Mancetter & Boudica

Saturday 25th. Decided to walk into Mancetter this morning, another place we have never seen. But first, a dab of paint on one or two rubs on the side of the boat. Knocks and scrapes happen all the time, after all, as Timothy West says: It's a contact sport.

Our walk to Mancetter took us through farm fields and across a railway bridge. Unfortunately the bridge was more of a long roofless container. All you could see was the sky and the awful spray painted graffiti. As the captain said, it wouldn't be so bad if they could draw and paint something original. 

After walking through a reasonably modern housing estate we arrived at the church and, as the guidebook said, there is a large collection of 18th-C slate tombstones with elegant Georgian incised lettering.

Opposite, a row of almshouses built in 1728.

But, inside the church, an exhibition of Roman Mancetter & Boudica. There were display stands, artefacts and replica costumes & daggers, even a Roman chariot. I would have loved to put on the armour and jumped in the chariot but, regrettably, the captain wouldn't allow me to. 

There was a lady who spoke at length about the Roman fort and the ambush of Boudica's army and when we mentioned the fort at Bradwell, her colleague jumped in and talked about the Chapel and other churches that he had been to see in Essex. We had a lovely chat with them both, were offered tea and coffee and could have chatted all day with them both. 

However, back to the boat and off we set. Just around the corner, an alpaca farm. Not something you see every day. 

And, just a little further, a brand new marina.

Now, guess what, another favourite place of ours. The old BW Hartshill Yard. 

It's one of those typical original places where you can imagine how the canal looked when first built.

It's all neat and compact, everything there made for a purpose. 

Rats, because of our walk and an early lunch, we had to sail past The Anchor, yet another favourite place. I wonder if it's as good as it used to be? Oh well, perhaps we'll find out next time we come this way. 

Now to get through Nuneaton. Doesn't look too bad, does it? In fact, we don't really remember it being as nice as it is. 

Not a brilliant picture but we do remember saying before that we think everyone in Nuneaton must have an allotment. There are mile after mile of allotments.

Now then, we saw the ground being cleared for these new houses. They have been built on land that once belonged to the boatyard. 

And this is the boatyard. 

And to round off the day, an all electric boat run by The Hargreaves Narrowboat Trust. Now that's progress.

We were going to push on to Hawkesbury Junction for the night, instead we stopped near Griff Lane Bridge just before the turnoff to the Ashby Canal. Steak and Strictly - can't be bad!