Bradford on Avon

Map reference  ST 82586  59978

   

Distance 8.7 miles

Total 213 Locks 7 Tunnels

Running total mileage 235 miles

Almost started on the way to Bristol from Bath, but at the last moment decided to speak with the lock-keeper at Netham Lock to make sure that the river was OK at the Bristol end. He pointed out that there were Spring tides at the time giving the river approaching Bristol a bit of a flow. Decided to take his advice and return back East along the canal. After a two day stopover at Dundas Aqueduct during which we took the opportunity to ride the Two Tunnels cycle path into bath (through the ‘Musical tunnel’) we have now pressed on to Bradford on Avon again. On this occasion I have taken the opportunity to go for a swim at the excellent Bradford swimming pool.

Not sure at the moment what our plans are for the Weekend, ideally we would like to go back to Bath whilst the weather remains fairly dry (but cold) and try to travel down the Avon on a Neap tide so that the flow is controllable. Will have to see how it pans out, anyway below is a photo of the lock at Bradford which we also saw on on older film shown on BBC3 of the Golden Age of Canals. Most of the documentary was based in and around the midlands but this one image popped up that I immediately recognised to be Bradford. 

Back to Bath

Map reference  ST 75937  65644

    

Distance 4.3 miles

Total 212 Locks 7 Tunnels

Running total mileage 226.3miles

Once again a return to Bath on the weekend that Bath Rugby play Exeter so on Sunday (match day) the town was pretty busy. The river level on the Avon seems to have receded so there is now the possibility of continuing on towards Bristol but we shall have to see what weather is forecast. Spent a lot of yesterday listening and watching the England – New Zealand rugby match on radio and later on TV, shame about the result but a cracking match nonetheless.

Dundas Aqueduct

Map reference  ST 78452  62733

   

Distance 3.3 miles

Total 212 Locks 7 Tunnels

Running total mileage 222 miles

Well after a week at Avoncliff, allowing us to pop back to Torquay for the weekend we have once again moved on back to Dundas Aqueduct. The advantage of this location is that it has all necessary services, water, rubbish disposal,recycling and sewage disposal so, having sorted all of them we are now ready to return for another trip to Bath to see what the state of the river is.

Took advantage of the mooring at Avoncliff to take a cycle ride from there to Bristol to assist daughter with a car viewing (decided not to purchase) utilising the Bristol Bath Rail Path cycleway. Very pleasant ride it was since there is a total absence of any significant hill! When we get back to Bath may take another ride along it (and perhaps remember to take some photos this time

Avoncliff

Map reference  ST 81088  60184

  

Distance 6.2 miles

Total 212 Locks 7 Tunnels

Running total mileage 218.7 miles

Another stop for us at Avoncliff, near to Bradford on Avon, which has the benefit of being potentially a 14 day mooring. Since the rain is continuing and the River Avon continues to rise it looks as though our hopes of getting to Bristol are likely to be on hold for a little while. We are effectively trapped here at the moment since the Winter Stoppage program has begun and Bruce Tunnel is shut so there is little or no point in travelling back as far as Devizes as we would be unable to go much further and since the Deep Lock is closed at Bath due to the high water on the Avon we cannot go beyond that so we will have to shuttle backwards and forwards along this bit of canal until either the Avon subsides and we can get to Bristol or the Stoppages are completed allowing us to get back onto the rest of the system.

Return to Semington

Map reference  ST 89926  61042

   

Distance 9.5 miles

Total 211 Locks 7 Tunnels

Running total mileage 212.5 miles

Having called in at The Boatyard Chandlery at Hilperton for a variety of necessities (Gas, Kindling,Coal,etc) we are now back at Semington at the point at which the new Wilts and Berks canal is due to join the Kennet & Avon once it has been renovated. This is pretty much the same place that we were moored on 13^th October but since the Winter Stoppage season is now upon us it is likely that we will be revisiting a number of places before March when we can leave the canal.

Fairly heavy downpour of rain last night will undoubtedly mean that the River Avon will remain closed due to high water levels so our progress towards Bristol will continue to be delayed. 

One particular joy on this section of canal is the number of Kingfishers that we have seen. Over a number of years of holidaying on narrow boats the only place I had previously ever seen a Kingfisher was in the middle of Stoke on Trent but there seems to be quite a number of them on this canal. If the camera hadn’t failed me I would have been able to post a close up picture of one that was sitting on a branch just over the canal from where we were moored.

One slight drag on this section of canal is the number of moored boats which means that we have to travel at tick-over speed. I’m not in any great rush to get anywhere but the mechanic in me feels that these engines do not benefit from travelling at tick-over for hour after hour. This is evidenced by the fact that it begins to smoke a bit because (according to the manual) that is what happens when the engine is run on very light loading. As we travel back towards Bath (and another attempt to get to Bristol) I will try to count the number of moored boats, I think it will be in the hundreds!!

Dundas Aqueduct

Map reference  ST 78452  62733

    

Distance 4.4 miles

Total 210 Locks 7 Tunnels

Running total mileage 203 miles

Unfortunately due to the continued raised water levels on the Avon river we were unable to continue on to Bristol at the moment so have turned around and returned to Dundas Aqueduct where we will continue on to Bradford on Avon and Hilperton as we’d like to make a visit to the chandlery there. After that it will be another U turn and return to bath in the hope of being able to get out onto the river and down to Bristol.

The canal closures begin at the end of this week which will mean that we will have to stay this side of Bruce Tunnel until next month at the earliest, our intention will be to leave it until the end of December before we think about starting back up the canal towards Reading and the Thames