Hinkley, better late than never.

We had a very poor internet signal last night so I am sending this blog today. We set off expecting to only have a few hours before the rain started. As it happened it didn't rain all day.

I had never thought about it before and never seen it either. This is how a line of pylons cross another line. They duck down below one set using a small pylon. It seems strange that they don't route the high tension cables better so that they don't need to do it.

The canal has these mile posts along the route. The Ashby Canal Association are optimists as they have icluded the length of the canal to Moira. As there is still 8  miles to connect up this must be taken away from the larger figure.

We continued up the canal until Bridge 16 where we stopped to walk into Hinkley for a look see. We moored just by the Arm that led to the Wharf. There is a Sea Scout HQ on the corner these days. It must have been a busy place at one time as at the head of the arm is an imposing building called Port House. It is now the Simla Indian restaurant.

The Port House at Hinkley Wharf.

Hinkley is famous for when the Hansom cab was developed. The Blue Plaque is for A.J. Pickering who was a business man, archaeologist and philanthropist who was born at this place

In the past Hinkley's main employment was the hoisery trade and there are still a few signs of the industry left. This factory has been closed but the company is still working but from Leicester. It is really Veejay Knitwear in Highcross Street. There are still some factories working around th town. The museum was shut however.

After we got back from the town, further to us fortifying ourselves with a pint at the Baron of Hinkley Weatherspoon's, the weather was still holding so we decided to push on.

The Triump factory is one of two in the Hinkley area. In fact there are four other factories, three in Thailand and one in Brazil. The company is a privately owned company and seems to be doing very well.

We moored near Bridge 22 and just ahead of us was this beautiful boat. It turns out it is the 'Sharpness'. She was built in 1908 at Brinscombe Port, Stroud for the New Sharpness Dock Company. She was based at Tardebigge and worked as a tunnel tug for most of the year especially Wast Hill and Sapperton Tunnels. She was originally steam powered but was one of the first tugs to be changed to diesel. She finished working in the 1960's.

Despite not having an internet signal Helen was very pleased that she was able to watch the Bake Off and then Doctor Foster.