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

Top of Caen Hill Flight!!

Map reference  ST 98953 61481

Distance 1 miles

Total 290 Locks 7 Tunnels

Running total mileage 433.9 miles

Well, we’ve now dealt with and cleared the Caen Hill Flight, and with the assistance of the volunteers and the crew of ‘Lindy-Lou’ it all went very smoothly. I think we started the flight at about 9.40am and had cleared it by 12.15pm, so less than 3 hours for 17 locks, I’m happy with that! Not that it is any sort of race, but everything seemed to go like clockwork, as the first boats up the flight all of the locks were in our favour, and travelling as a pair made getting into the locks (and out again) dead easy. We’ll be mooring in Devizes for a couple of days to stock up with food then continue up the canal, leaving Devizes before Friday as that is when the canoeists start to arrive for the annual Devizes – Westminster race and I suspect it will be a bit chaotic around the Wharf.

Bottom of Caen Hill flight

Map reference  ST 97488 61448

Distance 3 miles

Total 273 Locks 7 Tunnels

Running total mileage 432.9 miles

Finally on the move towards Reading and the Thames. Not a high mileage today but we now have 10 locks out of the way. The sort of weather we have had today was superb and I would like to think that it is what narrow-boating is all about! After the hors d’oeuvre of today’s lock tally, this is what we have lined up for tomorrow!!

Think we’ll need a short rest after this lot. Hoping to team up with the crew of another narrow-boat called ‘Lindy-Lou’ who we have got to know whilst at this end of the canal during the winter, it seems that they are also going up through Caen Hill tomorrow, 2 crews = half the work (I hope!)

A short break from boating!

Map reference  ST 92882 61427

Distance 7.5 miles

Total 263 Locks 7 Tunnels

Running total mileage 429.9 miles

Well this short break in blogging was to enable us to get off the boat for a short spell to do a bit of walking. Having left the boat at it’s current location we travelled up to Avebury (or more precisely Overton Hill) and began the walk along The Ridgeway National Trail and so in the past few days we’ve walked some 40 miles along the trail to Goring. The cunning plan now is to get down the Kennet and Avon, back down the Thames and up the Grand Union Canal to Tring so that we can complete the Ridgeway National Trail from the other end, walking from Goring to Ivinghoe Beacon. If the weather and scenery is as good as we have experienced over the last week then it will be a very pleasant walk.

Tomorrow we begin our trek along the Kennet and Avon since everything now seems to be back to navigable conditions and our first challenge will be getting back up Caen Hill flight, hopefully this should happen on Tuesday. An additional challenge once we are up there is the fact that the annual Devizes to Westminster canoe race takes place next weekend (Easter), so we are due to overwhelmed with canoes. Will be interesting to see how many competitors take part.

Seend (final visit)

Map reference  ST 92882 61427

Distance 7.5 miles

Total 263 Locks 7 Tunnels

Running total mileage 429.9 miles

Well the Thames seems to be looking good with only 1 ‘red’ board left showing, unfortunately it is on the bit where the Kennet and Avon Canal meets it!  No updates on the CRT website about the condition of the River Kennet between Kintbury and Newbury, the last one being on 26^th March when it was still closed. We have decided to wait up at our current location below the Barge Inn at Seend until all of the stoppages are clear, the only remaining Lock stoppage at Hungerford Lock is due to re-open on Saturday. Also want to wait for a pretty rain-free day to go up Caen Hill flight as there is more chance of pairing up with someone if the weather is fine.

One notable pleasure now is that since the clocks went forward last Sunday we have a lot more daylight to play with since it is past  8pm now before it gets dark. When we travelled from Bradford on Avon to our current location we had a glorious day’s weather so things are definitely brightening up after a pretty wet winter.

On the way here we moored up overnight at Semington where it is intended that the restored Wilts and Berks Canal will join the Kennet and Avon, the location in the photo where the boat is moored is designated to be the entry to the new canal where there is supposed to be a Marina,(the board explains the plans) perhaps we'll pop back when it is finished