Day 11 & 12 A very wet day, and we slipped out of Bosworth Marina just as the workforce were arriving. Another easy day planned and a promise of an evening meal at one of our favourite places in this area. We stopped at the visitor moorings at Sutton Wharf to dry out and have coffee, very nice and with that the rain stopped although it remained overcast. We moved off again and stopped just a short way further on at bridge 30, easy access for our evening meal. An afternoon walk was in order and a lazy afternoon, and then it was time to go to the Dog and Hedgehog for a superb meal, good job we'd booked too it was packed, a bit of a surprise being a Monday. Tuesday, again a short day and reluctant to get off the Ashby we stopped for our last night on this lovely canal at Bridge 5.
Day 13 We made our way off the Ashby, and on towards Hillmorton locks the last 3 of this holiday, making our total for the trip 101, 5 tunnels and over 150 miles. the weather was very odd today with a huge hailstorm just past Newbold tunnel, I was told to stay out of the weather so made myself comfy by the back steps. We made it steadily to the third, making sure to keep to the centre channel as the boat ahead had ran aground several times. Out of the locks we moored against the Armco, we were rewarded with a lovely rainbow followed by a moonlit night.
Day 14 As we cast off today the wind had picked up, we'd also decided as we were within easy reach of the hire boat base we'd make it in today rather than stay out for the last night, so I set to with cleaning and packing. We soon hit a problem though, a fuel problem, so a call to the hire base after battling the wind to get the boat back into the side, not easy with intermittent engine power. A representative turned up within about an hour, and after dipping the fuel tank decided it wasn't lack of fuel, a few things checked and the ability to engage drive we were underway once more. for 10 mins all seemed well, but then the same problem returned, another phone call to the base, but not that good a reception with our news. We plodded on again trying one last time, we were now coming along Barby straight with all the moored boats, intermittent power and strong wind, it took all our effort to gain some control, by fending off, by use of boat pole to keep the bow pointing in right direction. We hit one moored boat very gently and although initially met my an angry owner he soon understood 'why'. By now we'd had enough, and as Barby Marina was now the next opportunity we made it in, mooring with great difficulty just inside the entrance by the pump out. Another call to the hire base and our decision made we were adamant we would not be taking it back to their base in this condition. So the same representative came back with a colleague and Martin was soon being taken back to the hire base to collect our car. A very trying day and now glad to be on our way home, the end of our summer holiday.
