What a lovely day!

What with the glorious sunshine and the autumnal tree colours as we passed Silbury Hill this morning en route for NW Outer London (unfortunately a too frequent destination these days), we found we could marginalise the circumstances of life.
When I got back to Epiphany I found it is possible (in mild, dry weather) to put the webcam on even while I'm working on the computer, so if you want to see our view across the water you're welcome to have a look.
Sub-editor.

Show Offs

Like most boat owners we enjoy "showing our boat off"! Regardless of its age, size or sometimes even condition. Maybe it is something to do with the feeling of "this is my space, I love it and hope you share the love of boats for boats sake".

Living on the boat, particularly one you designed or remodelled to suit you definitely gives a feeling of satisfaction and dare I say it pride! Everyone has their own ideas, ideals and "pet subjects". We certainly enjoyed looking at other boats, adopting good ideas and adapting others! We still do.

Our first love is a narrowboat. We have friends who prefer broad beam, cruisers, and even "seagoing craft". The latter being across the Pond (an honorary mention here for Tim and Carol just in the process of retiring in the States, companions on hire boats many years ago). Theirs is a very different kind of boat.


Where am I going with all this you say? Well this morning we had a call from Jon from Bath Narrowboats. Would we let some prospective customers visit us? Yes of course, delighted. We know that talking to owners is very important in the quest for a boat builder/fitter.

We spent a pleasant hour or so talking about our experiences and our satisfaction with our boat - our dream, that Bath Narrowboats and Colecraft created for us. They both live up to their advertising slogans "Be Confident, Buy Colecraft" and "Your inspiration + Our craftsmen = Complete satisfaction" (Bath Narrowboats).

I have so many pictures of boats in my lap top one of my tasks soon is to label them so I can sort them into categories. Easy on Picasa by giving each photo a keyword. Which is, I think, where I started thinking about this post! So I had better get on with the job, before we go out to the Devizes Boat Club AGM.

Sick Equipment. Now "Hospitalised"!

We have a sick lap top which has gone to the computer hospital. The one that runs the web cam is now in regular use by John! - That means very very regular use as canal forum members and other friends will know! Once a system analyst and programmer, always......

So if any of you have been clicking on the button, it is not that we are "out", just waiting for a cure! I am pretty sure we will not have to go into mourning as it is still under guarantee.

I fought for many years to not use a computer! Eventually I decided that if I couldn't beat them it was best to join them! Them being John and our son Craig who had had a keyboard in front of him since he was 3! A BBC B which John "purloined" from work for home use. Craig is now 26 and they were both early users of the internet too. On right - a fairly typical sight!

So I gave in and took CLAIT in 2000. In truth, partly to help in return to full time work, but also so I knew a bit for my own satisfaction! In fact I am the only one with a computer qualification!

However this does not prevent me calling for help when the laptop misbehaves - I am sure it has a mischievous personality. Now I use a PC at work and laptop for blogging, photography, surfing and email - mainly!

I do still use pen and paper too - so I'm not a complete tecci convert. A couple of hours in front of a small screen is more than enough for me. So back to reading and favourite TV programmes for me now!

A Good Time For All?

It has taken me two days to get over Saturday and Sunday. Our Sportsmen did their darnedest to win. The Rugby team played well, shame about the ref!

We spent the evening joining in the revelries at the Waterfront Bar at Pewsey Wharf. Flags, rugby shirts and St George's Crosses on faces!
Mobile phone photos of Graham, the Landlord (left) and another rugby fan!

There was a fair bit of swearing at the Ref, cheering the lads and lots of booze. The Landlord reduced the price of beer during all matches and on this occasion there was roll and a bowl. In the bowl was goulash so we didn't go hungry.

Believe it or not there were a couple of South Africans, also some French and one Australian. Brave people! However we clapped the winners and commiserated with those we trounced on the way to the semis!Despite losing it was a really good evening and we wandered, no we did not stagger, back to our boats!

So back to Devizes on Sunday - this sign in Banbury (at the fair in the town centre) reminded us of our destination after our travels.


