Onward.... Westward......

Onwards toward Bath.
Can't complain about the K&A canal as a lot do. Apart from one nearly impossible lock gate the rest have been no harder than any other canal. Sure the locks keep coming, although there is a fourteen mile stretch with none, but it's no more demanding than say the Grand Union to London. And boaters keep complaining about lack of water points. Well we've found them regular and havn'tt gone below a half tank without any need for rationing.
The sunny days have been repetitive and the bare feet on the rear deck have been getting a fare burning top and bottom...

Entered the Bruce tunnel..502 yds... NB Imagine follows...

A restored wooden crane at Burbage wharf....

Onto Wootton Rivers were we moored for the night....
A town with many timber framed thatched houses...

 

 

 

 

 

 

We visited the pub on the right. Nice little pub and the only one in the village.
Lucky for them because the overweight woman serving was so sour, seems she sucked lemons full time, didn't smile and the act of serving patrons was a pain for her. A well dressed local overheard our discussing her manner as we left and walked down the road and he agreed but said unfortunately the locals had no other choice handy.
Anyway the beer was cold and tasty...

Next day we made a water stop so time for...

Some piklets, whipped cream, raspberry jam and an ice cream at the same time...

Passed a floral display....

 

Chelsea afloat....

From  the village of  Honeystreet  on the hills to the North is...

The White Horse cut into the hill in 1812...

Beside the canal is the Barge Inn pub...
Formerly a slaughterhouse, bakehouse, brewery and grocers...
It was very busy but we managed to get an outdoor table....

 

 

 This group of colourfull (people) asked if they could share the table. "sure can take a seat"...
Well what an entertaining time we had. They had been to a fair or something but ended up camping  in the woods somewhere and having a party,as you do, don't know if they looked worse for wear or normal.
The chick on the LR was French.. deep French accent.. The RH rear, coloured ropehead, lived in an ideallick forest setting up North...and the dude in the Hawhaiin shirt was a pro, guitarist in bands, punk bands etc.. I think he understated his talent a bit.. Didn't stop us sharing his hot chips when he got his meal though then we all had to have a taste out of ropeheads pint cos, she was trying the local green beer...
Peter, Jackie, Leonie and me had a good time there...


Then another, Hippie, pulled in in a NB...

 

Pete just returning from self helping himself to help the guy moor up...

 

Reluctently moved on.....

 

Looked up and saw a plane towing two gliders at once.. may be normal but new to me...

Moored at Devizes for a couple of nights...

Got the soap suds and ... Oh bought a new deck brush  on a handle so a roof scrub was in order...

Left Devizes and around the first bend....

The first of six locks that lead to the Caen Hill flight... sixteen locks... then seven more... 29 locks in less than two and a half miles...

I think I found it....

Could it be the Black Box from the missing Malaysian plane??...

Looking down...

 

From the top of the flight... lovely green countryside too....

Our traverse of the flight wasn't fast as we had several minor hold ups while we had to wait to empty our locks after NB,s coming up had moved....

 

Waiting in a lock with NB Imagine....

Because locks have water...





A water shot was in order......

Had time so...

 

 Stopped before exciting a lock two thirds down for a bite to eat...


And then exited the last of the flight locks....

 

 It's an impressive sight looking back up hill...

Had a team photo.. Leonie, Ray, Peter, Jackie and their friends who helped... Malcolm and Sara....

 

 

End of the day... Moored up at Sells Green and went to the pub.. Three Magpies.......