Up the hill to Devizes!

Saturday promised to be a lovely day and it lived up to the promise. We needed to get to the top of the hill today. Heather and Mum joined us and off we went.

The Caen Hill Lock Flight is a wonderful feat of engineering but (looking at it from the bottom) a bit of a daunting task. Once you start, you cannot stop. Part way up we were held up for a short time whilst a pair of boats who were coming down, sorted out their interlocked fenders. This allowed us to 'pair-up' with another boat. It's a lot easier when there are more muscles available and someone to go ahead and set the next lock.

The cafe at the top is a welcome sight because it means you have reched the top of the main part of the Caen Hill Lock Flight and can pause for breath.

And admire the view back down the hill. All perfectly aligned - marvellous!
Only a few locks left and we will be in Devizes Town, which is as far as we intend to go today.

Semington to Rowde

Saturday looked as if it was going to be a nice day, but the forecast for Sunday was dire. We went to Semington on Friday evening after work in preparation for our continued journey eastwards.
Saturday did turn out nice. Semington, up two locks, then over the busy A350 on the new aqueduct, then two (or is it three?) swing bridges to Seend. Looking at the time, we needed to carry on, so, up through the five locks at Seend.
This is Sells Green Swing Bridge...

Then on to Sells Green. This always looks like an utterley idyllic spot to me. Maybe it is because we have always been through when the sun was shining!

Then on past Foxhangers to the start of the hill. Only six locks to go until we reach our mooring for the night. Good place to stop in preparation for the Caen Hill ascent. I caught a bus back to Semington to collect the car.
Sunday - it rained! Lit the fire to keep warm and sat and read various books, papers and did puzzles.

Bradford-on-Avon to Semington

Sunday looked as if it was going to be a lovely day again. Our visitors of yesterday had left us in the evening to go their separate ways. After a little bit of shopping we headed up to Bradford-on-Avon lock and into the mayhem. There seem ot be masses of people, lots of them wandering around with windlasses in their hands but nobody knowing quite what to do. It was very busy. The lock was empty, someone had just come out. Another boat was in front of me, so we both went to go into the lock gates when they were suddenly closed on us. After a bit of hard astern and some hasty mooring to the far bank, the gates were eventually opened and we went in. Judy and Alison had organised some of the people controllong paddles and gates and sorted everything out. We managed to get through the lock, pick up crew and made our way out of the pandemonium to the more tranquil waters heading for Semington.

It is always very busy at Bradford-on-Avon Lock. There are always plenty of boats and plenty of on-lookers.

Not long before we are on our way through the Wiltshire Countryside on our way to Semington.

Bath to Bradford-on-Avon & an Eighteenth!

You can often see hot air balloons flying over Bath in the early evenings. This one flew just over us...

Followed by a few more...

They are always a colourful sight.

Early next morning we were joined by Nicky & Bethan and David & Holly for the journey from Bath to Bradford-on-Avon. As it was Bethan's 18th Brithday we are all able to celebrate this with her. The weather was absolutely perfect for out trip through Bathampton and on to Dundas Basin. Passengers were encouraged to disembark and go an have a look at the Aqueduct whilst more menial tasks were attended to!

A view of Dundas Aqueduct that is probably rarely seen by boaters. You have to get off your boat and walk to the far side, then down a set of narrow steps. The view is worth it. The River Avon flows gently under the arch on its way to (funnily enough) Avonmouth.

Guess who's 18? Bethan, Alison, Judy, David & Holly, Nicky took the photograph and I was doing the loos back at the Wharf.

A view of the downstream side of the Aqueduct.

This is more like the view most boaters have of the Dundas Aqueduct as we cross Eastbound.

Shortly after Dundas, if you are heading towards Bradford-on-Avon there is this piece of Art, hanging from a tree. It has been there a few years and I hope it remains there.

A rare photo of me! Somewhere between Dundas and Avoncliff. As yo ucan see it was a beautiful day.