A few more photos from our weekend travels follow!

When we were walking the Grand Union last Thursday we spotted this heron.


It was just below Springwell Lock and flew back there to watch a boat locking down!


We also passed this bit of towpath "furniture" - no miles though so what distance, from where? Can anyone enlighten us?


These Koi were in the mouth of Cowroast Marina on the South Oxford.

They are apparently very tame and do not go out into the canal preferring the 25 foot deep marina!

On the Basingstoke Canal we saw this view from Poulters Bridge.


I couldn't resist this reflection further along the canal.


So we were back in Devizes to watch the GP. What is the McLaren Team playing at? First they muck up the race in China which would have given Lewis the championship. Then they give him a car with problems. OK, he made a few mistakes too. Now an appeal that probably will fail. Lewis has his own opinion. Never mind, his chance will come as he is a brilliant driver.

We Do Get Around!

We had 3 days away last week. As usual whilst away we were drawn to the nearest canals!

The first being the Grand Union. This monkey was hanging around between Springwell lock and Stokers lock.


The tow path was closed before Stockers lock.

This was behind the boarding.


The second was the South Oxford. Banbury first

and then Fenny Compton.

Cowroast marina entrance is in the distance

The third and final canal was the Basingstoke canal. Part of our history and a bit of a pilgrimage!


We lived at Crookham Village for the first 6 months of our marriage as some friends lent us this house, (now rechristened!) just down from Crookham Wharf.


In those days the canal was not restored but being canal nuts then, we walked the towpath a few times! It was great to see it in use and two boats passed us.

We had already had two holidays on hire boats with friends before we were married and our obsession would continue to this present day, 34 years later!

How things have changed for the Basingstoke, thank goodness, although due to water problems the canal has a limited opening time. So we now add this canal to our list of must dos one day on Epiphany.

It was interesting to see that the tank traps had been moved aside during restoration.

This canal was part of the defence line from Margate to Bristol. The traps, pill boxes and other defences were built on 1940 by Pioneer Corp troops. This was a sensitive area as it was near the Aldershot garrison and Odiham airfield. Fortunately these relics are regarded as an important part of the canal history so have been preserved.

A Busman's Holiday

What a glorious day. Despite the rain of yesterday and a bit of a “blow” in the night (apparently, unusually I slept through the wind), the morning dawned with blue skies, sun and a light wind.

I was off on my “busman’s holiday” with The Bruce Trust and our clients and volunteers. We picked the boat up at Great Bedwyn Wharf and then cruised up the four locks to Crofton. Mooring there we served lunch to the passengers and crew! The Bruce Trust has 4 boats. All wide beam, all built to take wheelchairs and disabled people. They have lifts, showers and plenty of room to manoeuvre a wheelchair.

Mr Bruce was a London businessman with a string of pubs, which he sold and has used some of the money to create The Bruce Trust. All the boats save the latest are named after members of his family. The last one was built just after the death of Princess Di – guess the name! Canny man, it meant that the Trust received lots of help and donations towards the boat and it was built for half the total cost thanks to this.

They hire the boats out, one is a 12 berth – Hannah, the one we were on. There is Rebecca (12 berth) and Rachel – the family boat that is 4 – 6 berth. Diana (10 berth) was “out” on the Thames. Out of season or when the boats are not hired out they use the boats for giving day trips to local community organisations – which is where we come in.

It was wonderful to see the pleasure on the faces of the elderly ladies we took. They were so grateful and we felt it a real privilege to give them such an enjoyable day. They sat in the bows, getting wet at the first lock (64, Bedwyn Church Lock) from the leaky gates! Exclaiming as the boat bumped as it moved from side to side as the locks filled (and emptied on the way back). Two of them had a go on the tiller – one was a natural as she had sailed in the past!

The volunteer crew – Skipper(s) Bryan and Patrick and Pauline, who came along to help with the locks were absolutely wonderful. To find out more about the Trust click here.

