Past - the Wilts and Berks Canal?

Tuesday 31st July, 2012 - East of Bradford on Avon.
A very pleasant day's cruising, some of which was spent sharing locks and swing bridges with Derek, Angela and their two grand-children on the hired nb "Braithwaite" - good name! (it's the last village we pass through before arriving at Hope Farm in the Lakes). Derek remarked good-naturedly that his grandson was more interested in watching the Olympics on the boat's TV than helping with the locks!

We moored up next to them for lunch, but left long before they did as - yes, you guessed it - they were watching the Olympics!
On our way, we passed the entrance to the Wilts and Berks canal that used to connect the K&A to the Thames at Abingdon but which was finally abandoned in 1914. Now there is a strong restoration group hoping to re-open it gradually, although it will be a huge task as it is 52 miles long and needs 50 locks. However, the Duchess of Cornwall cut the first ceremonial sod of earth in September 2010 as a symbolic start to the restoration.

The blocked-up entrance to the Wilts and Berks Canal.

We planned to stop at one of the two marinas at Hilperton as our poo-tank needed emptying but found that access was very difficult and they both appeared to be closed. So we went on and moored just short of the Devizes Marina. Google Earth told us that we were just 298.11 yards from the entrance (very accurate, Google Earth!) and so we walked up the towpath to reconnoitre for the morning.
Today: 6 miles, 4 locks and 6.4 hours.
Trip: 172 miles, 159 locks and 142.5 hours (290.3 total).

At the Barge Inn, Seend.

Monday 30th July, 2012 at Seend.
We awoke to a nice view from our bedroom window (the beautiful dragonfly lives with us on the bedroom window).

M did not have a comfortable night, her ribs are still very painful when she lies down. So, after breakfast, she rested while Soo, David and R sailed down through three more locks and moored up opposite the Barge Inn at Seend.

Two experienced "Lockers"

Then Soo, David and R walked the five miles back to Devizes to collect Soo and David's car. It was a lovely walk along the canal but very frustrating for M as she wanted to come too but sensibly decided (was ordered?) to stay and rest.

By lunchtime we were all back at the Barge Inn, where we had a very good lunch. The books say that it is one of the most popular inns on the K&A and we can quite see why.  A very attractive building with a lovely garden and excellent food.

We waved Soo and David off at about 3:00pm. They appeared to have enjoyed their initiation into the mysteries of narrowboating, so much so that they asked us to invite them back when we go back up the Caen Hill Flight. Mad fools!!
Today: 1 mile, 3 locks and 1.0 hour.
Trip: 166 miles, 155 locks and 136.1 hours (283.9 total).

An Eventful and very Full Day

Sunday 29th July, 2012 at Caen Hill.
David not only girded his loins, but donned his shorts! "Is the world ready for those legs?" we asked ourselves!  We also admired his technicolour trainers (through sunglasses)!
There had been some rain overnight but the sky cleared to give a pleasant morning.
After breakfast, we set off just after 10:00am through the first lock of the 16 locks of the Caen Hill Flight. The locks come one after another and you are not allowed to moor up in the middle. We teamed up with Jan and Len, an Australian couple on a hired nb "Elizabeth." They have cruised extensively around the network and Jan was brilliant at going ahead and setting the locks for us while Soo and David worked the lock that we were in. M, still recovering from her fractured ribs, was forbidden to do locks and so acted as photographer and galley slave (her definition!).

At the top of the Caen Hill Flight

Half way down, there was a heavy rain shower that soaked us all but it soon cleared up and the sun returned to dry us off.  As always, there were plenty of "gongoozlers" (onlookers) watching our progress.  The Caen Hill attracts vast numbers of this species, particularly at weekends.
We were two-thirds of the way down before we met anyone coming up the other way. There were two boats together, which required some careful manoeuvring as the 'pound' between each lock is only about two boat lengths long.

Passing two other boats coming up the Flight

Only twice did we have to pause to allow boats coming up, the second time for a singleton, so we reached the bottom of the flight in just two hours! (The guide books say to allow four to five hours). Great teamwork!!

