End up in Bath

 

Moored up outside Devizes.  One of the several mooring places we have used to keep out of the town.

On the way back into town and on the last tight bend and the K & A trust are out and about doinhg their bit to keep the canal in good nick.  Here taking out umpteen feet of bushes on the bend and doubling the width of the canal.

Back opposite the theatre and off to the shops. Mind you today we have visitors.

Some of the lovely people (Mal said) from Southampton turned up.  I promised Lee an icecream from the Cafe at the top of the flight. Sadly :-) they close at 1700 so we had to go without.

Heading back to the wild.  Just checking on how the garden is coming along.

The mooring for the next few days.  A lovely walk on the right through the trees to Lidls.

Got the dog a couple of toys.  This one os a ball on a rope.  It lasted about ten minutes before the ball had been totally destroyed but the rope is still in use :-)

You can just make out the white horse on the hill.  There is another not far away.

Moving a little further out into the country.  Up here is the village of All Canning and its here that there will be a gig for cancer charity headed up by Brian May.

Stopped for the night

According to my guide book this swing bridge is chained open.  Thanks goodness for that.  The hawthorn trees growing through it would make a little bit of a faff to work.

Another of the very individual boats that can be found on the canal.

The winding hole and change direction back towards Devizes.

Heading back in to pick up more wine, milk and bread :-) Garden coming along nicely.

Another lovely day in Devizes

Give us a piggyback Mummy :-)

Moored up waiting to go down the Caen Flight and on the boat opposite - a visitor.  Several times it wandered along the gunnel.

A local steam enthusiast turning around nearby.

and we are off.  The first lock takes us out of Devizes proper and into the first six locks

Going down with nb Panther and two more boats coming up.

The start of the flight and we can spot several other boats coming up.

Wide beam playing silly persons in the lock.

The last of the locks in the flight.  There are just another six to go and we will be back to near normal boating.

 The view back up the flight.  One hundred and thirty feet in distance the boats are lifted plus another fifty foot in the six locks at both ends.

Odin the dog looking somewhat bedraggled after falling into the filling lock.  His owner was more worried than he was as I dragged him out as he tried to climb up the gate.

This lock has large lumps cut out of the cill.  I wonder if this was on purpose or by the boats rudder catching on it for some many years. Not every lock has it so I assume its down to boats and it does stick out a bit.

Both of us in the last of the locks

A swing bridge.  Lee on one side and a couple of lads on the other working the bridge. Very polite lads but why is it that to do this kindness they had to stop throwing stones at the ducks.

Views popping up between the hedges.

Now this is what I call a Lockkeepers Cottage.  Very upper class so must be nearing Bath :-)

Another individual style boat.  Aluminium top to an ex-lifeboat it seems.

The ssite on the major event that held us up in Devizes for so long.  The culvert fixed and the banks as good if not better than new.

With some boats its the paintwork that gives it the edge.  This one has been well and truly graffitied.

Lots of honey coloured sandstone everywhere.

Even the bridges are of the same material.  No cheap and ugly brickwork here. Unless you count the repair :-)

More pilings ready to go in and another length of canal bank improved.

and a very individual roof over the bow.

Limpley valley is a delight but must make sure that its not  raining next time we come along it.

I think Bath is over there somewhere.

The Dundas Aquaduct and a sharp right hander.  To the left is the Somerset Coal Canal

Another lifeboat but this time a bit more modern.

Nearly in Bath and a boat that looks as though it has a grotto on the bows.

Back into the woods

In thre Bathampton area and someone has just rescued a sheep from the canal.  I don't think it was breathing for a while as the gent was giving it some compression but as we went passed it was coughing a bit so all is well.

and into Bath via the two short tunnels.

Devizes

Back out and into the wilds.  During the 20 days or so that we were stuck in this area we would move out to different parts od the canal for a change rather than moor up in Devizes as some boats did.

Just a few hours cruising to keep the batteries full.

and you have to pass boats like this one.

The whole of the roof is covered in grass.  Just the place to keep a goat I should think.

Lovely idea.

