Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
A cruise on the Kennet & Avon Canal between Bradford on Avon and Wooton Rivers
Day 1 (Fri)
Bradford on Avon - West of Seend Cleeve
We pick up the barge at Sally Boats, Bradford on Avon. It's a 54 foot, 4 berth, diesel engined long boat called Kathleen.
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As we were all canal holiday novices, we are given a comprehensive tour of the barge and it's facilities. We are then steered out of the marina by one of Sally Boats' employees. This type of manoeuvring can be a bit tricky if you are not familiar with long boats, especially if it's windy.
 Friday night's mooring |
Once on the canal we drop off our 'pilot' and we're on our own. We have decided to head east and, time permitting, tackle the Caen Hill Flight of locks. (16 locks in a single flight, and a total of 29 locks in 2 1/4 miles!).
After a few hours cruising, which includes our first lock and swing-bridge, we moor up between Semington and Seend Cleeve where we stop for the night. There isn't a convenient pub but we had pre-prepared an evening meal so we eat on the boat.
 Swans would occasionally travel with us though the locks |
 A Heron fishes for breakfast at Seend Cleeve |
Day 2 (Sat)
Seend Cleeve - Devizes Marina
This will turn out to be a long day, as we manage to get to the bottom of the Caen Hill Flight (lock 29) at about 2pm (the deadline for starting the ascent). We decide to press on, rather than stop for lunch, and pair up with another narrow boat to go through the locks.
We get to the top lock at about 6pm and start to look for a night stop. We moor up briefly through Devizes to take on water and get some essential food shopping.
 Half way up the Cain Flight |
Finally we find a suitable mooring alongside the Devizes marina, about 1 1/2 miles east of Devizes, again no pubs within easy walking distance so we self cater.