After fifty odd miles of interesting viewing and cruising the Thames it was time to head back to the canal.
The Kennet & Avon starts at Reading and heads West to end at the Severn Estuary some 100 and three quarter miles away.
Were going as far as Bath which is 75 and a quarter miles with 95 locks to operate..
The turn off the Thames...
At Reading isn't very attractive ... Industrial with plenty of Graffiti...
Soon passing through the shopping centre....
Definitely easier on the eye....
we were soon past the shoppers and...
Starting on the frequent swing bridges... some electric and some manual operation...
The locks are all doubles...
And with only 1 NB in require a centre rope to hold the boat steady...
Or the large volume of water flowing as you open the gate paddles can smash the NB around from one side to the other...
Moored up for the day. The next day we came across an Aussie couple from Canberra..
They had hired a boat from Aldermaston and unbelievably were given no driving or locking tuition, told to watch a video which they had done while in Aussie, and now at their first lock which happens to be only about 300 metres from the hire yard they were really struggling to open the gates. Firstly the said lock has the Hardest / Heaviest gates on the canal and secondly they hadn't drained the lock enough. They had just come through a lift bridge, only 200 metres from the hire base, no tuition, and when they got the bridge up it took them so long to negotiate getting the boat through and then lower the bridge they had more traffic banked up than Lee Harvey Oswald caused at JFK,s shooting.
We offered to help and tutor them on locks and bridges and they were pretty grateful.
We travelled about another two miles then moored up. The next day they locked with us to Newbury by which time they were getting the Hang of the system...
Leonie opens a swing bridge and the Aussies go through.... Hire boaters always think one has "Good Manners" when you let them go first, especially into shared locks, but no it's just that one doesn't want his Freak'n boat Smashed into everytime...
This lock is one of two...
Turf sided locks... the water rises nearly to the side walk ways flooding all the vegetation on the lock walls... then you have to leave them empty.. Is there a "good theory" behind the construction?...
The lock filling....
Then it was time to press on and leave...
Paul and Cheryl... from Canberra...
At Newbury we caught up with Keith and Brony, NB Kotuku, from Christchurch NZ.
They have lent Kotuku to their visiting NZ friends and were visiting them here.
Keith and Brony, ashore, and Graham and his missus as we push off to continue after a couple of hours yakking...
Another swing bridge...
Leaving Newbury...
Then we were soon...
Out where narrow boating is best... the quite and beauty and solitude of the countryside...
Moored the next night at Kintbury....
The view out the side hatch....
We also met Dot and Gordon, although he was busy slaving over the stove, of NB Ewn Ha Cul.
Always follow their blog and are envious of their escapades when they meet with the other "Stone Rangers"... notably Paul, Elaine, Ray and Diane....
All this meeting and talking to fellow Nbers, I'm starting to feel like I've taken over from the now retired "Socialite of the Cut" Elly from NB Parisien Star...
Dot asked us to stand on the stern of their good ship for a photo... we did...
Next day we were topping up the water at Hungerford when another NB pulled up to use the facilities. It was NB Imagine with Peter and Jackie, live in Devon with a luxurious sea view, like the sea 30 metres away, and spend the summer on the cut.
A suggestion to "Tag Team" the forth coming locks was accepted so we...
Sort of fitted in here just above the Hungerford Town bridge until they caught up..
Out of town and onto the locking...
At Hungerford Marsh lock there is a swing bridge that traverses the lock so has to be swung away to use the lock...
The weather was hot and the locks kept coming ....
But with Leonies and Jackies enthusiasm and an energy level showing no bounds the miles were getting slashed...
In a lock side by side....
Skippers... Peter and Ray... the dude on the side had just enquired " is one of you two Gay?"..
We ignored his Stupidity.... I mean why would he ask that anyway...
So he ventured to the lock beam....
"Which one do you think Jackie?"...
Onto Crofton and moored by the...
Croften pumping station.. in use by 1812 and the original steam boiler and Beams pumps, the oldest still operational in the world, can still be used although electric pumps now control the flow of water to the lock flight...
The Tall brick chimney is...
Bound with Iron rings to help hold it together...
Inside one of two...
Boulton and Watt boilers.. 1812.. this one still operational...
After a Hard Hot day.... of watching and offering constructive advice on the use of Windlass's....
A relaxing drink and nibbles on the towpath was in order...
The next morning....
8.30 am Peter dared to enter the Cauldron to watch the AB,s V England live....
We survived, he survived and a good time with Great company continues.....
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