Pea Soup, Hops and Muck Spreading.

Thursday 23rd August 2018 by Wootton Rivers.
Ten locks lie between Pewsey and Crofton Pumping Station - our objective for the weekend as they will be "in steam" and working for the Bank Holiday. David, on nb. "Silent Waters", had asked if we could share the locks as Kay had to go home and he was "single handing". We were happy to agree and we set off after a lunch of home made pea soup.

Just wheat fields and chalk downs for company on the way. Very rural and relaxing.

This rural idyll was slightly marred by the olfactory assault from a farmer "muck spreading" the field next to the canal! Pooh!!

Four modes of transport in parallel - narrowboating, walking, cycling and the GWR ("all of them wonderful", said M).

R and David chatted together as they shared the locks. We hoped to find moorings at Wootton Rivers (after just two locks) and to do the other eight locks tomorrow.

While M was walking ahead to "set" the next lock, she saw hops growing in abundance in the hedgerows.

Naturally, she couldn't resist picking a sprig and bringing it back on board!

There were some moorings available at Wootton Rivers but the canal edge was so shallow that R could only moor MM a few feet from the edge.

"Silent Waters" has an even deeper draught than MM, so David couldn't even get close, therefore he decided to go on through the next couple of locks on to the summit pound in the hope of finding a better mooring. We agreed to catch up again in the morning.
Today: 3 miles, 2 locks and 2.9 hours.
Trip: 216 miles, 119 locks and 147.2 hours.