Near the swing bridge and the dog was very happy to get into the canoe and go travelling.

A nice looking pub with moorings just the other side of the bridge but.......

......the otherside and its Jack Sparrow the dayboat with a crew of ladies on board.  They were having trouble with the steering.  They couldn't get the boat to go through the  bridge having already clouted a canoe on the opposite bank.

Still trying.

I actually over took the boat ahead. Really he pulled over and I went past.  Named and looks like a skip but very tidy.

Closer to Devizes and the White Horse cut into the hill appears.

Passing one of the moorings we go to.

Calling in to pick up some gas at the boatyard.

The first of the bridges into Devizes.

Lots of work has been done to the banks along here. there is a little footpath along the waters edge just right for the ducks :-)

Someone is have the garden done from the canalside.  New terracing and piles put down.

The sign says "What if the Hokey Kokey is what its all about" 

Two more bridges and its the wharf.  There has been a Walk for Life today and the marshalls seem to be packing up.

A welcome to Devizes sign.  Behind it someone has laid out flowers to say "I love Devizes" At least they really are trying and it is a lovely place.

The wharf with the theatreon the left.

Moored up and shopping.

Off for a walk.  Cassie is just checking out the personal items left behind by other dogs.  If a dogs sense of smell is so good why do they need to get so close!

There are six locks before the flight with a cafe at the top. 

Each set of six locks (there are six at the bottom too) drops us down 50 foot and the flight is 130 so all in all its a fair old way down over 2 and a bit miles.

Sat at the bottom contemplating the hike its going to be when we bring the boat up them.

Done the shopping so we are off to the countryside.

Some of the gardens are really part of the canal scene while others are just left to go wild.

More piling going on and soil being added.

Not far now to the mooring.

And relax :-)

The flaming dog found a dummy and spent all day wandering about with it in its mouth.

Left to our own Devizes maybe

Got the camera SD card working again.  Not sure what happened but a format and it seems ok now.  Must get another one just to be on the safe side.

With boats moored all along the canal ahead we reach the outskirts of Devizes.  Any number of the houses that back onto the canal have made something of the canal as a feature.  Still a few that haven't been touched for years and one or two that have just been left for ever as a wilderness.  Nice not to see the steep banks used a dumping ground as it is in some places.

Moored up within sight of the first of the six locks before the Caen flight.  Haven't made a decision yet on what we will do in the immediate future.  

The Avon was still in flood and the culvert was reportedly worse than first thought with several leaks not just one.  Its going to be at least till the end of the month before we can get underway for Bristol.

The Skip arrives at the wharf.  Looking very tidy but a little bit on the slow side. He did pull over and let me pass.  One of the few times I have overtaken anyone and even then I was not a great deal faster.

Off for a wander around Devizes.

A rather nice covered market that wasnt used to its full potential I thought.

Further into the town and the square is used as a car park and looks like a car park first and square second. Felt quite odd.

Fine old buildings and a brewery at the end of the road.  Wadworths and I did manage to try the 6x.

The moorings to the right and the Wharf Theatre to the left. Several hire and trust boats tend to be moored near the theatre and the Kennet and Avon Trust have a shop next to the boat in the foreground.

On May 13th went to the Wharf Theatre to see Two Gentlemen of Verona.  The dog stole the show it was so well behaved.  A lovely evening out.

We took a walk out to view the locks and the descent to come.

Right at the bottom and looking up the flight.  Its only 130 feet but the amount of energy that has been used to get up there over the years must be considerable.

It seems to go on for ever. 

PS there are also another 6 locks taking us down another 50 foot behind me. Overall it goes from Lock 22 to Lock 50 over a distance of two and a quarter miles raising the boats approx 230 feet so you need the 12 miles lock free after it to recover.

Stay for a few days and we shall move out of Devizes to a mooring in the countryside.  They are only 72 hours here so rather than have questions asked its easier to move out and pop back in every so often to do the shopping.  

The hot water boiler keeps shutting down and so no hot water.  I think that it is the water pump not working properly as it is taking an age to re-pressurise the system. It will give me something to do apart from sunbathing.