A really good day, I look forward to the next one, hopefully in the spring.

I have now put up our Devizes locks and Caen Hill video, here. Enjoy!

A Sunday Mystery Outing

OK - England won! But it was still torture! We have to go through it all again next Saturday now. Hopes high, hearts pounding and nerves jangling. Oh joy!

Sunday is a day of rest. Long lie in, breakfast in bed, light lunch and then what? Today it was a mystery outing - mystery that is to me! John drove into and through Devizes. No stops in Sells Green or turn off to Seend, so not the canal then. We were then following the road to Melksham, no turn off to Bradford on Avon, onwards past Melksham. Were we going for a tour on the M4? Ah now I guessed - possibly Lacock. Yes, a right turn signposted Lacock and Lacock Abbey. I was right again!


I have wanted to visit this historic village since we began to come to the Devizes area last year. They do a lot of filming here and one can understand why. Jane Austin's village of Meryton in Pride and Prejudice was Lacock Village.
The village of Highbury in Emma was also filmed in Lacock, as was some scenes from Moll Flanders. Harry Potter borrowed the Abbey for The Philosophers Stone. The latest film to use Lacock was The Cranford Chronicles.

The most famous and most photographed building is apparently this one.
The board in the entrance makes the curious enter!
It was built in the 15th Century and named after a gold coin called The Angel.


There are no TV aerials, overhead cables or yellow lines. There are half timbered houses, a Tithe barn and an 18th century packhorse bridge. Lacock was once the centre of the Medieval wool trade.

The church is dedicated to St Cyriac a Norman saint.
It was extensively "remodelled" in the 15th Century. It may have been a Saxon site but it was definitely "pinched" by the Normans!

Well back to my original subject - we face South Africa next week, no surprise there really!

Torture?

With half an eye on the Rugby (England v France, of course) I thought I would just do another quick blog! I am not sure I can stand the torture of concentrating on the Rugby exclusively - high hopes but realistic thoughts.

I finally replanted our planters (!) this afternoon. When the plants have established themselves I will take some photos. It always seems a shame to get rid of the spring and summer plants. Winter is coming I suppose some day.

I hope we have some decent weather next week I am having a "busman's holiday" or rather "busman's work day". On Wednesday my work colleague and I are taking some of our clients and volunteers on a canal trip! No, not on Epiphany, (there will be 12 of us) on one of the Bruce Trust's boats from Great Bedwyn. It is a long time since I steered a "fat boat" so I hope to have a go on the tiller. Maybe I will upload some photos as I am supposed to be Photographer of the Day.

Writing about photos - I have finished a rather large album of our holiday cruise and it is on Picasa Web here. As we were "out" for over 3 weeks I suppose it is not surprising we took so many photos. I hope you enjoy them!

Nearly half time in the Rugby, so maybe it is time for me to sit back, finish my glass of wine and watch the game!

A Discussion Point

This is an unusual blog for us. It is a bit political! This video is thought provoking and worth watching whatever "colour" your political views are!



The video can also be watched on this site, where there is a place for comments to be added!

There are signs of "Big Brother" everywhere. I have lost count of how many CCTV cameras watching me on my daily life. The only place I know that there is not one is on Epiphany! However, she is monitored by one! Dare I say that is good? Yes!

Final Day

We had a quiet night, once we returned from the pub! Saturday was a busy day, very busy doing nada, just relaxing! A good book, sun on the water, listening to the England v Australia rugby match - we beat them comprehensibly – yeah! I also put together a video from our visit to Bath. This rather interesting boat passed us in the afternoon.

Yes, it is a steam boat!

We had a really good evening at the Waterfront on Saturday too. Everyone was rooting for France to beat the All Blacks – cheers went up when they did! So the Southern Hemisphere can be beaten. I think it must be one of the only times I wanted France to win anything. However, we now have to face them in the semis – but maybe we have a better chance beating them than the All Blacks?

Beer during rugby matches at The Waterfront is reduced in price and the atmosphere is great – a real incentive to patronise Graham’s establishment. As if we need incentive!

