We finished off the Thames with it's fine locks and grand bridges.
Though we had to be extra good in the locks as the river police were with us.
Just before the Kennet & Avon we found a large supermarket and stopped for supplies. The trolley boy wasn't too happy when we by passed the trolley gate and made off up the tow path. We took his precious trolley back and all was well.
Then it was onto the K&A canal and another first for us, traffic lights on a canal.
They get you through the city centre, you literally split the shopping centre.
What we hadn't realised is that the Kennet & Avon is more river than canal, so mooring is very difficult. It was 9:30 pm before we found a half decent spot for the night.
This morning started off well, we got to the first lock and let ourselves in. Don't know what the thinking behind it is, but the lock walls only go half way up the lock !
A couple more strange locks and we came to our first swing bridge, a broken swing bridge.
After a while a few boats had collected and quite a crowd gathered. The cars weren't having much fun either, all the traffic lights showed red.
The boaters put themselves to work and waved the cars through.
Eventually the BW man arrived and fixed the bridge and we got back under way. All was going well until,
A tree has fallen across the canal. " Might be Tuesday before it's moved" said the BW man. So here we sit waiting for Tuesday and a man with a chain saw.
Nothing sets the captain back, the bathroom has been cleaned to within an inch of it's life, and the ships ducks have been adapted for their new role as mooring pin markers.
Not to worry the fridge is full and the telly works again, and we have had the good fortune to be stuck in a beautiful location.
