A quiet day yesterday(Tuesday), our daughter-in-law Ange arrived with grandson Ed. Lucy is going home today and Ed will cruise with us until Sunday.
No too early a start on Wednesday; gentling Ed into the routine as he helps with the first and only lock of the day.
A miniature version on the rowing boats we saw on the Thames, and these 'structures' are at regular intervals down this stretch of the Kennet and Avon - could be to assist the ducks etc from the low water - or perhaps they're there to assist boaters from their boats as they intrude into the channel about 18" but even that far from the edge the water is very, very low.
Strange craft - riveted aluminium
Arriving at the right-hand turn onto Avoncliff Aqueduct - sod's law - there's a boat coming ...
... and another one ...
... and yet another one ...
... and yet another now it's our turn!
We would have loved to have found a mooring here to explore it looked so inviting but unfortunately there were boats moored all over the place - some of them in the silliest places ever but we'll try again on our return trip.
Beautiful open countryside ...
... along this stretch ...
... and some lovely riverside properties near bridge 174 - you can see that the water is low here;
the channel is very much a 'bowl' shape and the sloped sides are shallow making it very difficult to pass other boats we were both bumping along those shallow sides
The canal then becomes a cutting in the hill ...
... with trees on our left looking down ...
... and glimpses through the trees up the hill on our right ...
Houses high on the hill as we approach Limpley Stoke Bridge ...
... and the approach of a left-hand turn at Dundas Aqueduct - lucky this time no boats coming the other way!
An ice-cream boat and a cheese boat - will visit these later!
Dundas Wharf - left is the Somersetshire Coal Canal but we go right to the visitor moorings.
Safely moored and lunch eaten we set out for a walk around the wharf...
(RnR is moored just about where the people are walking the towpath)
... the lift bridge allowing access to the Somerset Canal ...
George explaining to a very bored interested Ed how the crane would have operated
Looking over Dundas Aqueduct down onto the River Avon ...
... where Ed is already at the bottom of the steps leading down ...
... to the river - Dundas Aqueduct was built by John Rennie in 1804 and was named in honour of the first chairman of the Kennet and Avon Canal
The memorial stone to Charles Dundas Esq.
George, Molly and Ed explore under that beautiful arch ...
... while I look up!
After partaking of lovely cornish ice-cream we made our way along the path towards the Somerset Canal, allowing the first sight of the railway which progresses under the archway ...
... to the narrow access channel along the Somersetshire Coal Canal ...
... to Brassknocker Basin - the white doors in the far centre is the terminus of this canal which provides very pleasant long-term mooring ...
... a cafe/restaurant, canal information, bike hire and canoes which were very much in evidence today.
A good first day for Edward - ending in a BBQ (Ed loves his sausages!)
Hi Carol,
ReplyDeleteIs that a satellite dome I saw on the roof of your boat? If so; what make and model is it and how do you find the reception?
Tom
Yes it is, it's a Camos 30cm single LNB.
ReplyDeleteLike any dish (or aerial for that matter) it need a clear path to pick up the signal (so if trees or tall buildings are in the way it won't pick up) but it self seeks and stays locked on and the picture quality is excellent.
You can't record and watch tv at the same time because it is only a single LNB. Two LNBs are available from Camos but we were worried that the 40 cm dome would be too high (for low bridges).
We have recently seen a 30cm dome on a narrowboat with two LNBs but we're not sure if this size is available as a standard now or if the one we saw had been modified (there was no-one on board for us to enquire).
Hope this is useful.