Hungerford to Pewsey

The mooring last night was ok but the hooligans were a pain. :-)  The hooligans I am talking about are the ducks.  the danmn things think that a boat is nothing more than an landing stage for ducks.  Thud thud and its twomore on the roof checking out the lettuce and beetroot plants.

As there is a decrease in the rain we decided to move to the other side of the lock and some peace and quiet.

Just above the lock and its very quiet

The following day and less rain so we are off.

At Cobblers Lock the lockies house looks unloved.  However it has been sold as a notice in the window says.  Best of luck with that one.

Its getting a bit busy around here.  Not that many boats about really.

The water level seems to be fairly constant but several times I have woken up in the morning with the boat leaning well over and yet the level seems the same as the night before.

One of the round overflows.

One of the little villages along the way with the Great Western Railway right next to the canal.

Great Bedwyn appears along the way.

Moored at Great Bedwyn with the church right next to the canal.

The church with its central tower that looks big enough for umpteen bells.

It has some fine memorials.  This one mentions the marriage of a knight to a Queen of England ex-Henry VIII

Lovely arches.

Outside and the ancient preaching cross but

what exactly does this represent.

Along the road and the shop and Post office turn out to be well worth a  second look. the walls are covered with gravestones and the like.

This is the written language Ockam and if you need the alphabet its all there for you.

Heading back to the boat.

and the mooring for tonight and its raining again.

and we are away again.  Met up with a couple walking the dogs and Lee had the devils own job stopping Cassey from pinching the other dogs ball.  Give Cassey a ball normally and she has left it behind after 30 seconds but not today.

The sun keeps coming out and we stop for a while at the Crofton Pumping Station.  This year is its 200th anniverary having been built in 1812 and is the oldest beam engine still in use.

Looking for a mooring.  Not a lot around really.  Where ever there is a chance of getting along side there are dozens of boats taking up the space and not all of them are permit holders either.

Sometimes the trees do gert a little overgrown but still look nice. Still we are now on the summit and its downhill from here.

Excitement.  The tunnel is 500 yards long so the other end is visible.

Inside the tunnel there are still the chains that bargees of old used to pull themselves through.

Brickwork all the way through.

Its warmer out than in.

Burbage Wharf.  The project was to rebuild one of the cranes that once lined the canal.  I saw the central pillar many times (there are several at Bugsworth) and its nice to see what they really looked like.

Moored for the night.

A nicde day with the sun out but the locks are a little close together.  There has been at least one every mile and many every half mile.

Going down hill

Someone explain this to me.  Can you see the orange colour at the end of the arrow?  That is a fish trying to get into a hole in the brick work. Why?

All the way along the canal there has been pill boxes from the last war.  This one is high on the bank

Someone has set up their pole lathe on the bank.  Wonder what he makes?

New bank being built.  Good to see the weaving of poles to define the edge.

I did say that the boat leans over

I dont think that this is what I meant.  It will take more than a bit of tarpaulin to cure the leak.

Miles and miles to the next lock.  Tonights mooring.

Met up with a couple cycling the canal towpath.  Turns out that he is from Swansea area and knows the old British Aluminium works that I would visit with my father when he drove for them.

Newbury to Hungerford

Due to the rubbish weather yet much needed rain we stayed in Newbury for an extra day.  

Then as we made to move I found a split in the hose connecting the gearbox oil cooler and the radiator.  Tried to get a replacement but the yard didnt recognise it so they could order it.

In the end I did a Fred on it and cut up a tyre inner tube and glued it on and hoped for the best.

It looks a bit like the the boot cover on the drive to the wheels on a car.  Anyone got an idea for a replacement? :-)

Before leaving I took the opportunity to top up with derv.  Only managed to put in 50lt so did rather well since the last fill up.

Just around the corner and the start of the city centre and a nice new bridge with the Kennet and Avon Trust shop on the left hand side.

 

Its not very far but there is a lot of weaving about as the river comes down through Newbury.

Last couple of bends before the lock.  The little stone bridge is the only point at which the river flows and is it fast.

At the lock there are a couple of black metal items and a warning that if you insist on taking your horse across the street then a fine is in the offing.

Above each metal item is the explanation for it being there.

This is still Newbury and a lovely little street with a swing bridge on the end of it.  Bit of a pain as the barriers have to be exactly down and in the right place before the bridge will operate.

Some delightful bridges out in the country.

The sun is out and its a pleasure trundling along.

Looks as though its back to the woods for the canal.

The mooring for the night.  There are not many around and this one is onto the bank with the gangplank out.

First thing in the morning and all along the towpath are half a dozen or so groups of army personnel.  After half an hour they vanish in the same direction as they appeared.

The end of the warning area.  Lock 80 is the last one after Reading where care needs to be taken due to the water flow.

The field comes right down to the canal.  It does look a bit odd.

Stopped at Kintbury to pick up water and waited for a ukhireboat to top up first.  It seems there are a lot of disgruntled customers out there as many of their hire-boats are going out without a full tank and the hirers are having to top up after a day.  There is also an issue with full toilet tanks I have been told.

As we sit there the horse-drawn canal boat comes along.  The horse-handler has just stopped leaping about over the roofs of some narrowboats to ensure that the rope doesn't fowl. At this point he drops the tow rope

and the boat glides serenely on to the lock whilst

the horse ignores it all and wanders down to the lock on its own and gets on with a nibble on the grass.

What a nice house.

Bet its the local MP :-)

The first hint of Hungerford in the distance.

The centre of the town is here somewhere.

Rather a nice footbridge that is the access to the house from the road crossing the bridge.

The other side of the bridge and old houses lining the canal.

Tonights mooring.  A lovely town and we will be off to admire it tomorrow.