Thoughts, quirky insights and experiences in my meandering life.

All change at Newbury

Caught in the act.

Lots of birdlife on the canal. Wendy caught a heron in mid flight, and swans come round wherever we tie up. Obviously narrowboats represent food to them, and they can get quite pushy. Jim was nipped on the arm walking by the open window by an indignant swan.

Swan armada
Chasing male Mallards, who were probably trying to distract the swan from going after the female and her chicks.
Begging from us
Fending for itself
Taking a breather while the lock is emptying
Cousin John at the tiller. He joined us on day 4, Thursday.
Mike in one of his happy places
And another

So many great photographs of the countryside and sky taken by the crew:

Elli’s amazing photograph of the Bruce Tunnel

Five years ago when I travelled this canal, this house, an old lock keepers house, was derelict. Now it a cosy canal side home.

When we got to Newbury it was all change. Our first visitors had to leave and our second ones arrived. And we had to turn back. There were RED BOARDS up for eastbound on the Kennet section of the lock. A month of rain and storms had caused the river section to be too high and there was damage to locks. As well, a tree had fallen across the canal and needed specialty equipment to remove it. We did not have the time to wait. We had pushed each day to try and achieve our goal of getting as far as Windsor on the Thames, and now we are in tick-over, the lowest speed of the boat, 2 miles per hour, and taking in the countryside as we meander back to Bradford on Avon.

From the left, Jim, Karen, Leslie, Pam, sister Sally, Sue and Maggie in the Dundas arms for lunch
The view from my bunk window in Newbury
Sue got very comfortable at the tiller very quickly.
Sally brought her knitting
Pam relaxing
Leslie, working in the rain, and relaxing afterwards while Sue braids with paradores for our windlass’s
Who could resist a photograph of a boat named after me!
And now for the flora
And lastly, Muscovy ducks, actually geese, hanging beside the canals

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A Family Affair

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You say goodbye, and I say hello. Hello, hello

1 Comment

  1. Michael Simpson

    Thanks Maggie for the opportunity to be part of this awesome trip and to be with a group of awesome adventurers ! great Blog too!

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