The rain stopped just before 11.00 am so we cast off and headed through the stop lock and onto the Coventry canal heading for the Marston Junction. We could not believe how much mooring space there was on the other side of the junction as usually it is full and in the past we have had to moor by Hawkesbury Hall Farm some half mile from the junction.
The old Navigation Inn which was burnt out some while back is now being transformed into a very smart building which looks as though it could be an Inn or private dwelling.
Charity Dock has been updating its garden with new scenes as well as some new narrow boats but it still looks like a boat scrap yard.
At Marston Junction we turned up the Ashby Canal, which is a very tight turn as you have to go back on yourself and passed Nb Paris moored close to the junction. We met the lovely couple who own the boat on our first trip on Autumn Myst on the Coventry going down the Atherstone flight and have seen them on several occasions since.
The start of the Ashby is very rural despite being close to Nuneaton and Bedworth and in one part very narrow as it goes through a cutting with smart mobile homes built up high on the bank.
Motoring on we decided to stop for lunch at a lovely spot mid way between bridges 6 and 8 and chatted to the guy and his collie on the next boat. He has lived on it for the last 23 years and 2 wives and is still enjoying boating although somewhat poorer.
Moving on after lunch we decided to stop the other side of Hinckley and found an ideal spot just before bridge 19. However after a while the throbbing we had thought came from the engine of a nearby hire boat turned out to be a factory some way off behind the hedge. So it was up pins and off to bridge 22 where we had a lovely mooring for the night. The sky was so clear and the stars so bright we wished we had been here last week when the Perseid Meteor Shower was in full flow as it would have been a great sight.
Moored next to us was an interesting boat called SHARPNESS, built by MITCHELL NARROWBOATS - Length 13.71 metres 45 feet.
Later as it was a nice evening I walked up to Higham on the Hill. Just a little way down the lane there were several clusters of Lords and Ladies and in the field a new foal with some Shetland ponies.
Walking on up the hill there are some super views over the Leicestershire countryside and Higham proved to be a interesting village made up of old cottages and new houses. There are two churches, the Methodist which and the Anglican.
The Fox Inn had been closed but the Oddfellows was open and looked popular. The village shop run by and Indian was still open at 8.00pm so if you don’t mind the half hour walk you can obtain your provisions even at this hour.
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