Old World Charm with Chips

Bradford-on-Avon really is a photographer's delight with the low bright winter sun reflecting off the golden local stone of it's historic buildings. The Avon racing along after the recent heavy rain; you wouldn't want to fall in. As you come down from the canal towards town bridge and pass through the car park behind the tourist information office you see the footbridge over the river to the Parish Church of Holy Trinity and next to it the tiny Saxon church of St Lawrence. From here are numerous little allies and flights of steps to take you up the side of the valley to the tiny church of St Mary Tory and wonderful views over the town and surrounding countryside, not forgetting the terraces of charming weavers cottages from days long gone.

Chips again? Well the fish shop on the corner of station approach is a pleasure not to be missed we have to say. Fish cooked to order with batter so crisp and light it had herself in raptures.

Being a person of a certain age does have its advantages in the guise of a small rectangle of plastic known as the national bus pass. To people with no wheels this is a boon which was put to good use in the sleepy village of Semmington, our next stop along the waterway. "What is there is Semmington?" you ask. Well apart from the Somerset Arms probably nothing to attract most boaters; but for us the bus stop for the number 234 bus which we duly board for a ride through Melksham to the quaint village of Lacot. If you've seen the TV period drama Cranford or Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice or Harry Potter you've seen something of Lacot. It's a favourite film location, a village still as it was at the end of the 19th century and now in the care of the National Trust along with the Abbey and the Fox Talbot museum. Abbey and museum sadly closed on the day of our visit. Fox Talbot being the inventor of the photographic process. "I wonder what he would make of digital?" she remarked. She is still dreaming of the French Onion soup consumed at the Sign of the Angel on Church Street. Log fires, good food and wine, no better way to spend time waiting for the return bus.

So now we've wandered on to Foxhanger Wharf and the bottom of the 29 lock flight up the hill to Devizes. Early to bed ready for a heavy day tomorrow. With chill easterly winds and snow predicted on the East Coast it could be interesting.

Well Here Goes

Here I am. No longer a virgin blogger. Up until now we have kept a private blog for close friends and family. It's been fun and well received. Others we have met on our journey have been interested in what we are doing so perhaps it's time to make something available for a wider audience. If no-one reads it we'll soon know and give it up. To find out what we're about go to our website at www.avonrose.org.uk. We don't claim to be unique. We've met many retired couples doing what we are doing. Perhaps others cruising the waterways may find things we note as we go along useful in planning their own cruising. Who knows?

So, the story so far. We started our waterway life back in September of 2008. We cruised from the fens of East Anglia via the Oxford Canal to the Kennet and Avon Canal and Bath, were we had a winter mooring while navigation was restricted by winter works. We've become acquainted with the guys at Bath Narrowboats who fitted a new Isuzu 42 to Avon Rose. It has replaced the Perkins D3-152 that had been fitted to her but was sadly becoming incontinent, springing oil leaks one after the other. We started this life to get away from hassle so sadly she had to go. Now, somewhat later than first planned, we leave Bath to make our way back East along the Kennet and Avon. We missed the early January window of escape and so are quietly bumbling along towards Devizes and the Caen Hill locks which will be closed until 31 January.

Here we are at Bradford-on-Avon having spent last night moored at the east end of Avoncliffe aqueduct where we spent a delightful evening in the Cross Guns in order to satisfy herself's need for chips. Strange the things people crave for at times. The Bath Bakery on Frome Road has already scored a hit with some wonderful bread. Nearer the centre of town the Fish & Chip shop is calling and we've found at last somewhere that will refill our Ecover bottles. (If you don't know about Ecover then you had better start Googling). Oh the simple pleasures of the boating life.

Well dear reader, that brings you up to date. Keep watching to see how our journey unfolds, unless of course you are of a nervous disposition and unable to cope with the excitement!