Final Day

7.7 miles, 3 hrs 5 mins, 2.5 lm/hr

It was a late night after enjoying Jules Holland and his guests. Particularly Sir Paul, Suggs and Madness, Shipwreck Steve and watching all the guests try out their dancing skills!

New Years Day dawned foggy and dull. Not too cold though. We set off once it had cleared; past the boats moored at Lady’s Bridge. Before Honey Street we saw a boat moored with some unusual pin warning covers. I managed to get a quick photo of one – poor Pooh!

Nb Vox Stellarum was moored up by the pub at Honey Street.


On the opposite side where the Old Wharf used to be there was a strutting goose!
We also saw 3 Kingfishers – no photos ……. maybe one day!

We had lunch “on the go” as I wanted to be in signal to watch the Christmas Dr Who, which I missed on Christmas Day. We made it back to the Marina with time to spare. Hooked up the electric, phone, found the satellite signal and settled down.

To round the day off we had a New Years present – a surprise visit from our Nephew Phil, his wife and baby Nathaniel. Brilliant to see them and to see Nathaniel walking, he was one in October.



So back to the treadmill for me tomorrow, it seems strange after such a long break. So ends our Christmas cruise on the Kennet and Avon Canal. I don't think we will be long before we are off again!

New Years Eve Cruise

am. 2.45 miles, 55 minutes, 2.68lm/h
pm. 5.66 miles, 3 hours, 4 locks, 3.22 lm/h


After a very quiet night we set off late from Crofton Top Lock. Nb Summer and NB New Era from Pewsey Wharf passed us not long before we pulled the pins.

We caught up with them at Wootton Rivers Top Lock - Cadley lock. We decided to moor up for lunch to let them get well ahead. By this time it was drizzling a bit anyway.

As it happened a boat came up the locks so they were set for us. We took the locks in turn and John was busy photographing the damaged walls and leaky gates. He is planning to look at the British Waterways Asset Lists to compare their ratings with what we saw.

Here are a couple of photos of the damage and more leaky gates!.



Although there was a fancy dress New Year celebration at The Waterfront, Pewsey Wharf, we decided to continue to Wide Water and moor in the peace and quiet. We will have our own quiet celebration. However as I write this I can here fireworks from somewhere near!

As we have a good satellite signal here we will probably watch Jools Holland’s Hootenanny – usually a good “see the New Year in” show. Maybe have another glass of mulled wine – we are not champagne fans!

Winter Hats

Three postings in one day - I am excelling myself. Actually it is called catching up before I get left behind!

I promised a picture of our newly acquired winter hats. So here we are in all our glory!



They are wind proof, shower proof, snugly warm, will not blow off and were an all round good buy! See here for details

I will use this picture (kindly taken by our friend John yesterday) as our winter profile photo, so goodbye to Derek and Dot's (Gipsy Rover) photo - many thanks and hello winter guise!

Still Sunny Sunday

2.72 miles, 2 hours 43 mins, 10 locks, 4.68 lm/h

It was another sunny day, but 1 degree C outside when we woke. We had our porridge (staple breakfast fare in the winter) and pootled to the water point at Great Bedwyn Wharf, just after Great Bedwyn Bridge. Here we took on water, emptied the cassette in the Elsan (there is a self pump out and rubbish here too).

Another boat came up behind us and we joined them to go up the locks.


Vox Stellarum is a 70-foot trad, built on a Colecraft shell with an owner fit out. A very nice traditional replica. The current owners bought her second hand, as she was just what they were looking for.

They had crew on board so the locks were not too onerous, although John helped with almost all of the 10 locks: 4 locks up to the Crofton flight and then 6 in the Crofton flight. On some of the latter, the bottom paddles should be left open.

Some of the gates are very difficult, particularly lock 64: Bedwyn Church lock. As you see, there are some repair jobs to do too. This is lock 55, the gate is also difficult and needs to be “jacked” and the wall looks a bit “iffy”.


It was a very pleasant cruise with company and we enjoyed finding out a little about each other’s boats. They admired our 18-inch potholes and I said we had aimed at a modern boat with a touch of tradition. The consensus was that we had achieved it well!

We decided to moor above Crofton top lock, leaving 4 locks tomorrow on our way back to Pewsey. We said our goodbyes and settled down for a cuppa and a quiet afternoon in a lovely spot.
The sun was shining and giving some wonderful reflections on the canal of the winter trees. Unfortunately reducing the pixels for web and mobile internet does not reproduce the photos in all their glory!