Hot Hot Hot.......and we now have internet!

Hello all, this will be a bit of a catch up as today we have an internet signal, not a good one but it works! I will try to update in day order.

Thursday.

We left our mooring at Bradford upon Avon and ascended the lock, stopping to fill with water and empty the necessary.  There are some strange folk around here and one of then hovered around the boat!  Very well spoken, but you know, odd!  Anyway, we were soon off and before very long we reached Hilperton Wharfe.

This is a brilliant place.  Good service, great people, but most of all, cheap fuel at 80p pl.  Filled the tank and every recepticle we could at these prices.  F.A.M.E. free as well!  Sod's law say's that even when you know a gas bottle is on it's way out, it will not go untill you pass the best place to exchange it.  Same here, left hilperton and the bottle ran out!

We knew that Dave and Angie were awaiting the arrival of her brother Malc near Sells Green and saw them giving him a trip away from Caen Hill before turning to rejoin us.  We passed through the locks and moored just prior to the water point and had a well deserved shower.  Later that evening after a meal on the boat we joined Dave, Angie and Malc in the Three Magpies for a drink or three.

Miles 8
Locks 8

Friday.

As discussed the previous evening, the ascent of the Caen Hill Flight in weather with temperatures forecast to be in the mid 20's needed an early start!  Ali and I were up at 6, watered up just after 7 and in the first lock at 07:40. It was a beautiful morning, still and with a slight mist hovering over the water.

We did the first nine locks on our own as there was not a sign of life on Lady Esther, before meeting up with  N. B. Falcon, with whom we shared the rest of the flight into Devizes.  We really got into a swing and as the temperature rose, even with the assistance of volunteers, the harder it got. Gorgeous day, good trip up and many a yarn with the many gongoozlers.

We arrived at Devizes wharf at 1220, so all in all a very good trip.  Even managed to get a spot on the 72 hour moorings, so result.  Whilst as you know, I do like a tiny drop of beer now and again, There was a beer festival at the wharf on Saturday, which can become we were told, rowdy.  We tied up, Ali went to the Launderette, I emptied the "goesunder" and when Ali got back we went into town and got a food shop done at M&S. Posh peeps that we are........

Walked to the Black Horse by lock 48 for a little light refreshment. Need to keep the fluid levels up you know.  And guess what, Andy Murray was playing, so just had to stop and watch the result!

Miles 4
Locks 29........

Saturday.

The forecast was for blistering temperatures.  Knowing that Dave and Angie had a long day and that they needed to catch up on chores, we decided on an early start in order to beat the heat.  So off once again at seven, watered up and chugged along the lock free pound which is some 15 miles in length.  Boy it was hot. The mooring hoggers seem to have dispersed since the solstice when we were last in this neck of the woods.  By 1300, as the heat rose, we moored just above lock 51 on excellent visitor moorings, within a hose length of the water point.

After a chill out afternoon in the sun, and checking fluid levels in the engine, we showered and then walked around this beautiful village with it's many thatched buildings.  It would be considered rude not to pop in to the pub, so we did!  Brilliant building, lovely setting, good food and beer.  Weather brill, what more could one ask?  Spent the latter evening nattering to fellow boaters.  The end of a perfick day.

Miles 15
Locks 1
Swing bridges 2

Sunday.

Today was forecast to be truly blistering.....and it sure was!

We had a later start, not getting up until 6.30! Having watered up the previous evening we were straight off and into the first lock, ascending this in the cool of the morning, we met up with N.B. Joanne with whom we had been chatting the previous evening and then shared the next trree locks with them.  As the morning gathered pace, the heat rose and the Bruce tunnel was a welcome relief from the heat.

Emerging, we were soon at Crofton top lock, the beginning of the descent towards Reading. After five locks we reached the visitor moorings at Crofton pumping station.  It was 11am, and time to moor up before the time of "mad dog's and Englishmen". After locating the satellite for the Murray v Djokovic match, we walked around the pumping station and then along Wilton water, the half mile to the lovely village of the same name. Yet another beautiful quintessential English village, most houses thatched. A superb pub, The Swan, in which we had our lunch. Fantastic food and a friendly host, who directed us to walk around to the old Roman road back to the boat.

This we did, fantastic views and back to the boat in order to watch the Wimbledon final.

4 miles, 9 locks & Bruce Tunnel 502 yards