Farewell to the Ashby.

Monday 21st September 2020 at Brinklow.

The canal's full name, little used now, is the Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal, but the old boating people used to call it the "Moira Cut", as it ran up to the Moira coalfields.

M walked up on to the bridge in her dressing gown to photograph the mist on the fields at 6:30. Luckily, no early dog walkers came past!

There followed another beautiful sunrise. We shall always remember this canal for the beautiful sunsets and sunrises. The ground is very flat and the landscape very open, so you can usually see to the horizon to the east and west.

We will also remember it as "windy" in both senses, and both pronunciations, of the word. The wind whips across the landscape and the canal winds from side to side. It also gets progressivly shallower as you go further north. It was often difficult to travel at even 2 mph, as we were scraping the bottom.

At Marston Junction, we turned south back on to the Coventry Canal. It has been a memorable few days back on the Ashby. We were blessed with glorious sunshine the whole time.

Hawkesbury Junction is generally known as "Sutton Stop," named after the original lock keeper and the fact that the boat people used to stop there to pick up orders telling them which coalfield to go to in order to load up with coal, usually destined for London. The chimney of the old pumping station still stands proud as you approach the junction.

This junction is a real test of boat handling skills! You have to turn through a full half circle to get round the junction. With MM's 60ft, there is plenty of room but it must have been really difficult with two 70ft fully laden narrowboats!

There is a stop lock, just six inches deep, between the Coventry Canal and the North Oxford Canal designed to stop the Oxford Canal from "stealing" the Coventry Canal's water. The rivalry of the two original companies was so fierce that when they first met, they ended up running side by side for well over half a mile because they couldn't agree on a junction!

Passing under the M69 - horrid thing!

For some reason, the natives at Ansty are very hostile to boaters. Every few yards is a notice that forbids mooring. Perhaps it is because the boaters would be at the same level as the bedrooms in the houses and they are worried about "Peeping Toms"? Or do they just think that boaters are a common lot? (no comment!).

A tight combination of a half fallen tree and a narrow bit of canal meant that we could only just fit through. Anyone with lots of stuff on the roof is going to have problems!

Another blooming motorway, the M6 this time, but at least M got to spot an Eddie on this one!

Thomas Telford shortened Brindley's original Oxford Canal by more than 13 miles by cutting straight bits that left orphaned loops, most of which have now vanished, but some junctions are still there complete with their original elegant iron bridges.

Moorings near Brinklow are always popular and, as the official moorings are 14 days, are full of boats that look as if they seldom (if ever) move. We ended up on pins, but at least we did get a mooring that was still in the sunshine.

A paddleboarder made her slow way past and stopped to talk to the hire boat behind us.

No sunset picture this evening as the hedge got in the way!

Today: 11 miles, 1 lock and 4.2 hours.
Trip: 106 miles, 30 locks and 56.4 hours.