Crofton, Kennet and Avon Canal

Travelling up the Wooton Rivers flight of locks we noticed that the water was getting lower. The top pound was about a foot down. Then on the way down we found boats stranded in the mud.

We let some water down to float them and they went on their way up the flight while we went down. I have no idea whether they made it to the top.

By the time we reached lock 81 by the pumping station the water was running over the top lock gate. What was going on?









Blue boats on a blue canal under a blue sky with lots of blue card and ribbon.

Lady's Bridge, Kennet and Avon Canal

Back to the early starts. A pumpout before we set off at 0630 and a stately cruise along the long pound (it has to be stately, there are so many boats moored on the bank that you can hardly get out of tickover).

We had planned to stop at The Barge at Honeystreet, but the moorings were jammed packed and they all looked like they were staying for the weekend, so we came on here and have had a lovely peaceful day in the depths of rural Wiltshire. Perfect. Of course, there is no internet connection.



It is Caroline and Curtis’s first wedding anniversary today and this is what I made for them. I cut a an aperture from the base card with a Nestabilities labels die and backed it with some pink handmade paper which has been sewn with gold hearts. I then wrapped some white handmade paper with tiny hearts in it with some pink paper raffia string and fixed it into the aperture. The sentiment was made with rub-ons and glittery gold chipboard “1” and matted it onto gold card.

Devizes Wharf, Kennet and Avon Canal

This is the culprit lock.

We were finally given the go-ahead to do the flight this morning and then discovered that the boats in front of us had been allowed through yesterday afternoon!!!

It took us 6 hours to get from Sells Green to the wharf here. Because there were so many boats going in both directions there were lots of holdups while we waited for boats to get ready in locks and then manoeuvre through the pounds.

Still we made it and are now breached up as the wharf is really busy



This is the penultimate lock in the flight proper, the were so many gongoozlers.









We spent a lot of our time in Sells Green watching the wildlife. There were about 6 baby rabbits who were eating all the cherries that had fallen to the ground. They really must have liked them because they became quite brave and only hopped back into the bank at the last minute when anyone went past.

We also bashed the bus passes and visited Salisbury, Swindon, Chippenham, Trowbridge, Melksham, Bath and Bristol, and Devizes of course.




While we were there there was a horse show one weekend. David took this photograph and I made a birthday card for the horse's owner.

I matted the photo onto gold and two shades of brown, card and stuck it to the card with sticky fixers. I added three brown gems on the top right hand corner and brown ribbon, tied in a knot across the bottom of the card.

Inside, the insert was printed with the same photograph (in draft to make it a bit washed out) and the sentiment on the other side.

Sells Green, Kennet and Avon Canal

Stuck here because a lock gate on the Caen Flight has been broken by a boat. New gate could take 4 WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, lousy internet connection. What can I say?

Bath, River Avon

David set off down the locks to fill them, ready for our descent early this morning and then discovered that the top lock was padlocked closed. It seems there is a leak in one of the chambers and if the lock is left full it will flood one of the houses on the flight.

So we had to wait until 0800 before we could start. When we did, we were joined by a boat full of young men (who, incidentally, came from Solihull) and although they didn't really know what they were doing, they had lots of brawn and could jump about the locks.

We also had help from BW with the big one (19ft deep).


When we got to the river, David decided to turn right and moor up near Poultney Bridge. When we got there the moorings were full, but one boat was just about to leave, so we slotted in. Not a cheap mooring, this one, £9.00 per 24 hours (48 hours max).


This is the view, and the boat leaving.


Tonight the boats are all breasted up in twos.


We have decided not to go on into Bristol - £42.50 for 2 days. Which is a bummer really. We could have turned around before the locks this morning, saved ourselves 10 locks and £9.00. But hey! this is a lovely spot (apart from the drunk who is putting the world to rights).




Midway through the year today. Night's will be starting to draw in. How depressing. Still it was lovely and sunny and hot today and David enjoyed the girls in their shorts and t-shirts. So a card for him.



A Bratz sticker. I covered the bottom 1/3 of a yellow base card with some home-made backing paper. I made it in Word using dingbats and the words say "Girls just want to have fun". I covered the join with a fancy peel-off strip. Then I added the stickers.

Bath, Kennet and Avon Canal

I have seen lots of "pirates" on narrowboats in my time, but this is a first.

A real, live, parrot on the shoulder of the tiller man!








We are spending a 2nd day on these moorings in Bath because they are good, and close to the city.






Fathers' Day today. Don't have any actual Fathers' Day cards, but this could be adapted.

He came as a clipart from somewhere and I matted him on silver and green deckle edged card before
sticking him onto a square, white card.

Bath, Kennet and Avon Canal

A Hobbit boat! Can you see the two side hatches/doors? They are just the Frodo's front door.

This is a very worried stag party just about to do their second ever lock and not quite sure what to do. (They are also watching what the girls (see below) are doing.)

Strangely enough, they shared the lock with a boat full of hen party girls - though not the same wedding.

We left Dundas as usual, around 6am and were in Bath for 9am. There was just one mooring, so we nabbed it quick.

There is now a Tesco shop above the bridge which came in very handy for shopping, though the walk down the hill into Bath proper is not too strenuous.

White card blank. Black, handmade paper, silver hessian type mesh, white handmade paper, blue ribbon, three silver heart shaped beads tied up with silver cord and three silver, punched leaves.