At the bottom, we moored up and had a well-earned coffee and then lunch before continuing down through the next seven locks, ending up at  Foxhangers where there are 24 hour moorings.
Soo and David said that they would like to do a bit of 'cruising' as we had been doing locks (twenty-three of them!) all day. So after tea and buns, we continued on to Seend along a lock-free couple of miles with Soo driving and David sitting in the front.

At Seend, we moored up for the night. That stretch of canal is fed by a back-pumping station that runs all day but is switched off at night. As a result the canal water-level dropped slightly and we ended up firmly aground and with a significant list.  So out came the pole and with a lot of rocking, pushing and pulling, we eventually re-floated into deeper water, where we stayed for the night.  To celebrate, we opened a bottle of bubbly kindly provided by Soo and David.
Today: 3 miles, 23 locks and 4.8 hours.
Trip: 165 miles, 152 locks and 135.1 hours (282.9 total). 

A Gentle Day in Devizes.

Saturday 28th July, 2012 at Devizes.
A lovely sunny morning. We were a bit tired after staying up until 1:00am watching the fantastic Olympic Opening Ceremony!!
We walked into town for just a couple more 'bits' but ended up staggering back (as always) with two heavily laden bags, then spent a while trying to find places to put it all.
Guy sat on deck waiting for Soo and David to arrive.

They arrived in time for lunch, bringing with them our new rotary washing line.

We had a leisurly afternoon, took on water while they visited the Kenet and Avon Trust Museum, then we set off through the six locks to take us down to the top of the Caen Hill Flight. There, we moored up for the night just above the top lock.

After a refreshing G&T, we walked back into Devizes and had an excellent dinner at the Bear Hotel. The Hotel, and its surroundings, were used extensively in the filming of "Far from the Madding Crowd."
Finally, a lovely walk back to MM by the light of the waxing moon. A fitting end to a happy day!
Today: 1 mile, 6 locks and 2.1 hours.
Trip: 162 miles, 129 locks and 130.3 hours (278.1 total).

Alchemy! Alchemy!

Friday 27th July, 2012 at Devizes.
Today the Olympics begin in London.  We stayed moored up in the centre of Devizes and had a quiet, restful day off. M has been upset that it has proved extremely difficult to get the brass fittings on MM clean, as they had tarnished badly over the winter. Much elbow grease from M and copious amounts of Brasso had made little impression. M was sure that there must be an old-fashioned remedy (the sort our mothers would have known about), so R did some research on the internet and came up with a possible solution. A trip to the local shops to acquire lemon juice, salt, vinegar and baking soda (total cost £3.00) was followed by a bit of alchemy to mix them in equal measures into a paste.

The result was incredibly successful! Painted on to the brass fittings, left to "fester" for an hour and then washed off and finished with some Duraglit, all the fittings are gleaming again (for now). Should we patent this new product? "Robin's Rapid Restorative" perhaps?
We also visited the local Kennet and Avon Trust Museum at the wharf, which is full of memorabilia, details of the history of the canal and of the incredible effort of restoration.
Later we sat up and watched the Olympic Opening Ceremony. Spectacular, touching, funny, thoughful, brilliant - yes, it made us very proud indeed!
No movement today, just 3.2 hours engine run to charge the batteries (total 276.0).

Shades of "The African Queen"

Thursday 26th July, 2012 in Devizes.
We awoke to a lovely morning, with the promise of another hot day. Ahead of us was the delightful prospect of seven miles of lock-free cruising to Devizes. We were not disappointed! It was a lovely stretch but with some surprises.
Quite often the canal was overgrown with reeds to such an extent that the channel in the middle was so narrow that we were touching on both sides. M said that with MM edging through the tall reeds in the heat of the day, she felt like Katherine Hepburn standing next to Humphrey Bogart on "The African Queen" negotiating the ever narrowing channel!

Also, twice we came across boats that had come adrift from their moorings and were drifting in the middle of the canal. Both times, R caught them, brought them to the bank and tied them back up again, the second time with the help of the grateful owners who arrived as we towed their boat to the edge of the canal.

In the guide books, Devizes is described as a charming town and so it proved to be. We moored in the central wharf area and walked into town just as the local market was closing. The town is full of lovely old buildings and ginnels (little alleyways).

