Downhill working for the steerer is easier as the boat will sit quietly, untethered as water drains out through the bottom gate paddles. As many of the locks on the K&A have to be left empty with a bottom paddle up (no by-wash to take excess water from above is the reason we presume) there's more for himself to do and passage can be slower. Our trip from Newbury to this summit lock No:55 above Crofton was not without incident, but yet again we are starting our story in middle.
We left Newbury on a reasonably sunny day and head for Kintbury, a place we had never yet rung at. A pleasant mooring above the lock and at the appointed hour we head for the tower where we receive a warm welcome.From Kintbury a short cruise to Hungerford for the weekend and more ringing on the excellent eight at S Laurence. This time renewing acquaintances and staying over for practice night on Wednesday. Himself is again invited to stand a quarter peal of Grandsire Triples for the evening service on the following Sunday (a wrong call before the last course loses the attempt but there was some lovely ringing). Thursday and we plan to take the short hop to Great Bedwyn where we will stay for the weekend, himself taking a one stop train ride back to Hungerford to ring in the quarter. But things don't go quite to plan.
About half way to Bedwyn, we are working through Froxfield Bottom Lock when himself, about to open the top gates notices they are padlocked together. Two of the Boys in Blue appear clutching a notice to put on the gates, “Sorry, there's a stoppage The pound above the flight has been accidentally drained.” They unlock the gates and let us through, but here we have to sit till the pound (almost a mile long) is re-watered. With a water shortage in the feeder lake this takes two days. As we were expecting to fill with water and use the sanitary station at Bedwyn that day things were getting desperate as we finally could move on!The trouble it appears was a repeating theme around the waterways. Keen holiday boaters underestimating time by going further than they should and in the haste to get back to base failing to properly close lock paddles. The result, water continues to flow through the lock from the pound above and at the end of the night the pound only has half the water it should have. Easily done.
When finally we arrive its Sunday lunch at the Cross Keys and renew acquaintance with landlady Sue (ringer and boater) to go with them to Collingbourn Kingston for Monday's practice. Sadly not enough ringers left in Bedwyn for their own practice so they go elsewhere. Also while we are here we make use of the excellent train service from Bedwyn to Paddington to go and visit my Chelsea Pensioner Dad at The Royal Hospital.
On to Honey Street and a call at Gibson's Boat Services, Avon Rose's first mooring, to fill with diesel. George is pleased to see her again and comments on how good she is looking. It seems he is finally going to retire but banks are still not lending to small businesses so his prospective buyers are finding it impossible to get loans despite what the government says. Honey Street essential too for a visit to the sawmill and the purchase of load of beech logs to fuel our fire for the winter. All stowed on the roof and himself demands a visit to the Barge Inn for refreshment and a basket of cheesy chips. Aaah the pleasures of the boating life. The downs with their white horse above Honey Street are a magnet for walkers, all of which provides year round custom for the Barge. We determine that next time we come through we really must take a walk up.
The weather is wet and damp. Leaves round the prop call for bursts of reverse more often now. Mud on the towpath at Bradford on Avon and we wish small dog could walk on stilts. His undercarriage is too close to the ground and is a magnet for mud. The fire it lit everyday and now in our second winter we have learned to control it better. The problem in a boat is not too cold but too hot. It's very easy to stoke the fire up too much and end up having to open all the doors and windows to cool down. The chimney liner is working a treat; no brown tar runs over the roof and down the cabin side. From Avoncliffe Halt we take the short train ride into Bath for a bit of shopping. Its niceto be back wandering familiar streets. We have to say, a year on, this feels like home.
