Monday 7th January 2019



We left Harvey on the boat and walked the 1½ miles into Hinckley. It is much quicker without him. We could have caught a bus but both felt like the walk.

We called into a locksmith’s shop we had seen to have the back door yale lock reversed and buy a hasp and concealed padlock. We have never been fully comfortable with the security arrangements on the back door and were determined to improve on it.

We called into the post office to pick up mail, including Christmas cards, and the chemist. Also bought a couple of plastic storage containers for the back end. I was getting fed up of bits cluttering the place which made it awkward to access the storage lockers.

After walking back to the boat we had soup and sandwiches and then made ready to move. We had been in Hinckley for five nights.

We called into the marina for water and to empty the loo. They charged us £2 for each. The water was down to less than ¼ tank and the loo almost full. We could possibly have made Hawkesbury junction where there is a sanitary station but did not want to risk it.

And so we left Hinckley behind and soon passed from Leicestershire into Warwickshire. We are going to miss Leicestershire, we had never been here before and had found it a lovely county full of friendly people. Leaving Hinckley, there is a huge DPD International distribution centre that has 40 loading bays on one side of the building and is as wide as it is long. Tried to photograph it but couldn’t get a decent angle.

Beyond Hinckley and in to countryside again. The bridges on the Ashby are all built of stone blocks and are quite attractive. At bridge 12 there is a Medieval village site that we wanted to visit but we couldn’t get moored up.

         


                                                               Stone Built Bridges on the Ashby Canal


We came upon bridge 6 where the stoppage is due to come into effect on Wednesday. The canal is to be emptied and a survey done. The arch is cracked and much of the stonework worn and damaged. However, they will not know the full extent of works required until the canal is dry. This stoppage was due to start on 2nd January but they delayed it by a week while they prepared the site. All the plant was sitting in the adjoining field as we passed. 




                                                           Bridge 6 and the worn and damaged stonework

We duly came to the village of Marston Jabbett, the last village on the Ashby Canal, and moored up. Possibly tomorrow, or when the forecast bad weather passes, we will move off the Ashby. We already feel, coming towards the end of it, as though an adventure has ended.

The hasp and concealed padlock was fitted and we feel the boat is now much more secure. The reversed yale lock was also refitted but the latch plate has to be repositioned. The chiselling on the sliding hatch for this will also have to be tidied up, it was left a right mess from the build and looks as though it was done by a schoolchild in his first woodwork lesson.    



Weather: a pleasant day, turned cold and windy later.



Day Total: 0 locks; 5 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Boat Lift; engine running hours 3.7

                                                                                              (including running of engine for hot water etc)

Overall Total: 323 locks; 659 miles; 30 tunnels; 5 Swing Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; engine running hours 411.9




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