We found a Costa and rewarded ourselves with delicious cold iced coffees, went to M&S to do a 'small shop' - and then staggered back to the boat like a pair of overloaded pack horses. On the way we saw a notice addressed to any small children in the neighbourhood!

By 6:00pm, it had cooled down sufficiently for us to do some reconaissance of the 'Caen Hill Flight' of locks that we plan to tackle on Sunday. We walked the mile to the top of the Flight, passing six locks on the way. The Flight itself is sixteen locks in just under a mile that drop the canal 130feet. We walked all the way down to the bottom of the Flight.

It was even more spectacular from the bottom! Then we walked back up again - it certainly will be a challenge on Sunday!
We had 'many meetings' and conversations today. This is an incredibly friendly and companionable stretch of the waterways.
Today: 7 miles, 0 locks and 5.1 hours
Trip: 161 miles, 123 locks and 128.4 (total: 272.8 hours).

Into an Alien World...

Wednesday 25th July, 2012 at Honeystreet
After an absence of two weeks, we returned to MM at her temporary mooring at Honeystreet. Having left on  11th July in cold and driving rain, we returned in blazing sunshine and temperatures of 29deg, exactly two months to the day since we had set off from Pyrford in similarly hot conditions. We arrived at Pewsey Railway Station looking like two homeless people with all our possessions in carrier bags!
Honeystreet is a picturesque as its name.

The marina is one of the prettiest and best kept that we have seen, with beautiful gardens and views to the chalk downs and one of the famous white horses.

In the evening, we walked along the towpath to the nearby Barge Inn, which is well know in the area, as it is run as a local community co-operative. It was very busy and after supper we sat outside next to a family from the Netherlands, who had come to look at the crop circles. This is a very popular area for UFO watchers and for crop circle enthusiasts who come from all over Europe. They showed us some very intricate crop circle designs that are extraordinary in their complexity and variety. They were convinced that the origin of the circles was supernatural although later, when talking to the marina owners about it, they casually remarked that one of the best 'aliens' had recently died in the neighbouring village!
As we stayed overnight at Honeystreet we did no miles and no locks!

To Honey Street and Home

Wednesday 11th July, 2012 at Honey Street
An early start to get MM to Honey Street to Moonboats marina. On the way saw another Kingsground boat.

Arrived at Honeystreet and moored up next to yet another Kingsground boat (!) while R talked to the owners and found where to moor MM for her stay here.

After securing her and hooking her up to the mains, R called for a taxi to get him to Pewsey where he arrived in very good time so wandered back into the town for a bit of lunch with Guy.

And so back to Reigate and 10 days in the Lakes at Hope Farm with Christine. We expect to be back on MM on Wednesday 25th July, so please watch this space...
Today: 3 miles and 0 locks, 3.3 hours
Trip: 154 miles, 123 locks and 123.1 hours (267.7 total).

Captured

Tuesday 10th July, 2012 at Pewsey
R spent the day moored up and doing Capture work.
Just ran the engines for 3.3 hours to charge the batteries.

Marion goes Home.

Monday 9th July, 2012 at Pewsey
Early on Monday morning, we went through the last lock for 15 miles and on to Pewsey.

At Pewsey, all the 48 hour moorings were full, many of the boats looking as if they had been there for some time, certainly a lot longer than 48 hours . We moored up at the Wharf on a 2 hour mooring and then we walked into the town. We had a drink and a cake at the local bakery and then M caught the train to Reading on her way back to Reigate.
R explored Pewsey a bit more, including finding a hairdresser rejoicing in the wonderful name of "Curl up and Dye!" Then he took MM a bit further down the canal to find a mooring.
Today: 4 miles, 1 lock and 3.7 hours
Trip: 151 miles, 123 locks and 119.8 hours (264.4 total).

The Scouts, Day 2

Sunday 8th July, 2012 at Crofton Pumping Station.
Overnight the heavens opened, and it poured with rain. Our thoughts turned to our Scouting friends, who were camping a mile or so up the road, and to the groups of young people that we had met on the towpath the previous day who were doing a 100 mile hike in two days laden with the most gargantuan rucksacks!
In the morning, when the Scouts returned, they said that it was the wettest camping that they had ever known and their barbeque was less than a great success - a bit of a damp squib, one might say. They remained cheerful however, particularly after Sam decided to show off by jumping a large puddle, slipped and ended up flat on his back in the mud. Gales of laughter all round and it was declared the highlight of the weekend!

