Retirement with No Problem

Thursday 5^th April – Caen Hill Bottom to Black Horse (Prison Br) Devizes, K&A Canal, 1.5 miles 19 or so locks

Walked the towpath a short way with Lucy before pulling the pins to climb the flight yesterday.  First boats up today were No Problem and Moore2Life.  The lock keepers always leave a bottom paddle up on the Caen Hill Flight so there is no build up of water from leaking gates to overflow the side pounds, so every lock was set perfectly.

Paul Balmer arrived just as we got started.  We were all very appreciative of his help today, it sure does make things a long quicker if you have three people on the lockside working the two boats through.  Two to work the paddles and gates that the narrowboats are entering and leaving and one crew member going ahead to open the gates on the next lock..

A beautiful day once again just as it was when we went down the locks a couple of weeks ago, and it wasn’t long before we were at the top with not one boat having been passed nor one behind us..

Again we had the place to ourselves.. very surprising actually given that it was the hottest and sunniest day of the year.

We stopped short of Devizes last night.  We enjoyed a rather nice pub meal at the Black Horse pub at Prison Bridge.. we moored on the opposite side as you can see British Waterways are putting in piling outside the pub, it will make it an ideal mooring.  We enjoyed a rather nice pub meal.  There was plenty on the menu at very reasonable prices, I’ll report that the food is good too!

Right then, I am off to the Garden Centre just over the road now.. they have some very good quality young plants on their shelves, but once planted I will have to take care that the frost doesn’t get them.. I can’t believe that we will not be getting one last freeze up before the winter is truly over.. but for now we will enjoy being in our shirt sleeves enjoying the warm sunshine..