If you have a mind to ......

[pelicanafloat]

There has been some attention of late regarding those people and boats that inhabit our canals and sort of 'CC', and I confess to having a generalised opinion based mostly on gossip and the reading of the occasional article associated with various aspects. My approach to being on the canals is one of trundling along having a peaceful and relaxed time and so I prefer to go where others are not. So you can imagine that I felt slightly apprehensive of my upcoming visit along the Kennet & Avon Canal and armed with loads of gossip, we set off.....

 

After the beauty of the Thames, the K&A entrance isn't exactly thrilling. I think depressing might be a better description until you get into the 'Red Light' area of Reading - the one-way system allows for a chance to enjoy the cruise through the town centre. We enjoyed it. Our enthusiasm was dented a bit when we rearranged our handrail in a chance meeting with a balance beam in Fobney Lock and we were not amused. Nor were we amused when a marina charged £20 for a pump out and an additional £4 for us to fill up our water tank, nope, not amused at all, but hey ho the sun is shining! And as we travelled along we found a lot to be thankful for but curiously we found people with boats in marinas along the way only too willing to tell us how the boats are moored up nose to tail and how we'd never find a spot and it all a bit gloomy in their eyes ... well, we determined to move along ....

 

The K&A can be a bit narrow in places. It does have a few boats nesting in hollows and you cannot go very fast especially when passing; and we did get accused by some old sow with gleaming dentures of treating the canal as if we were on the "Trent & Mersey!" though quite why she was so grumpy was a bit of a mystery seeing as we were throttled back to tickover! We found many acceptable moorings, some with use of gang plank, and our two border collies thought they were back on the agility course! We visited an apple orchard, picked loads of berries, and made 12 jars of homemade blackberry and apple jam We met the horse drawn boat at Kintbury. At Aldermaston we met up with a gaggle of posh fishermen only they were anglers cause they only did fly fishing, of course! And we will have to mention arriving on a Friday afternoon outside "The Barge" at Honeystreet and having the good fortune to find 2 nice moorings to choose from, and the added bonus of watching a wedding celebration that evening with great music and a display of flashing lights twinkling away in the trees , and a couple of flame throwers having great fun before we left them all to it and we turned in.

 

Devizes came, and went ... and we went through all the locks on the Caen Hill flight in one day, two of us following a single boat, and we found it hard going to keep up! We were advised to take note that at lock 38 we must exit singly as the entrance is too narrow. As it happened, two boats were in the other lock so we would have cross over with care. At this point you might like to close your eyes. A hire boat came straight out of the other lock and rammed into us and we were wedged fast! They ended up being towed back out while water paddles were opened behind us to provide a bit of fizz and we parted .... hmmm, rather glad we going the other way I was knackered for the next two days! On to Bradford on Avon, which to say the least was a bit busy, but through the lock we went and straight into a nice mooring spot next to a very 'must see' Tithe Barn - absolutely recommend it! And finally, next day we arrived at Bath and thrilled to find that the six locks were manned by volunteers and we zoomed into Bath, a quick left turn into the River Avon, a nice easy turn around after bridge 198, and we moored up in relative peace and quiet by the railings! Fantastic!

 

We took a lazy three weeks to come this far. Now we have to return to the Thames (wife on day 2 of 3 day migraine attack ) and continue our journey back to our winter mooring near Rugby. Am hoping the weather will hold... we got some nice places to revisit

[Boaty Jo]

Yep, about sums it up...

Apart from a railing and some gnashing of teeth you sound to have had a great time.

[Beaker]

Thanks for sharing that with us, brought back a few (fairly recent) memories.

 

It was a couple of walks along the western end (Bradford to Bath) that finally set us off on this boating lark. (Blimey, that was only early July, we seem to have had Cloud 9 for months already!)

 

We didn't think it was too crowded along that section, although there were certainly a few boats that didn't appear to have moved for months or even years.