Frozen Wastes.

What to say? Market Bosworth is a splendid place and the Olde Red Lion a fine hostelry with excellent beer, we are becoming locals. Iced firmly in and wondering if a thaw is likely to occour. Christmas was excellent, far to much food as usual and plenty of lolling about, ideal.

Yesterday we discovered, from Pete and Lisa, on Pickles No2, met them in the Red Lion, they're frozen in at Far Coton, that Ian on Gosty Hill is iced in at Sutton Cheney but he has acquired the services of a van and is continuing his deliveries, what a player. We were getting a bit fretful as we are down to our last two bags of Supertherm but now have ten more bags arriving today, hopefully that will see us through until it thaws. Now I know you are all worrying and saying "Oh poor them, what will they do for water?" well rest assured, we moored within a hose length of the water point, we may be crazy but we're not daft! Just hope the tap doesn't freeze, ok so far.

Still not enough signal to download photos' so I shall just try to put the occasional comment on while we sit here suffering from cabin fever.

Winter Drawers On.

By 'eck it's been cold today. Sutton Cheney to Hinckley, thermal long johns, scarves, wooley hat and still it was proper parky, or, as we used to say in Sarf Lunnen, real 'taters. At least we have stocked up now for the holidays, Jill has her new specs and tomorrow we are heading back towards Market Bosworth to snug in until the new year. No 3G signal up there so this will probably be our last entry for a week or so, so, Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to all our readers and anyone else who happens to wander into our vicinity.

Up the Ashby.

Not much report, we had a day in Hinckley which is a splendid town but not exactly photogenic. Jill took the opportunity to get her eyes tested and sort out some new specs, she went to Specsavers, good grief, have you seen the price of specs?
We are having a couple of days in the country before moving on to Market Bosworth to meet up with eldest daughter and family for a day, be good to see them again.

No more Emus'.

OK, emus' are unlikely but our 'oppo tom is more believable(just). Not seen him for a year but there he was

on Breakaway, opposite Springwood Haven, caught up on news, his old Springer is looking like a new boat.

Stopped at Hartshill Yard for water, it's the old maintenance depot for the Coventry canal, a really wonderful complex, evocative of an earlier age, shame the clock doesn't work.

we had a day at Atherstone for shopping and headed back for the Ashby

passed Mount Judd, a spoil heap from Judkins quarry

and turned onto the Ashby at Marston Junction. Now moored at Marston Jabbot by bridge 2 and not an emu in sight.

The Birds Fly South for the Winter?

Today we left Hawkesbury Junction, a.k.a. Suttons Stop, where the Oxford joins the Coventry canal. After watering

we negotiated the stop stop lock,

passed the old police station,

said farewell to the Greyhound (They do a brilliant pint of mild)

and negotiated the 180 degree turn under the junction bridge.

The old engine house used to supply the canalwith water pumped from the nearby mines, we were now on the Coventry and heading north, totally unaware of what was waiting for us. We passed under bridge 14 and on the towpath

an EMU?

Is it a winter migrant? A result of global warming?

Ducks on the roof are bad enough and swans banging on the side for bread, I don't think a crust will keep this one happy.

Oh yes,there was ice on the water in some places!