Kennet and Avon (Day 13)

Hi there

Well it's day 13 on the Kennet and Avon Canal and Nicky's done 32 of her 104 locks so she's 31% there, although put another way as we'll be doubling back, she's only 32 into 208 and that's only 15% down 85% to go. That said though, it's not actually as bad as it sounds as we've taken 13 days to do the 32 locks so a manageable two and a half locks a day. Whilst we don't like having to keep to schedules, we need to be around Bristol at the end of May so ticking over at about an hour and a half cruising hours a day that should see us there there or thereabouts on time.

Anyway, back to our cruising of the last few weeks.

We've been on the go now for four and a half years and still coming across new things. Above is a turf lock that's a brick lock as you'd expect on the other side and just open sided to the bank on this side with some metal work to keep you in the lock chamber.

Then another day and another different lock, I suppose you could call this a scollop sided lock? And we've managed to pick up a travelling companion enroute.

In our mini convoy of two for a few miles and luckily in position two so they've got the honour of stopping the traffic to open and close the swing bridge.

A nice old mill that we weren't quite quick enough with the camera (well I say we, but as usual my blog would be lost without Nicky snapping away) as the shot from an earlier angle would have shown it off far better.

The Boys looking to where they'd prefer to be.

Certainly can't complain about the weather we've been getting and makes for nice cruising photo's. . . . .

Another day and another cruising companion, well for a couple of miles that is until a nice spot to moor appears.

Then after mooring up it's out with The Boys for their couple hour walk and remember what I said about the weather, well it's nice enough for shorts, how about that for legs-n-boots and you don't even have to pay a subscription !!!

Decided to walk The Boys before moving today and came across Greenham Common. Not sure if it's the same one that used to be in the news way back to do with the American Airforce and bombs or something, but no sign of bunkers or anything so maybe not.

And how about this for a sculpture at the lock coming into Newbury.

Not a sculpture this time, but the real thing on a lock gate.

We do like a mooring with a view, but maybe best not to moor in a lock.

Would have been perfect though and unfortunately by the time we'd cleared the lock landing the view was no more so moved on a little further.

You guessed it, another walk for The Boys.

This was Nicky's 29th lock if I remember correctly.

And the last one for today and had planned to moor just round the corner until we found it was to shallow and had to go a bit further so just on the visitors mooring at Hungerford as I write this.

And today is Bink's 9th birthday so it was birthday cake time, well for the humans anyway, it was . . .

Doggy birthday treats for The Boys.

That brings us up to date on the cruising front and on the motorhome front, we've actually come across a few dealerships and had a look to try and narrow down what we're looking for or think we're looking for!!! It's like the old days when narrowboat hunting was top of the agenda.

Well that's us for now,

And so in signing off,

Day 1368 in the Badger Sett Narrow boat - 2937 miles, 1817 locks and 1464 cruising hours further on from when we started.