainly can't complain.

We untied this morning ready to make our way to the terminus of the Ashby - forgive me for repeating myself - but we do love this canal - this top part especially.

a very peaceful scene looking back at bridge 60

Winding at the terminus - spoke with Lynda and Terry Wright who look after the stall at the terminus and was informed that work starts next week on creating the road which will bring the plant machinery to the site (the hard standing for these is already in situ) and for access to mains supply which will run just beyond the hedge by Lynda and Terry's boat. It's not until this is done that the opening up of the short stretch of canal and the insertion of the stop gates can begin.

entering Snarestone Tunnel on the return journey

Nearly through the 250 yard tunnel; the village of Snarestone is built on the top of the tunnel.

A really beautiful canal

Approaching Shackerstone

.... so green

Molly dozing in the sunshine

North of bridge 52 - the site of a motte and bailey castle - we decided to moor at bridge 50 once more.

Wednesday 11th March 2009

Upsticks and cruised towards Snarestone through beautiful countryside - it's been a lovely warm day

Very busy traffic on the canal just here ...... it comes so close too... and so fast

Passing Shackerstone Station - you can just make out trains through the trees - it's too early in the year for trains to be running. Last year we travelled on the train from here to Shenton Station calling at the Sutton Cheney cafe for lunch before the return journey - a very enjoyable trip.

Moored just before the tunnel and went for a walk up to the village of Snareshill - some lovely houses here -

definately chocolate box!

St Bartholemew's Church

The village school was created in 1717 (75 years before the Ashby Canal was built) by joining together these 3 cottages. It was extended at the back in the 1970's to accommodate a junior department and takes children from the local villages as far away as Measham.

Had BBQ number 3.

Saturday 7th March 2009

Back now at Bosworth Battlefield moorings.

I've been amazed whilst on the Ashby at how many different sorts of Mallards there are here - they are all the same shape with the curled feathers at their tails -

...this one is over twice the size of the normal Mallard and certainly has some Canada Goose in him!

... and what about these all white ones?

.... and this one ????????????

.... and these nearly completely black ones with the speckled breasts

.

.... and this..... oh no..... this was the pheasant who strolled down the towpath early morning(for us anyway) on Tuesday 10th back at Market Bosworth