Friday 12 September 2014

Slow canoeists

Somehow it just doesn't feel right, doing only fours hours' boating a day. Today the engine clocked up 3.8 hours as we moved from Atherstone to Bedworth. Before we left Atherstone we had another walk into the town, and this time the church was open.

Back on the high street, would you take your worn footwear to Snob's Shoe Repairs?

On the canal we passed a Morris 1000 undergoing repairs to its underside. Presumably no pit was available. Not one that was dry, anyway.

At Bridge 32, just before the Hartshill Yard, a sign warned of slow canoeists.


And round the corner, guess what? Three slow canoeists. Only they weren't particularly slow, nor, I believe, were they canoeists. Are not one-person craft like these called kayaks?

There's a lovely old telegraph pole surviving on this stretch.

Perched on top was a bird of prey, which took off just as I took the closer photo.

Identification, someone?

When we got to Bedworth we stopped and explored the town. From photographs helpfully reproduced on a display board you could see how the town centre had been redeveloped in the 1960s/70s. I prefer how it used to look. Yes, it's a bigger place than Atherstone, but Atherstone, with traffic still allowed along its high street, had much more life than Bedworth with its dull, pedestrianised concrete areas.

The almshouses looked nice, though.

As it's a Heritage Open Day tomorrow we'll be able to get a proper look in the morning.

In the evening we had a great meal as guests of Terry and Chris in their lovely canalside house. Thank you!

7 comments:

Davidss said...

"Identification, someone?"
They are Insulators No 16, after being modified by yoofs wiv air rifles.

Vallypee said...

Lovely photos, Halfie. I shall catch up with you this weekend!

Ian and Irene Jameison said...

If you mean the bird of prey it is a Kestrel. Are you heading for the GU? We are still at MK and will be for a while. Call in for a cuppa if you pass this way. Xxx

Halfie said...

Davidss, I had a feeling you might know!

Val, thanks.

Ian/Irene, thanks. Again, I thought you might know! We are heading, slowly, for MK, aiming to arrive in a week's time. We might stop in the marina, though, which is before Campbell Park.

Sarah said...

'Snobs' is a synonym for cobbler or shoe repairer, or so Jim tells me. He actually uses it - 'you need to take those boots to the snobs'

Nb Duxllandyn said...

Years ago I remember my mother saying that she needed to take our shoes "to the snob's" for repair. This term was in common usage in the London area for shoe menders.

The OED confirms that this is the original meaning of snob. It evolved into a derogatory term for someone who thinks themselves to be socially superior.

Mike
nb Duxllandyn

Halfie said...

Well, Sarah and Mike, I have learnt something. Thanks for that.