The Ashby Canal - Day 10 and 11

Off at 10ish into the 22 mile long Ashby Canal - a worthwhile detour, we'd been told.  It's pretty and has handsome stone bridges.  Rather shallow in places, so we checked depth with the boathook.

Trinity Marina is near bridge 17 and has diesel, Elsan, water and a small chandlery.

Jan to boater near the marina: "Your bow's floating out and we wondered if you're OK".  Boater to Jan: "She's doing the laundry, she'll only be a few minutes".  Umm..

Found a quiet mooring for the evening just after bridge 27 - very rural and a comical collection of ducks  kept us amused.  Walked into Dadlington for a meal at the Dog and Hedgehog and found a rude barman so thought better of it.  Asking Jane to "Speak up, speak up" then "Speak louder, I can't hear you" followed by "There, that's better" in patronising tones isn't the way to our hearts.  The Mango Tree at Stoke Golding kindly offered to deliver to the boats, so we had a take away - delicious.

Next day, went as far as the Sutton Wharf cafe at bridge 34 and winded then moored for coffee and cakes (a regular theme, we know, but it's amazing how boating burns the calories).  A friendly cafe in an attractive setting.  Pete had the most enormous bread and butter pudding we'd ever seen.

If you're on the Ashby, look out for the farm shop at bridge 23. It has wonderful cold pies, sausages and eggs (the latter from rescue hens).  We bought pork steaks too and made a barbecue.  Pete got some pork dripping to make fried bread for breakfast.  Off to bed on Midsummer's Eve.

Water spirits on the Ashby