Bartimaeus

We set off from our peaceful mooring at Bedworth just as the school sports day was starting up, complete with amplified music and rousing chatter.  It wasn't far to the Marston Junction with the Ashby Canal.  We last came this way three years ago, but went faster than we would have liked because we had a train to catch.

The Ashby is renowned for being shallow, but I knew from our previous visit that even when the water levels are generally low it is fine as long as you keep to the channel.  We soon met a boat coming the other way just as we were passing some moored boats, so I moved to one side.  As it passed I used the bow thruster to stop the stern being pulled towards the oncoming boat.  We had been pushed on to the sloping bed of the canal, so we were rolled over to one side - the thruster made a small fountain, but we didn't move.

We moored up at a spot I'd remembered from our previous visit.  This time, I'd noticed that it was only a short distance to a cafe.  Although we could almost see the cafe on the other side of the canal, our route to the entrance was three and a half sides of a rectangle, an extra mile or so.  We were glad of the shade of the umbrellas outside when we arrived.

Lunch was punctuated by the resident ducks.  They hadn't read the signs telling people not to feed them, and clearly hoped we hadn't either.  They gently tapped their beaks on available body parts to ensure they had been noticed.

On the way back we explored St. Botolph's churchyard in Burton Hastings.  It was not as grand as its namesake in Boston, but I was intrigued by the sundial, though I noted it had not been set for summer time.  "Carpe Diem" is a common boat name - I usually translate it as "Seize the Carp".

Yesterday morning was showery, so we sat the showers out before moving on in the afternoon hoping to find a mooring in Hinckley.  It isn't as tranquil, but catching the train here tomorrow will allow us to take the Ashby slowly this time.

We went in to the town in the gap between the morning rain and the thunderstorms forecast for the late afternoon.  Being Sunday, it was quiet, but we still managed to find lunch - in my case a fine pizza with roast vegetables.

I was intrigued by the sculpture of a bicycle "locked" to one of the bike stands.  It is a very unusual solo machine that has its chain on the left hand side (though the front "timing" chain on a tandem often is).  The saddle looks very uncomfortable too, especially with that plaque on it.

Not far way we noticed another plaque, this time on a wall.  The name leapt out at me - it is embossed on to both of the Brooks saddles on the tandem.

We'd walked in to town on a direct, but slightly busy road.  I found what looked like a quieter, but slightly longer route back.  It took us through Hollycroft Park, a little way from the centre of town. At the entrance to the park was another sculpture.

On closer inspection, the sundial had two scales, one for GMT and one for BST, but unfortunately the sky was cloudy so we couldn't read the time.  The inscription was slightly different too, perhaps it means Chart the Day, but I'll settle for "Seize the Cart".

We followed the Battling Brook most of the way back to the boat and were securely inside before the short but very heavy thundery rain storm.  Another day successfully seized!