He came in for much good natured ribbing and required swabbing down and a change of clothes before we could proceed, including a pair of long baggy blue pantaloons that he borrowed from Becky, thereby generating yet more ribbing.

They had left their van close to the "winding hole" that we had used on Saturday and had walked the two miles down to us. So we set off west again, up through the six locks and through the tunnel back to their van. Today they were much more relaxed and confident with the locks and with driving the boat.

At the winding hole we dropped them off and took some group photos.

To our surprise, they presented us with a beautiful certificate signed by each of them and a lovely box of chocolates. We, in turn, told them that we hoped that they would come back again next year as we had enjoyed having them so much.

We waved goodbye to them and then sailed on down three locks to Wootton Rivers, a beautiful little village of thatched cottages and a pub called the Royal Oak, which came highly recommended.

We had an excellent dinner there and can confirm that it lived up to expectations!
Today: 4 miles, 9 locks and 3.9 hours.
Trip: 147 miles, 122 locks and 117.2 hours (261.7 total).

Be Prepared?

Saturday 7th July, 2012 at Crofton Pumping Station.
An early start, as we had arranged to meet the Scout Group at Crofton at 9:30am, which was two miles and four locks away. We started off at 7:30am in heavy rain but it eased off a bit as we got closer.
At the last lock before Crofton, we met up with Andy and Janine of nb "Scavenger" and butty coming the other way. We both stopped below the lock so that we could buy 96 litres of diesel from them to top up our tank. They have been operating their boats for ten years on the K&A selling boaters needs.

Back in the spring, we had rather rashly invited our local scout group to come and join us for a weekend to learn some boating skills. We could not have anticipated that it would be the wettest weekend of the year (so far!). The group arrived at the same time as nb "Scavenger," so they got a chance to see the rare sight of a boat refuelling on the canal. There were three "Leaders" and five "Explorer Scouts" varying in age from 14 to 17.

R briefed the group and we set off at about 10:00am in fairly gentle rain to go up the six locks on to the summit pound of the K&A. Each of the Explorer Scouts had a chance to steer MM out of one lock and up to and into the next lock, while the others worked the lock or walked up to the next lock to set it for us. Luckily the rain stopped and we were able to dry off.

When we arrived at the top, everyone climbed onto MM, four in the front and the other four in the stern and we sailed the mile or so to the turning point (or "Winding Hole"), going through the 502 yard Bruce Tunnel on the way.

After we turned round, we went back through the tunnel, at which point it started to rain again. Fine for the four scouts at the back, who went inside, but the four in the front were getting cold and wet! Just before the top lock, we stopped and everyone came into the boat for some lunch and to warm up. Lunch for the "lads" seemed to comprise mainly chocolate bars and pork pies! It was a bit cosy with ten of us on board!!!

After lunch, we went back down the six locks with each scout as well as the Leaders having a chance to steer. At the bottom, R turned MM again and we moored up outside the Crofton Pumping Station. We all walked into the Pumping Station together to have some tea and to take the tour. Unfortunately the station was "in steam" last weekend, but even when not working it is very impressive. There are two beam engines, one installed in 1812 and the other in 1846. They were designed to lift water into the summit pound of the K&A, which would otherwise dry out. These days, the job is routinely done by a large elecric pump, but the beam engines both still work, and are still capable of doing the job for which they were installed 200 years ago. We are hoping to come back for one of the three remaining "in steam" weekends later this year.

The scouts then departed to pitch their tents at a local camp site and to have a "much looked forward to" barbecue. Lets hope they didn't get too wet! They will be coming back to MM tomorrow after breakfast to continue their "boating experience" - watch this space...
Today: 6 miles, 16 locks and 5.6 hours.
Trip:  143 miles, 113 locks and 113.3 hours (258.1 total).

Sequence: Wet - Wetter - Wettest - Today!

Friday 6th July, 2012, back at Bedwyn.
Oh, the vagaries of the English climate! The contrast with yesterday evening's gentle calm sunshine could not have been greater.

Last Night's Mooring (What a Contrast to Today!)

