Friday 14th
December 2018
For reference, as of 9am this morning, it has been 39 hours since the
engine has been run and the battery levels are at 89%.
The logistics for overwintering on the Ashby Canal with no car, are not
good we have found. On the 22 miles of canal there are just 4 waterpoints, the
one at the terminus at Snarestone means passing through the tunnel and the
nearest winding hole is at Shackerstone 3 miles away. There are just 2 places to
empty the loo. The only town of any size is Hinckley just 5 miles from the junction.
Apart from that there are only small villages, and the only ones close to the
canal that have shops are at Market Bosworth, 1¼ miles from the canal, and
Stoke Golding.
We are meeting up with Chris and Donna at Snarestone for Sunday dinner
but were running short of water. This meant either reversing through the tunnel
and for ½
mile beyond, or going to explore Shackerstone, wind there and return on
Saturday. We decided on the latter. However, within 200 yards we came across
ice. It was a cold day but the ice was a surprise. This was not good.
Had we known there was ice about we would not have attempted to move.
Ice can damage the hull at worst and at best, will remove the paint from the
hull. Unfortunately, there was nowhere to moor so we proceeded very slowly to
Gopsall Wharf and tied up to wait for the ice to thaw.
Our path through the ice
Here there was a steady procession of cars arriving with single men in
them, staying just a few minutes and then leaving. Apparently it is a well-known
local “cottaging” site. This made us feel very uncomfortable and decided us
against staying the night. We had heard off walkers, who had told us of the
sites reputation, that the ice further on was thinner, so we left it until 2pm
then left the wharf. After just a few hundred yards the ice had largely disappeared
and after this was present just in short patches.
We were quite relieved to arrive at Shackerstone. We went for a walk
to the village, no more than a tiny hamlet with a lovely looking church and a
pub, the Rising Sun. We partook of the pub, a nice feel to it with wood
panelling throughout. They had happy hour from 3 until 7 although we had been
told not to eat there. Indeed, although they were advertising Friday Fish
Night, the restaurant was in darkness and there was no smell of cooking.
Weather: a cold, clear day, no wind. The first ice encountered on the
canal.
Day Total: 0 locks; 3 miles; 2 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Boat Lift;
engine running hours 3.7
Overall Total: 323 locks; 630 miles; 28 tunnels; 5 Swing Bridges; 2
Boat Lifts; engine running hours
386.3
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