Shackerstone, to the terminus at Snarestone and return mooring at Stoke Golding (14 miles)

Shackerstone was a particularly lovely place to moor last weekend, despite ongoing issues with the weather.

Richard and his dad went for a walk up to the Battlefield Line station on the outskirts of Shackerstone and saw the steam train.  What a beautiful sight!

One of the diesels which came in the day before.  The carriages were quite busy as the locals and visitors alike seem to use the station.

One of the decommissioned carriages contains a bric a brac stall to raise money for the railway and in the entry, we saw this wonderful creation of old dials and other metal objects.

The station platform.  To the right there is a small tearoom, all in period decor and very quaint.

The museum in the entrance had memorabilia from everywhere even Skegness (sorry Mum!) .

Peaceful moorings.  To the left of the bridge is the railway museum and over the bridge to the right is the village.   Richard's Mum and Dad spent the morning with us and then returned home.  They had come armed with mail and more tent poles to erect an awning on the other side of the butty for the shop.  I don't think they would mind me mentioning that it was great to see them again, as it has been about 3 1/2 months since we left Lincolnshire!

Look at the scenery and yes, all good Floyd aficionados should appreciate this.....

We had set off on the Monday morning for the terminus at Snarestone, coming across 2 fallen trees as we travelled the short distance to the tunnel before the winding hole.  Luckily we could get round them without fowling the prop!

Approaching the tunnel.  It is only 250 yards long but has an interesting bendy bit in the middle. meaning only one boat can go through from each end.  Of course we encountered someone coming out and had to stop.  The expression on people's faces when the see that they not only need to get around one boat, but two!  He was fine and we had left enough room for him to get out.

We reached the unremarkable terminus, where we filled up with water, bought some bits from the bric a brac stall,(raising money for the Ashby restoration fund), and turned the boats around.  Terry and Brenda on their narrowboat William James had pulled up, ready to moor overnight.  We had met them previously at Shackerstone, and as with most people on the canal, you meet them on the return journey.

I took this as we set off back down the canal.  Richard has a knack of being able to talk on the phone and steer at the same time and nothing disastrous happens.....

Back through the tunnel.  Bit fuzzy, but I was getting dripped on at the time!

Huge great giant hogweed and look at that sky!!!!!!

These are some I painted during the rain....

.

We moored for a couple of nights again at Market Bosworth, walked into the village to get some milk and bread and opened the shop!  The sun kept shining!!

Yes the boat is still moving and Richard is thirsty.  The cans are in the butty and I am getting braver....I crawled back though again like a baby.



Today, we bused into Nuneaton and bought some gorgeous material for the backcabin curtains.  Richard is in the process of sanding the boatman's cabin walls and cupboards down, in readiness for fresh scumbling on the walls (technique of putting a grain effect onto the painted wood to make it look like wood).  It should look lovely when he has finished.  I will post pictures at various stages.

One thing you don't do when you use public transport is leave a bag of shopping on the bus, then have to catch the next bus as it comes back through the village to retrieve said bag.  Very annoying when the village is nearly a mile uphill from the canal as are most of the villages along the canal.  Pride of place on the dashboard 'wondered if anyone would claim it' the driver told me ' it was rolling all over the place!' .  Luckily no damage done to another item to paint for my shop!