A Few Days at Bridge 22 - Ashby Canal

Thursday 12^th and Friday 13^th July

Thursday - It was a bit overcast when we got up but still warm and it did brighten up later and the sun came out.

Shop in Stoke Golding

Church Steeple

Kev, Patrick and I walked up the to Bridge 23 and walked up the road and came to the village of Stoke Golding.  There is a village shop so we went in there to get milk and then walked down the path to the 13thC church, St. Margaret’s.  The building was much praised by John Betjeman and is regarded as one of the finest in the County.  It was open so we went inside and had a good look around, it is a very nice church.  The Steeple was taken down during the Second World War and then put back up when the war was over, you can see where it was reattached. There are several blue plaques dotted around the village marking various events in history. 

St Margaret's Church

One plaque on Crown Hill says that near this spot following the Battle of Bosworth King Henry VII was crowned and thus began the Tudor Dynasty on 22^nd August 1485 and pupils of the local school have laid a time capsule at the base of the sign.

Another Blue Plaque in the Village

We walked back down the hill and arrived at Bridge 25 where the Ashby Boat Company, a hire base is.  We went in as they have a small shop and a coffee machine, so we got a drink and sat by the canal.  The chap from the hire base was friendly, Kev and I hired a boat from here in 2007 and after that holiday we bought our narrow boat.

Crown Hill Plaque

We then went down to Tomlinson's farm shop which is just over the bridge to get a few more provisions for another Barbie, it really is a great shop and the Dexter beef burgers are really good.  We wanted some more bread rolls and the chap from the farm shop said he would be going to get some this afternoon from Connors the local Bakery, so we ordered two packs and Kev and I went back up in the afternoon to get them.

Waiting for the Burgers to cook

 In the evening we had another BBQ and sat outside drinking, eating and chatting, a nice evening was had by all!

Munching on the Burgers!

Lovely Poochie

Friday – We are all staying put again today and in the morning we all did some jobs, Kev sanded the back doors and then put a coat of primer on them and I cleaned our mushroom vents on the roof of our boat, they had gone very tarnished and Patrick had some Brass Restorer and it cleaned them really well and then I did them with Brasso so now they are shiny again.  In the afternoon we just chilled out, I had made a ginger cake in the morning so we all sat outside and had tea and cake, very nice.

For tea I made us all lamb curry and we sat outside to eat it, we did have a few drops of rain but it didn't come to anything and as we were sat under the trees we didn't get wet.  We are staying here again tonight then off tomorrow.