Not too shallow
After going past Marston Junction many times on the Coventry Canal and pondering about turning onto the Ashby, I decided to do it this year just before the end of the season.
Invited
As I was very graciously invited by 'my' Rick on the coal boat Auriga to attend the Alvecote Historic Boat Festival I had intended to then pop up the Ashby before going back towards the Trent & Mersey to start my winter season cruising.
I was informed though that the Shackerstone Festival followed the Alvecote Festival by one week so I therefore decide not to go straight up the Ashby. Instead I popped round to Market Harborough first to allow the festival to finish as I understood that I would not have been able to easily moor on the Ashby anywhere near Shackerstone during the period.
I had spoken to many boaters about the Ashby and so many of them had told me that they will not go up it as it's too shallow.
Not too shallow
But I did not find it so and I draw 2ft 4ins (or 28 inches) which is more than a lot of boats do. Also, Rick travels up and down the Ashby regularly on Auriga and I thought if he can do it without problems then I certainly can as I understand that it draws over 3½ feet (42 inches) when fully laden. The photo is of Rick steering Auriga whilst at the same time towing a butty through Hinckley. He towed this butty all the way from the terminus at bridge 61 and out onto the Coventry Canal proving, I think, that the Ashby is not too shallow for most narrowboats.
Places to moor
After talking to Rick and finding out about the best places to moor I started up. I did not want to hurry and took a steady cruise up to Bulkington Road Bridge 5. Rick, who was well up the canal at this time, sent me a text to say that there was no room there and advised me to moor at Hospital bend. Bridge 5 was in fact the only planned mooring place on the whole route that I could not moor at because it was full.
Hospital bend is between bridges 6 and 8 (There is no bridge 7) and is a very nice place to moor. So having stayed there overnight it was onto Hinckley and Nutt's bridge 16, and is very handy for the pub, shops and the chippy. The town centre is only about 25 minutes walk from here.
I stayed here a couple of nights as the Hinckley Amateur Radio Club meets at the Sea Cadets hut just over the canal and I wanted pay them a visit.
Farm shops
I very much recommend a visit to the farm shops at Bridges 23 and 25. Very nice food at reasonable prices. Both farm shops have lots of local produce on sale.
Next morning sees me moving to Daddington Wharf Bridge 30, that is a nice spot as well. Apart from the mooring spots in Hinckley all the moorings so far have been well out in the country.
Next day sees me at Sutton Cheney Wharf just past Bridge 34. There is a service station here and so I had a shower and dumped the rubbish etc. I was going to visit the Bosworth Battle museum until after I had walked to it I found out it would cost me £7.95 to get in, to me that's too much. Also the paths around the monument were covered in dog mess. Not a very welcoming place I thought.
Small Co-op
Next day sees me in Market Bosworth at Bridge 42. A short walk (15 mins), although up a fairly steep hill, takes you into the town centre. There are some shops here but don't look for a large supermarket as there is only a small Co-op and a few local shops.
From here I progressed to the terminus just past Bridge 61. At the swing bridge (effectively Bridge 61a), which had a notice on it saying CLOSED, I winded and moored on the visitor moorings. I was then informed that I could go past the swing bridge and onto the restored section to the physical end of the canal about 400 yards away if I wished. As I had already winded I declined the offer and walked up instead. The physical end of the canal is just past Bridge 62 at the present time.
Note that at the moment only boats up to approx 50 foot in length can wind at the physical end of the canal and this would not be easy as it is not a conventional winding hole cut into both banks and it is also literally at the very end of the water.
Generate funds
There is a small shop at the terminus selling odds 'n' ends to generate funds for the restoration. Also, I am informed, you can purchase a card to say you have been there. I did not do so but just enquire at the shop for details if you would like one.
Well I'm back on the Coventry Canal now and I shan't bore you with a repeat of the journey but I did not find it as shallow as many boaters believe it to be. I only found one spot that was a bit shallow to moor-up but I only had to move a boat-length and it was fine and this is not the only canal I've had to do that on either. There is a lot of piling with associated Armco, both metal and wooden, that provides many places to moor between the 'official' visitor moorings.
I do have to say that I did not find the official visitor moorings very plentiful and those that are there are not very long so do not hold many boats. I could see this being problem at the height of the season. If the Ashby Canal Association want more boaters to use it and also feel a need to present a more positive image then they could no better than take a leaf out the Shropshire Union Canal Society's mooring programme and endeavour to provide more moorings that are guaranteed to be deep enough for most boats.
A little planning
Most mooring spots are out in the country and very quiet indeed. There are not many shops or pubs but with a little planning this is not a problem.
The Ashby to the present terminus at bridge 61 is approximately 22 miles long without any locks or moveable bridges. It is, in the main, very rural, very quiet and a very pleasant canal to cruise. I did not find it shallower or narrower than some sections of other canals so give it a try, I think you'll like it.