Bosworth Battlefield

Return to the Ashby

By iangbell, Posted on

The last 2 days have involved more shopping, only 1 lock, but 3 different canals, and one of them was new to Heather.

We left our mooring between Hillmorton and Rugby yesterday, heading for the Tesco store near the canal in Rugby. It wasn’t nearly as exciting as toilet shopping, but necessary all the same. 

The effects of the straightening of the North Oxford in the 1820s are very apparent around Rugby. There are several, now redundant, side branches whilst the mainline of the canal carries on in straight lines over embankments. After Rugby, several of these side branches are marked by these elegant iron bridges. 

We eventually joined the Coventry Canal at Hawkesbury Junction, and took the compulsory pictures of the junction bridge and the engine house. We turned north on the Coventry Canal for a short dash up to Marston Junction to join the Ashby Canal. Pippa has been trying out life as a roof-dog. Problem is this, she spends most of the time barking. Sometimes at people, sometimes at other dogs, but most of the time at nothing (or is that everything). At least on this part of the Coventry she could bark at something impressive – a gorilla in someone’s back garden.

I had experienced the Ashby last year when single-handed, this is Heather’s first new canal for several years. We didn’t go far. I had marked up our map last year, so I knew there were decent moorings after a couple of bridges.

This morning, we didn’t get going that early. Someone decided he would stay in bed a little longer. The rural and sometimes shallow nature of the Ashby soon becomes apparent. A big contrast to the Coventry Canal.

We refueled at Trinity Marina in Hinckley and we were then aiming for the Spinney Bank Farm Shop to get some Ashby Sausages. On the way we passed many moored boats. The Ashby seems to have more than its fair share of “interesting” boats. Last year I commented on the Black Pearl. This year we both noticed this boat, overflowing with well-tended vegetation, and complete with a dedicated kennel boat for the dog.

We pushed on to the farm shop, looking forward to the sausages. Disaster! They were sold out, cleaned out by some particularly hungry agricultural contractors yesterday. The sausages are handmade at the shop, but only once a week, on Wednesday, which is tomorrow. We resolved to stop in on the way back if we could.

We pushed on, past the Bosworth Battlefield and Market Bosworth. Having had a mainly sunny day, we were now being chased down by some very ominous dark clouds. And they chose to unload on us just as we were getting close to the battlefield. We were aiming to get to Shackerstone at the end of the canal to sample the Globe Inn for dinner. But we didn’t make it. I had forgotten how shallow parts of the Ashby can be. Shallow water really cuts down the speed you can do, so we ended up stopping near Congerstone, about 4 miles short. 

Of course, the weather had now cleared up, so we were treated to a good sunset. 

Let’s see if we can get some sausages tomorrow.

No, not that field

By iangbell, Posted on
Sunset substitute
Sunset substitute

I always try to capture sunsets when the weather improves. There’s just something magical about sunsets reflecting off still water. In the last two weeks, I have struggled to capture any sunset. When the location was right, no obstructions to the western horizon, the weather did not play ball. When the weather was right, there were usually trees in the way. And the sunset has to be taken from the boat, or very close to it. Anything else would just be cheating. I thought I’d got it right last night. The weather has taken a short turn for the better, the clouds looked quite impressive. But they do like their tress at the top end of the Ashby! So please accept this as a sunset substitute, nice low sun just over the trees behind me.

Nothing to report about today’s cruise. It was another short hop with a stop for provisions at Market Bosworth. In the past, I would have been reluctant to walk a mile to get groceries. Not any more. But I will have to remember not to overdo it.

The goal for mooring today was Shenton. I’d noted it on the way up. Sometimes mooring spots on the Ashby can be hard to come by. But this looked very good. Well maintained banks, with space available on both sides of the canal. There are two reasons for this. Shenton Station is one end of the Battlefield Steam Railway line. Many narrowboat enthusiasts also have a soft spot for steam trains. Which is odd really. Because it was the railways that killed off the canals as viable cargo transport. The other is Bosworth Field. The site of the battle that resulted with King Richard ending up under a carpark in Leicester.

Memorial at Bosworth Field
Memorial at Bosworth Field

This afternoon was dedicated to a circular walk including the canal and parts of the Bosworth Battlefield Country Park. On arriving in the main part of the Battlefield Country Park, overlooking a large field, on top of Ambion Hill, there is  a quite impressive commemorative monument.

22nd August 1485
22nd August 1485

But I do need to point out a big problem with this. If you keep up with developments in archeology and history, you might remember that a few years ago, they realised the battle didn’t happen on Ambion Hill as had been thought.

Sorry - not that field
Sorry – not that field

And where they built a visitor centre, and created walks and a country park. It happened over a mile away, on flatter ground. What do you do when you’ve spent all that time and effort? You can’t move it. You just re-brand. Now the circular walk that goes around the field on the side of Ambion Hill, becomes a pleasant trail with several viewing points to see the landscape in which the battle happened. The problem is those trees. They are in the way again. It’s still a very pleasant walk.

Bosworth Battlefield Trail - no - not that field either
Bosworth Battlefield Trail – no – not that field either

You just keep getting that little voice in the back of your head, “No, it’s not that field”.

The standard circular walk descends the hill to the railway line and uses the disused section below Shenton Station to complete the circle. I needed to get back to the canal. Which meant a short section of country road walking. Not a problem, just no fun with Sam.

Tomorrow, I head back to the station. It is the weekend. They run trains at the weekend. Steam trains!