From our mooring last night, we sailed back to Bedwyn to pick up Alan and Pat who are "borrowing" our house while they are visiting our neighbours Grant (their son) and Katie for a month from their native New Zealand. Naturally, they had never seen an English canal so we had invited them down for the day.
They duly arrived by train from Reigate about 11.30 and we took them on a quick tour of Bedwyn village. Then the plan was to do three locks in two miles, turn and come back through the three locks back to Bedwyn railway station. However, by the time that they arrived, the rain had started and as we set off it got heavier. They bravely helped with the first lock in bare feet but by the time we left the first lock the rain was torrential and they very wisely returned to the dry warmth inside the boat. It was raining so hard that it was difficult to see more that a few yards but by the third lock it had eased off a little and was only pouring down (!). Both M and R were dripping wet. M went below and prepared some hot Bovril while R went down to the Winding Hole and turned round. Then we did the three locks back while the rain still pelted down and Alan and Pat watched fascinated from inside the boat.
Three and a half hours later, we were back where we started and moored up again. After wringing out our clothes and emptying the water out of our shoes, we had a late lunch of smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwiches and Bakewell tarts with tea and coffee.
While it certainly wasn't the day that we would have liked for Alan and Pat, it was undoubtedly an experience for all of us! Despite the weather, they appeared to have enjoyed themselves and they left on the 16:44 train back to Reigate
We had an early supper and made some contingency plans for the weekend with the Scouts in case the weather does not improve. The forecast is for heavy rain showers and sunshine - so anything is possible.
Today: 5 miles, 7 locks and 3.6 hours.
Trip:  137 miles, 7 locks and 107.7 hours (252.5 total).

Ooops Twice!

Thursday 5th July, 2012 near Bedwyn.
We awoke to a dry, bright day - at last! John and Jack (Russell) of nb "Beverley" passed by on foot; he was going to Hungerford by train to pick up the boat having left his car here. It was nice to see him again.
The Bruce Trust has a base at Bedwyn. They provide trip boats for the disabled and handicapped, and we had an interesting conversation with a chap who does their painting and sign-writing.
We walked into Bedwyn village and visited the astonishing Post Office that used to be a stone mason's. It is surrounded by fascinating stone artifacts.

A Stonemason's Stone Bill (about 4ft high!).

We also visited the friendly General Store to purchase vast quantities of Jammie Dodgers and Penguins for the Scouts during their visit this weekend!
We set off from Bedwyn. planning to go through two locks, turn and then moor up so we could come back to Bedwyn tomorrow to pick up friends who are coming for the day. All went well until we got to the "Winding Hole." A Winding Hole is a special extra wide bit of the canal where you can turn a 60ft (or normally even 70ft) narrowboat round on a canal that is normally less than 40ft wide. We put the bow into the winding hole and started to turn, only to find that the stern hit the opposite bank and we were stuck broadside across the canal. It was only then that we saw, buried in the undergrowth, a sign that said "Max 55ft". MM  is 60 ft!  Ooops! For a while we were stuck fast but by removing the rear fender (buffer), and with Marion hauling on a rope from the shore and Robin pushing hard with the pole (and much cursing and sweating!), we just managed to get round.
After mooring up, we decided to walk the mile down to Crofton Pumping Station, where we will meet the Scouts on Saturday, as it was a beautiful sunny evening.  There was a considerable gap between boat and bank, and as M stepped off the boat, she slipped and half fell in. Another "oops"! The mooring ropes saved her but one leg ended up right in the canal. Luckily she was fine but she now claims to be a "proper" boatwoman.
The walk to Crofton was truly delightful. The evening was sunny, warm and still, with just the skylarks and yellowhammers for company. Bliss.

At Crofton, we spoke to Andy on nb "Scavenger" and butty. They make their living travelling the canals selling diesel, and other canal necessities.

So nice to see such a traditional pair (of narrowboats).
Today: 1 mile, 3 locks and 3.4 hours.
Trip:  132 miles, 90 locks and 104.1 hours (248.9 total).

Can You Keep a Secret?

