To the Far End

3 Sept

Written By Boatwif

Ambion Wood – Market Bosworth – Snarestone – Market Bosworth

16 miles, 2 tunnel transits, 0 locks

Mid-afternoon (Bank Holiday Monday) the mission to reach the top /the end of the Ashby Canal was continued.Under the disused railway bridge (paths from here through the woods to the Battle of Bosworth Exhibition and Shenton Railway Station) and past King Richard’s Field…Donkeys, an aqueduct and an offside skeleton all caught the eye…It’s this central Ashby Canal section of about six or so miles that is particularly shallow.There were high jinks (Bridge 40?) when a heavily-laden dayboat tried hard to pick up its passengers and gain release from the silt… While there are two lengths of visitor mooring at Market Bosworth there was no space big enough for Cleddau.Onward then, seeing crab apples and red berries in abundance.It's an SSSI from here onwards… There was a winding hole ahead. The Captain was all for turning round to lodge overnight at Market Bosworth Marina – but just in view was a stretch of mooring. Two boats were tied up at the near end. As Cleddau edged towards a space a chap on the stern of the second boat appeared from the cabin, brandishing an historic pistol… On the towpath a jolly sort of high jinx gathering was under way. Was this a safe place…?!Two chaps from the high jinx party arrived to help with the ropes. “Don’t you worry,” said one. “We’ll get you in. I work in a boatyard at Glascote…” and he heaved and heaved the boat through the shallow water towards the towpath.Relief. The boat safely tied up in what proved to be very pleasant surroundings! Onward the next day, the right hand numbers on the milestones reducing, 17 miles done since Marston Junction, 13 to the end of the canal - which meant just 5 miles left to the end of navigation…Congerstone (largely unseen) is a village to the left / west of the canal. Then, after a sharp left bend, the canal wends its way into Shackerstone. The canal and a long line of moorings crawls past an ancient motte. See here for further detail: Onwards the canal goes, through the lengthy tree tunnel of Gopsall Wood. , In an area so empty of human habitation it was a surprise to meet a group of male walkers. The wood ends and there is a former wharf – and then the challenge of Snarestone Tunnel. As Boatwif was checking the tunnel light a familiar boat was recognised beside the towpath. Oh, Free Spirit, for the third time…Through the tunnel, then Ashby’s Far End had been reached, almost. Here at Snarestone Wharf is a grand winding hole and full services – and a spanking new Stop Gate cum Swing Bridge Beyond the gate the canal is limited to 52’ length craft. The new stop gate had been formally opened the previous weekend – had that event accounted for all that dense northbound boat traffic in the run up to the Bank Holiday…?You can’t come this far without a mooch around the area: there are treasures inside the Ashby Canal Association’s shop (a fistful of CDs, a canal history and a jar of honey purchased, as produced by the local beekeeper…) Beyond the stop gate there was a show of high-viz jackets – three Keir workers were inserting polyurethane resin filler into the ground and stonework to prevent leakage. The towpath leads on past the stop gate, past the magnificent old Pump House to Bridge 62 – and the end of the Ashby. An ignominious end, really. Originally the canal had allowed coal boats to deliver from the collieries around Moira in north west Leicestershire. Now the navigable route ends 8 miles south at Snarestone. (For Ashby Canal history see here .)Sights seen, Cleddau now began her southbound heading, under Bridge 61, and back through Snarestone Tunnel to moor in front of Free Spirit. Out leapt Ian and Irene to help with the ropes – just as the heavens divested themselves of a serious amount of rain. Without waterproofs the Free Spirit crew wisely scooted back to their boat to take cover.So then, finally, dried out, before departure the next morning, there was time to properly catch up with Ian and Irene in Ashby Canal Meeting Number 5! With both boats safely tied up and no distractions there was a lot of ground to be covered… Happy onward travels, Free Spiriters… Cleddau headed southbound, destination the small town of Market Bosworth. Through the woods, past Swarkestone motte, past a tree surgeon and a towpath party still going on. If the Cleddau crew are “Completists” (the word first heard when a trip to the furthest reach of the Higher Avon was described) then another Bosworth-related sighting was needed – and that was only possible in the square at Market Bosworth…Up the hill from the canal, over the railway line, past the Fire Station, and into the Square. Here in 2015 King Richard III's last journey was recalled, right where his body had rested. Next time: back to the main line.