We woke this morning to these views from our swan doors.

It was a beautiful morning.


Later we retraced our steps along the towpath to watch the Grand Prix and cheer on Lewis with a drink in our hand and a yummy bacon and Brie roll. Sadly (blame Maclaren) he didn’t get to the end. They really should have called him in a lap previously as we all could see the tyre going. So we go through the agony again in two weeks time!

We were sad to leave Pewsey, we always enjoy our time there, but we had come to the end of our holiday. So off we set “up” to the winding hole and then back “down” to Devizes. Of course there is no up or down on the Long Pound! But it feels like it.

By the time we got to the newly painted, but still lacking brickwork, (Come on British Waterways) Allington Swing Bridge we were in a convoy!
One hire boat ahead, and a private boat behind us. The hire boat was slow, and this had a knock on effect. A boat coming the other way opened the bridge and then the hire boat let him through. The boat behind us closed it!

Then by the time we got to Bishops Cannings Swing Bridge we had caught up with 2 other boats. The front boat was extremely slow so we were almost at a standstill. It was never like this in the summer! A Sally boat had just come through and let us all through choosing to shut the bridge in preference to fighting the queue!

Finally the slow boat moored at Horton Bridge just after we passed Dan and Rachel on Nb Handsel. (Dan works for Bath Narrowboats – yes another one!). The boat behind the slow boat took protracted leave of them – obviously friends, and we continued in convoy. The hire boat finally passed the now first boat with a show of throttle and uncontrolled steering! So now we were three!

We were all making for Devizes and the Marina and arrived in the rapidly darkening twilight! Safely moored we finally sat down for roast lamb and vegs. It is really strange to be back here after over 3 weeks “out”.

So back to our “normal” routine tomorrow – work for me, and boat “chores” for John. Roll on Thursday evening when my weekend starts!

PS. You may be amused by this, – it is not a clue to our political persuasion but how we feel politics should be presented!

Pub To Pub By Boat

Epiphany is moored at Pewsey
8.97 miles, 3hours 40 minutes, 2 swing bridges, 2.45 l/mph

What a wonderful sunny day, at the risk of repeating myself – it was glorious. Two days in a row! We set off from Horton Bridge towards Pewsey. The trees are beginning to change from green to bronze. The leaves flutter down and settle on the roof, only to be blown off again as we turned into the wind. Willow, oak, acorns and beechnuts are all descending!

Some of the vegetation on the banks is dying but not the reeds and grasses and there are even more narrow stretches I think, where the reeds have grown into the canal. Great hiding places for ducks, moorhens and coots. We saw a largish fish very near the surface, not often you see that as they usually go down at the approach of a boat.

John was singing as he steered – a sure sign of a happy man! It will be the guitar next – stored under the bed together with the keyboard. Anyone for a jam session?!

We moored for lunch – hot dogs with onions and lashings of ketchup – just before Allington bridge (130). It was beautiful sitting in the bows, watching the reflections and listening to the helicoptersJ They seemed to using us as a marker for circling! We are definitely NOT wanted by the police or the Army, as far as I know! We certainly didn’t want them.

There were very few boats on the move – one or two private boats, and one hire boat. However there are the usual moored boats, in all the usual places, but definitely not so many as near Bath! We passed Nb Arcona safely moored at her mooring at Lady’s Bridge.

The sun was filtering through the trees and there were some lovely reflections as we reached the Pewsey Boat Club moorings – Picture of The Day.


We moored on the 48-hour moorings at Pewsey – just past the Wharf and Moorings. This seems to be our usual spot! Once I have finished this we will go to the Waterfront pub for an evening drink and chat with the locals – mostly boaters.

Good Cruise, Good Company

Epiphany is moored at Horton Bridge 134
4.18 miles, 5 hours, 22 locks, 5.24 l/mph

It was an early morning, as we started up Caen Hill Flight at 8am.
It promised to be an absolutely glorious sunny day and so it was.

I wonder if the finished bottom lock looked like this once upon a time!


