ASHBY CANAL

Back in time, the tearoom on the inside

Tea shop Market Bosworth

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Shackerstone railway stn.

"VALERIE" moored at Shackerstone

Have now been on the Ashby for 6 days and what a wonderful experience it`s been. The canal is navigable for 22 miles upto snarestone. About 5 miles further on the canal is in water at Donisthorpe for about2 miles and there are plans to join the 2 sections once again.

The canal is mostly small villages and the largest place must be Hinckley so keeping the food cupboard filled is a must as most moorings -the best anyway- are remote. While in Hinckley i noticed on the map a greyhound track, that`s track not stadium just 800yds and it`s yards not meteres as i am old and english, from the canal. Now the one and only time i went to a dog track was 30 yrs ago so as i am retired and doing things i fancy off John and i went on a saturday night. Yes i am still with John, he`s a nice bloke and we get on ok pleasing ourselves if we stay in or go out no hassle. Well this track turns out to be a flapping track, that is it`s un-licenced.All it consisted off was a circular track of grass and sand with floodlights on poles that looked as if a dog collided with them they would crash to the ground. A small box on stilts was the control tower and a small bar area. Three bookmakers were on site standing on a long bench with their large bag and an assistant writing down the bets. I estimate the attendance was approx 150 punters so how they made money is beyond me. The bookies had the tote as competition. On the tote you could only bet 50p upwards on 1st and 2nd dog so you had to pick the two best dogs, but you could do a reverse bet so your 2 dogs could finish 1st or 2nd. Gonna stop on that as i am not other than the lotto now and again a gambler. Was a good night though.

The Battlefield Line is a steam railway of some 9 miles in length between Shenton and Shackerstone. The remainder of the railway ceased in the sixties and all that remains is run and maintained by steam enthusiasts.

Market Bosworth is a typical village along the Ashby and it was here the small tearoom was discovered up a small courtyard between the buildings. Going inside for a cuppa was like going back in time.It was crammed full of victorian bits and bobs and some intersting pictures of the village in the past, also on the walls lots of the old metal advertising signs.

So still on the ashby but i am going back to see family for the w`end as i have in the last week been made a g`dad again so must go and cuddle Teo my 7lb g`son. The name Teo is Turkish as my son steve is married to a lovely young Turkish girl Ozlem. For the trip i have hired a car this time to make sure ican visit a lot more people. The car co. will collect me canal side and drop me back on monday.