All Cannings bridge

Map reference  SU 07729 62236

Distance 7.1 miles

Total 296 Locks 7 Tunnels

Running total mileage 441.0 miles

Starting to press on towards the Thames now, we have passed through Devizes and have moored for the night at All Cannings bridge, a particular favourite mooring I must say as it is in a very quiet rural area, surrounded by fields and with a view across to the White Horse. The highlight of our stay in Devizes was watching the start of the Devizes – Westminster Canoe race, although the start was delayed by a couple of hours because a body was found floating in the canal at 6.45am, 15 minutes before the first competitors were due to launch. It seems from press reports that the Police consider the death ‘unexplained’ but they haven’t said suspicious. It seems that the sad event took place no more than a couple of hundred yards from where we were moored overnight but we didn’t hear anything. Interestingly the owner of another boat moored nearby, ‘Calima’, thought that he heard something hit his boat at about 12.20am followed by a splash into the canal but when he looked out could see nothing untoward.

The competitors start out on the 125 mile race

Tomorrow we hope to press on to Pewsey with a view to getting to Cofton the following day, we will need to see what the weather has in store for us since rain is forecast for Sunday