We locked up with Davis and Jean from Nb Arcona.

Arcona is a replica Josher built by Warwickshire Fly Boat Company at Stockton Locks. She was built about 5 years ago, has a Gardiner engine and is lovely.

We remember walking up to WFB Co when we were visiting Colecraft as they built Epiphany’s shell. We admired the boats they had on their wharf. I gather they are now concentrating on restoration rather than building replicas. Their wharf is above the lock above the Three Boats and the Blue Lias pubs in Long Itchington.

As the locks were all set for us we made good time, but did not hurry. We met a wide boat, and three other boats coming down but by then we were nearly at the top. At the next to top lock we had company.

It was very impressive to see the children so well behaved as they stood and watched us go through the lock and then came in crocodile to watch us at the top lock. Rather a contrast to some children at locks when I get quite scared by their behaviour and disregard for the dangers, despite their parents being “in control”.

We carried on up the Devizes locks together and arrived at Devizes Wharf to moor. We then went shopping, to the Market and Sainsburys. We left the Wharf about 4pm, as we wanted to cruise up to the Bridge Inn at Horton for the night. As we drew away we saw the crew from the Foxhangers boat that was with us yesterday. However just as my imagination started about their trip up the locks, they informed us they had walked up!

So we arrived at the Bridge Inn about 5pm.

Tired, satisfied and thankful for a really good day, good company up the locks, good weather and also 32 years of marriage! – Yes, today was our Wedding Anniversary! Some difference from then – we spent the first night of our honeymoon in Stratford on Avon, with a view of the river if you stood on a chair! By then we had already had 2 canal holidays – and so we have come a really long way together!

Locking Today - The Hill Awaits

Epiphany is moored below the Caen Hill Flight
2.89 miles, 3 hours 15 minutes, 10 Locks, 2 swing bridges, 3.97 l/mph

We set off from Seend Wharf at 2 .45 pm. We had the best of the weather as the sun was shining and it was warm too.

Lock 19 was nearly ready for us – leaky gates! At lock 20 a Foxhangers hire boat joined us with a crew from Devon. We were not sure whether they were returning to Foxhangers or on a one-way trip as they did not really understand the workings of the locks – it was almost as if these were the first locks they had ever done! Anyway we managed through this and the next lock with out mishap and with a little instruction.

They moored to walk into Seend and we continued through the 2 swing bridges to Sells Green. At Sells Green swing bridge (150) we chatted to Robert from Posh Rats and Actis. Further on were John (and Ann) and Nb Skylarking and behind him Nb Salix Alba (James and Fiona) – They had both moved down from above Caen Hill in the last few days. I wonder when the rest of the “Bath Narrowboats Fleet” will join them! Tempted though we were to moor the weather was so good we resisted!

Passing Foxhangers hire base – with only a couple of boats in, we started on the Devizes Locks.


Actually this picture was taken between locks 26 and 26! The weather was glorious. There were some lovely reflections as we moved up the locks – all set against us.
This was the view from lock 25! Fortunately John was locking and was able to set the one above each time!

We passed one of the Bruce Trusts boats, Hannah, moored in a lovely spot for the evening.


I chatted to the Lock Keeper as he travelled down to empty all the locks, as is practice for the night. He said there were no boats ahead of us so we would be first up Caen Hill tomorrow if we set off early. All the flight would be set for us then!

We will have company as a boat from Lady's Bridge has now joined us. We have seen them before – can’t remember the name of their boat! We will have plenty of time to find out tomorrow!


So, an early night and early morning for us. The plus side is that we will get to Devizes Wharf mid morning and can shop in the market before moving on. We would like to get up to Pewsey before we return to the Marina on Sunday.

We have just heard, with great sadness of the death of Mike Stevens. He will be remembered for an avid love and concern for the canals and waterways - and love of cats of course. In particular we knew of his work with the London Canal Museum and John got to meet him through their common work with Save Our Waterways. As well as being on the committee Mike maintained the SOW website.