Wednesday 4th July, 2012 in Great Bedwyn.
We were up at 6:00am and R caught the 6:44 train to go to Capture for the day. It was a cold, damp, drizzly morning. We have had no mobile signal at all on the boat while we have been here at Bedwyn. The only time we can get a signal is if we stand on the road bridge over the canal, and even then it's intermittent. (not that we are dependent on modern technology or anything!). However, standing on the bridge in the pouring rain to make a phone call was not an inviting prospect.

Simon and Irene left at 11:30 to drive home, leaving M to have a quiet day doing domestic tasks.
In the afternoon, M took the train to Goring to join R there as the Mikron Theatre was performing in Goring in the evening (usually in the open air next to the canal). They have toured the canals all summer for the last 40 years in their narrowboat nb "Tyseley," performing two different plays each year. This year's plays are "Losing the Plot" (about allotments) and the play that we saw in Goring, "Can you Keep a Secret" (about the rise and fall of the Luddite movement exactly 200 years ago this year).

Even though all four members of the cast were new this year, the production was well up to their customary brilliant standard. Fortunately they were able to stage the play under Goring bridge so that both them and the hundred or so members of the audience all stayed dry.
We left just as it ended in order to catch our train home and as we walked back to the station, we ran into Abbie and Dave out for some evening exercise, so they walked with us to the station. A super evening!
Today: Just 1.0 hour to charge the batteries.

Eyeballs in the Sky!!

Tuesday 3rd July, 2012 at Great Bedwyn.
We set the crayfish trap last night and had caught three overnight. M said that watching R peering at them in the bucket reminded her of the "Eyeballs in the Sky" with Boot the dog in the Perishers cartoon in the Daily Mirror each August.  However, the crayfish were quite small so we put them back into the canal.

Eyeballs in the Sky!

After a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, we set off to take advantage of a brief pause in the rain. Today was not so cold but the rain persisted all day. Simon and Irene crewed very competently with Simon steering for much of the way.

At Great Bedwyn, we were lucky enough to take the last mooring spot. We were surprised how many boats were moored along the canal leading to Bedwyn and on the visitors' moorings. Nb "Dragonfly" was moored behind us (again!).  Richard and Lizzie mentioned that they might think of selling her next year, so Simon and Irene went and had a quick tour round their boat as there's a chance they may buy a boat themselves in the future.
We took advantage of another break in the rain to walk around Great Bedwyn; a quaint little village that was delightful even in such dull weather. Again, the plan was to eat out tonight and we favoured the "Three Tuns" pub, but when we went in there was a man sanding the floors who said the pub was closed for renovation. That is the third highly recommended pub closed for renovation! It seems there is a "Refurb Rash" spreading down the canalside! However the other pub in town, the "Cross Keys" was open, welcoming and happily took our booking.
Dinner there in the evening was excellent. The open fire was very welcome and warming, and we all chose hearty winter fare (it is England in July after all!). The only difficulty was choosing from a menu where every dish was tempting - we wanted to try them all!
Today: 3 miles, 5 locks and 4.0 hours.
Trip:  131 miles, 87 locks and 99.2 hours (244.0 total).

Wet, wet, wet.

Monday 2nd July, 2012 near Froxfield.
In July the sun is hot.
Is it shining? NO IT'S NOT!!
(With apologies to Flanders and Swann).
Simon and Irene arrived early in the morning having driven up from Fareham, left their car at Great Bedwyn and taken the train to Hungerford. We walked up to the station to meet them, pausing only to buy a tin of dog food as bait for a crayfish trap which we acquired from the owners of nb "Greyfisher".

Back on board, the four of us had coffee and then set off to do the four locks to Froxfield in the pouring rain. The first lock is unique in that it has a swing bridge right across the middle of the lock so you have to open the swing bridge before you can fill the lock, otherwise the roof of your boat hits the bridge!

The rain continued all afternoon so we amused ourselves chatting, reading and having a "G&S" singalong. The grass was tall where we moored and we took this picture of the rain-soaked grasses through the window.

The plan was to eat at the Pelican Inn at Froxfield as it came highly recommended in the guide books, but, as with the Dundas Arms at Kintbury, we found that it was closed for renovation so M cooked a lovely meal instead.
Today: 3 miles, 4 locks and 3.4 hours.
Trip: 128 miles, 82 locks and 95.2 hours (240.0 total).