Wooton Rivers, Kennet and Avon Canal

David using his new camera.

We arrived at Crofton locks with water pouring over the bottom lock gate and the next one up.  As the locks are supposed to be left empty, I don't know what happened.

We struggled on up the locks, sometimes having great difficulty opening gates.  Then it was across the summit and through the Bruce Tunnel and down again to Wooton Rivers.

This card was made to hold a gift voucher.  I used an A4 white card and folded up a flap, adding a sort of "V" shape tab inside to the pocket was loose.

I stamped some ferns a couple of times and a bee on the pocket front.

On the front of the card I matted the photograph - Gas Street Moorings - onto gold mirror card and then onto a larger piece of yellow card.  I trimmed the top and sides and tore of the bottom at an angle.  Then I did the same with the green card.

I wrapped some red ribbon twice around the panel and tied the ends in the centre.

Great Bedwyn, Kennet and Avon Canal

 Wed 9th

 The weather was good, so we set off early again.  But didn't get far before the showers began.

The lock cottage above Hungerford Marsh Lock (can't recall the name of the lock at the moment) is looking very sad.

This sign was posted on the front door.  So maybe it will be chocolatey boxy in a few years time.

We phoned Norman who is going to look at the boat and discovered we are now in a "black spot" - no TV signal, no telephone signal.  Nadda!

Managed to get a message to him and he is coming to see the boat.

I took the bus into Marlborough for a look-see and got soaking wet in the rain.  Spent £70 on a new pair of Hunter wellies.



Thu 10th

I sent David up to London on the train to buy himself a new camera.  It has rained nearly all day again and I never got off the boat.

Yesterday someone checked out boat number and today the enforcement officer asked us when we were leaving.  As it is a 48 hour mooring and we haven't been here 48 hours yet...

A K&A bridge and lock in the sunshine.

I stuck some green hessian type stuff onto some orange card and matted that onto holographic card.  This was stuck across the centre of a white card blank.

The photo was then matted onto holographic card, bright green card and orange card and fixed to the card blank with sticky fixers.

Hungerford, Kennet and Avon Canal

 Lots of conflicting instructions on this lock.  In the end we left the top gates shut, and all the paddles down.  If the bottom lock was leaking that badly, it could run out of water by itself.

Saw a kingfisher and heard 2 cuckoos today.

Wanted to get water at Kintbury, but there was already a boat taking on water so we went on to Hungerford and just started to get water there when the Rose of Hungerford arrived for it's ablutions.  Managed to get a space on the wharf and while we were there the Hairdressing Boat arrived and David went over to get an interview for Canals and Rivers. 


I made David help me take 4 bags of washing to the launderette to discover that it has now GONE!!!!  He was not very happy - and neither was I.  Four bags of washing in the shower is in the way.

In the evening Bob and Ann from Amber Moon visited.  They live in Hungerford and because of the flooding have not been able to set off on their cruise this year.  We had a great Italian meal in the Three Swans in the High Street.

We saw our first cygnets today.  There has been a dearth of ducklings this year though.  In fact there are not many ducks around anywhere.

I matted this card onto white card and cut the edge with deckle edged scissors, then I matted it again with lilac card and edged that the same way.

I wrapped some lilac gingham ribbon around the front of the card and tied it in a knot at the front and stuck down the photograph.

Above Benham Lock, Kennet and Avon Canal

 We had to move moorings as we'd done our 48 hours, so we moved up through Newbury Lock and as the weather looked quite good (blue sky and sunshine) we decided to head for Kintbury.

Of course, the weather immediately deteriorated and by the time we got to Benham it was beginning to rain. 

So, as the crafty craft race was about to hit us on their way from Kintbury to Newbury (6 miles and 8 locks!) we banged in the spikes just past the lock.

There were about 30 varied craft with all sorts of crews.  Love the Union Jack tights (above).  We have been told to "dress up" for the Pageant.  These should do it.


And the most original craft - paddle wheels?

Some crews were nearer the water than others.

And then there was the  peddle power.



It rained during the whole day but most were having fun and there were spectators following them down the towpath the encourage them on.

We are not attempting to reach Bath by boat this year, so here is a photo instead, taken from the moorings on the River Avon just after the weir and Poultney Bridge.

I matted the photo onto gold, blue and white card and then onto some blue card which I Cuttlebugged.  Blue ribbon was wrapped around two of the corners and then the panel was fixed to a white card blank.

Newbury, Kennet and Avon Canal

Bought 5 more bags of coal as the weather has turned cold and arrived in Newbury early before all the hire boats arrived.

We moored opposite the K&A Trust Tearooms.   Usually we travel up through the lock and moor at the top before the swing bridge.  But we want to spend a few days here and this is a 48 hr mooring and the other one is only 24 hrs.

The swans are continually being fed, but still rush over when we get on of off the boat.

 Took lots of photos of boats going in and out of the lock for making cards.  Love the name of this boat.

Newbury has really gone up in the world, there is a new shopping precinct with a John Lewis Home, new big Debenhams and a Lakeland Ltd.  Almost in heaven!

Two cards using the same principal.  I printed out the sentiments on the computer.  The first one with a pink background and the second with a red one.

A space was left for the letter "o" and a red. pearl heart was stuck in place on the first card and a silver locket type heart tied with red ribbon on the second one.

Both panels were then matted onto silver card and then onto DL white card blanks.

Long Cut Swing Bridge, Kennet and Avon Canal

Off at 6am.  And through the swing bridges before most people were racing to work and cursing me when I close the bridge on them.

Woolhampton was fine, David should be able to do this combination with his eyes closed by now.  I opened the bottom gates and then the bridge and he just sailed on through.

There were mushrooms growing on the lock walkway at Aldermaston and we were dive bombed with swallows at Colthrop.  They must have just arrived because we sure didn't see any yesterday.

I think a new lock gate is in order at Woolhampton.

We were hoping to moor up on the visitor moorings at Thatcham, but as usual, they were full so we went on through the swing bridge and moored up just after the landing.

I walked into Thatcham, big mistake, I got lost on the way back and ended up way up the canal by Widemead Lock.  I did hear a cuckoo though.

I began this card with a blue card blank and fixed some stripy paper down the right hand side.  The handyman/plumber is a Jolly Nation decoupage and I added the spanner and sealant gun for extra decoration.

Towney Lock, Kennet and Avon Canal

 Made it!!!  We left County Lock at 6 this morning - the water was no longer coming over the top lock but there was still a strong current in the river.



The landing stage at Fobney Lock was, as usual, under water.

 Fortunately there is a small triangle of a landing stage on the other side and I managed to jump off the boat and get to the lock without getting my feet wet.

At Sulhampton lock we were faced with some work being done, lots of piling, dredging and lock landing work being done, so with luck there will be more mooring opportunities next year.  The only other boat we saw on the move today was coming in the opposite direction, so after about a 15 minute wait we were let through and on our way. And the swing bridge was fixed open.  Hooray!

Oak before the Ash, we'll have a splash.

 Ash before the Oak, we'll have a soak.

Your guess is as good as mine.  But I think the Ash has it this year.  So, NO DROUGHT!

We went through Sheffield Lock and I remembered this old card using a previous photo.

I matted the photo onto white card and deckle edged it then matted it again onto green and white card.

The red ribbon was wrapped around a large green panel and a piece of green patterned paper was tucked through and stuck onto the panel at an angle.  A peel-off, silver frog was stuck to the patterned paper and the photograph and matted sentiment were stuck onto the right hand side of the card.

Three daisies were then stuck down the red ribbon.  By the way, the lock was still leaking.