Two photos of me! Not so rare now. Crossing Avoncliff Aqueduct. Passengers were put ashore to walk over the Aqueduct, look at the weir and buy ice-creams.
And so we made out way to Bradford-on-Avon and moored behind the Tithe Barn for the night.

It was Bethan's 18th Brithday - we all wished her a Happy Birthday and the cake was duly cut and shared.

Bradford-on-Avon to Bath

During our stay at Bradford-on-Avon we found one of the gold post boxes and just had to take the 'obligatory' photograph:

Judy and Alison by the Gold Post Box in Bradford-on-Avon

To celebrate the Olympic success of local lad Ed McKeever who was signing autographs among the throng!

 

We went on a walk around Bradford-on-Avon (highly recommended) following a free guide map. We went through some of the back lanes and saw many of the historical sites/sights including St. Mary Tory on the side of the hill overlooking BoA.

 

St.Mary Tory above the Hermitage, overlooking BoA.

 





Then came the time to move towards Bath - crossing the Avoncliff Aqueduct

and then on to Dundas...

for lunch.

 

From Dundas is is a short journey to Bath where we stayed for a couple of days. The womenfolk wanted to do some shopping. I was able to escape this ordeal and stay on the boat and potter about!

As the river was high, we drove along the Avon as best we could, looking at all of the locks as part of our planning to go to Bristol next summer.



Hidden amongst the shrubbery!

Here we are, hidden amongst the shrubbery...

Up behind the old Tithe Barn at Bradford-on-Avon

Again I played 'car and boat leapfrog' to get from Semington to Bradford-on-Avon. The weather was good and I enjoy the walking. Before lunch we moved from Semington to Staverton, then I walked back to collect the car. Then we moved gently on to BoA and stopped on the 24 hour mooring so that the girls could go down the town to find cake whilst I surveyed the longer term mooring possibilites behind the Tithe Barn. After moving to 'the shrubbery' we ate and I collected the car. It is amazing how peaceful a late eveing walk along a towpath can be. The high-speed cyclists seem to have retired for the day and everything is quiet. A great time to lookout for wildlife.

Devizes to Semington

Mum & Heather stayed on Constance for the best part of a week in Devizes. They were able to go out around the town and surrounding countryside and enjoy their leisure time.
On Friday, Judy Alison and I went to Devizes because the weather forecast looked good with the purpose of continuing our westward journey down the Caen Hill Lock Flight. We had our team - me driving, Judy, Alison and Heather operating the locks and Mum supervising either from the cratch or from the stern with me.
People often ask 'Why is it always the womenfolk who operate the locks whilst the menfolk do the easy bit of driving?' It seems to be preference. On very rare occasions I can persuade Alison to 'drive' but the rest of the time... I would love to operate locks sometimes!

We set off just before 12 from Devizes Wharf to start the descent. Once you get to Lock 43 you are starting the flight proper and it is then a continuous run until Lock 29 when you reach the bottom. You cannot stop, there is nowhere to stop, you keep going. Good job the weather was good!

At the bottom there is one chance for photos, looking back up at where you have come from.

This is the view from Lock 28 looking back up the Caen Hill Lock Flight.
This has got to rate as one of this Country's greatest man-made achievments!

We stayed the night below Lock 28
Saturday we moved on towards Foxhangers.
Water Lilies - I hope this boat will not get too tangled on the roots!

They have built a new marina there since I last came by this way.

Then on to Sells green and Seend, stopping for the night opposite The Barge Inn at Seend.

Sunday:
Seend to Semington.
On Sunday morning Mum and Heather went shopping. They went to a big Tesco at Trowbridge, a bit of a busman's holiday for Heather!

We had to wait for the rain! The Sunday Lunch crowd at The Barge Inn scattered! The heavens opened, thankfully it was short lived.
There are four locks and three swing bridges between Seend and Semington. Once the threat of rain abated we were on our way. We stopped by Semington road bridge for evening meal and let our passengers off then moved to a longer term mooring so that we could leave Constance for a few days.
Mum & Heather thoroughly enjoyed their week on board.