Devizes to Bedwyn

From Devizes we moved on to All Cannings to be frozen in again. Lovely community village. Have re-opened their village shop by running it as a community service, manned and run by volunteers. Been so successful that they are building an extension to give them more retail and storage space. Good ringing with an active band of 14 including teenagers and adult learners. They were glad to see us as we were able to help them do more with the learners. Nice pub too!

We then took Avon Rose home to her first mooring at Honey Street at Gibson's Boat Services, filled with diesel and chewed the fat with the man. The sawmill was also able to provide us with half a load of logs, now piled on the roof, so herself is a happy bunny; "I like a wood fire". The fact that she occasionally fills the boat with smoke by keeping the fire door open ("I like to see the flames!") and sets off the carbon monoxide alarm is neither here nor there. The Barge Inn is also our kind of pub; wood floors, log fires and welcomes dogs on leads (do a very nice line in cheesy chips - small dogs quickly scavenge any dropped by large dogs because they are a bit hot!). Also a centre for crop circle enthusiasts; last summer was a good year for them mine host informs us.

A pause at Pewsey for the weekend to attend church (missed the ringing, they stop 15 mins before service) and watched the rugby in the pub by the canal on Saturday. Himself and the landlord the only England supporters there! It was full of them Welsh and an ex pat Aussie! Outrageous!!! Nice village with lots of shops (small town really) but somewhat remote from the canal; good fifteen minute walk with hill.

So we've moved on to Great Bedwyn to pause here for a week as we have nearly 3 weeks before Kintbury locks are open. Lovely church, heavy six but they only practice on the first Monday of the month and service ringing by arrangement only. She's jumped ship! Lured away by the promise of a soak in a hot bath. These part time sailors! The excuse is she's going to help our daughter decorate their new kitchen. Good train service from Bedwyn into Reading and Paddington. A trip to Newbury for a day out is perfectly feasible. He'll have to kick his heels here on his own; making do with fresh crusty bread, pies and cakes from the village bakery. It's a hard life for an old boatman. Aaaaaaaaah.