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.

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.

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.

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.

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!