It Was A Grey Old Day

Epiphany is moored above Seend lock (18)
3 hours 50 minutes, 7.19 miles, 5 locks, 4 swing bridges, 3.18 l/mph

A quiet night below Bradford Lock. It was a dry day, but grey skies.
Two hire boats came out of the lock just as we were ready to go up. Convenient. They left the gates open and both paddles too. I don’t think they had seen us! Maybe it was their first lock?

We tootled past all the moored boats, all the way from the lock to the next bridge, Underwoods Bridge (171). Lots of boats again around Bradford Marina and then again at Ladydown aqueduct and Balls bridge (168) which is the nearest to Trowbridge.

As we knew from all the hire boats passing the Alvechurch at Hilperton Wharf was empty!
The new marina is on the offside.


Semington Swing Bridge caused us problems. We remembered it being very hard to do even with two of us. John got off to do it and couldn’t budge it. A passer-by helped him to open it, but then it was impossible to close properly. It looked as if it had been damaged.

A farmer arrived in his land rover, a can of grease was in the hedge and he plastered some grease on towpath side under where the bridge rested (the off side of the bridge) and with a bit of effort they managed to shut it. Apparently he does this regularly. Anyway we reported it to BW, as it would continue to be a problem for others.

We caught up with Nb Tottleworth at Buckley’s Lock, Semington. They had been “ghosting” us on and off all fortnight! It is an Ownerships share boat, one of two based at Devizes Marina. So we locked up the 2 locks and through the following 3 swing bridges together.

We continued with them up Seend Bottom Lock and Seend Lock, mooring opposite the Barge Inn. A drink for us this evening and handy to water up and empty the cassette before we set off tomorrow.

A pair of legs walked by as I relaxed reading and I saw a wave. On their return journey I saw they belonged to John (Nb Skylarking) from Bath Narrowboats. He was doing what we did a few weeks ago! Moored at Sells Green it is handy to drive (in a car!) down to Seend to empty the necessary – it is the nearest one! We had a natter and may see him and Ann tomorrow, as we pass or even moor at Sells Green.

We had some other visitors too....


and finally gave in and fed them with some bread!

Il Pleut, Encore

Epiphany is moored below Bradford on Avon Lock
3.78 miles, 1hour and 35 minutes, 2.38 l/mph

It was a wet night. It was a very wet morning! It was a wet afternoon. The boat was well insulated in wet willow leaves!

After lunch we decided to move, which we did into the basin where wonder of wonders there are recycling facilities on the wharf with the boaters rubbish compound. We dumped everything but card so now the bow cockpit boxes are empty again.

No photographs today; not even of Dundas aqueduct.

Thank goodness for effective wet weather clothing from head to toe. (Either that or "do a Maffi", but its a bit chilly now!) As we went I cleared some of the willow leaves from the roof so the rain could drain through the drain holes in the rails. The lines of Epiphany – high bows and a trad stern mean that water runs to the gap left in the rails about three quarters back towards the stern. But if there are leaves these collect against the rails and block the flow.

There were a few boaters braving the weather, hire boats with a schedule we presume and one or two “privateers”. Is there another name for us boat owners – that makes us sound a bit like pirates!

That reminds me. Here are a couple of anecdotes from our couple of days in Bristol. As we passed the SS Great Britain there was a party of Primary School children being given a tour – all very smart in their blue blazers. One little lad was heard to remark as he pointed to Epiphany, “Oh look, a mini boat”. I suppose we are in comparison to that other remarkable boat the SS Great Britain!

As we passed The Matthew a lady called out as she spotted our Ensign flying, “Welsh or Cornish?” We replied “Cornish”.
“Have you come all the way from there?” (By boat, I think she implied). “No, from Devizes” replied John politely and muttered quietly “definitely not by boat!”

So we made for Bradford on Avon and arrived below the lock to moor for the night exactly where we moored on our first journey the evening after Epiphany was launched. Not quite the anniversary as that is October 31st, but at least the right month! Are we tempted by the Lock Inn café? Maybe……