Bank Holiday Steam Train Ride

What fantastic weather we've had.  The sun has been so warm today. Quite glorious.

We decided to visit Shakerstone again for a steam train ride.

We had a quick snack in the Victorian cafe on the station before setting off for Shenton.  This was a twenty minute journey taking us through Market Bosworth.

Once off the train we strolled down to the Ashby canal and then on to the Cafe at Sutton Wharf.  It was absolutely heaving with people so we walked on returning to the station through the Ambion wood.

Nar cast a clout 'till May is out

A meadow of Dandelions

As always we had a wonderful day and enjoyed the holiday sunshine.

Bosworth Battlefield Visitor Centre

I don't know about you but I never expect a great deal when I visit museums.  Over the years we have seen loads and often they are a disgrace.  They have on occasion reduced us to fits of laughter with the sheer embarrassment. We went to one (the name escapes me) which was filthy and the Heartbeat Museum in Whitby was awful.
On the Wednesday of our holiday we decided that due to the appalling weather we would moor up and take a walk up to the Victorian tearooms at Shackerstone railway station.  This is just off the Ashby canal and takes about ten minutes to walk to.  We had heard that they now opened on a Wednesday. I love this place.

Whilst there we bought train tickets to Shenton.  This is where the visitor centre is.
There is a short up hill walk to get there but at least it was dry.

There was a beautiful monument to Richard III, King Henry and Lord Stanley.  It was paved in a circle with  red and white roses planted in sections to depict the War of the Roses theme.

The museum was well laid out and all the life size models were immaculate, not a speck of dust anywhere.

This was an actual skeleton of someone who had died in battle.  There were little buttons to press which lit up the several wounds that this poor man had received over the years.  The one in his thigh had finished him off.

Originally this stone was situated in a field in Shenton village where it was said that Richard III had been killed.  However following the recent find of several relics elsewhere they have been able to prove that he did not in fact die there.  We had visited the stone where it had been and felt quite sad that it no longer had a proper resting place.

We spent a lovely afternoon learning lots about our history and had a very cosy train journey back to the boat. 

Birthday Boy

It's my husbands birthday today.  He is fifty and probably won't thank me telling the world.  I'm only three months behind him so there you are, that makes us equal.

Today we had a trip to Shackerstone where there is a lovely old railway station.  They run steam train trips to Shenton which is another old railway station a few miles from Shackerstone.  It was great.  The weather was warm and sunny although it was a little bit windy.

We got out of the train at Shenton and walked through the woods at Bosworth where the battle took place.  The woods were beautiful and every few yards there were information plaques  and sculptures.  It made a  refreshing change to find everything so well kept without the usual graffiti and general vandalism.

The wood ended at Bridge 34a on the Ashby canal so we then had a stroll by the water side enjoying the views and nodding to passers by. We spotted Mr & Mrs Duck with their oh so cute little brood of ducklings. 

 This was the enormous piece of carrot cake that we shared in the tea room on the station at Shackerstone.    It was very tasty in deed.  I didn't finish it all and Steve did kindly help out at the last minute. There's a fund raising shop situated in an old carriage station.  I bought a few craft books which were on offer so I got them for half price which was great.

Well that's a bit about our great day out.  I'll post a few more photographs tomorrow all being well.
It's now bed time. Night Night, God bless.