Taking some time out around Aldermaston

Today – Moored Lower Padworth
Sunday – Theale to close Aldermaston, Kennet & Avon Canal, 2.5 miles 2 locks

The trip down the Thames on Saturday was a bit hairy, but then we knew it would be.. after each lock the lock keeper watched as No Problem went across the wild waters coming from the weirs on the left or right after exiting the locks.  I had to make sure the sweep of water didn’t push me over to the bank, and keep good power on as I continued downstream..

Here you can see the ‘force’ of the water pushing NB Moore2Life over to the bank as they exit one of the locks..

Pangbourne has some fond memories for me, and I enjoyed cruising along the meadow remembering back many years when my folks used to bring me to these banks at the weekends.. I must have only been 5 or 6 years old, but the memories are so vivid.  I enjoyed watching the boats going up and down, and I remember just ordinary wooden cruiser type boats, small ones.. I don’t remember seeing narrowboats though. We used to picnic on the bank just to the left here…

There were a lot of canoes on the river on Saturday.. some dicing with death. They enjoyed going each side of No Problem, then paddling across in front of her bows playing chicken!… “Do that again, and I will report you to your boat club matey!”.. OK so I am a spoil sport, but I don’t want a youngster drowning because I have hit him, my fault or not!.. The feat was not repeated, but looking back the two boats following me were obviously having the same problems!..

Reading is awesome, I have always found it like that.. I never know whether to put a rain hat on as I venture through the town centre.. in the summer there are kids hanging over the bridges with melting ice creams…

actually it’s always nice to see the kids with ice creams on the bridges that criss cross the canal at this point, they just simply love to wave at boats.. and I love waving back!.. I don’t need to worry about getting spat on.. getting stuff thrown at me.. ah gimme a youngster wanting to wave at me anytime on a bridge! ..

And so to The Kennet & Avon Canal.  I sometimes wonder if it isn’t the ‘forgotten’ canal.. well it is out on a limb really.. I suppose it is possible to ‘do a ring’ incorporating the Severn estuary and going under the Severn Road Bridge to the Gloucester Canal.. but as soon as you enter this canal, there are rows and rows of moored boats.. all livaboards.  That’s fine to a point.. but I do wonder if British Waterways turn a blind eye to the mooring code for continuous cruisers..  just so many boats seemed not to have moved for yonks.. not only that but…..

This is Burghfield Lock.. it sure does need some maintenance, look at those bolts sticking out.  You can see the height that the water comes up to in this lock, hey I bet it catches a few boats out!.. then there is the gate beam on this lock…

Been like this for many years apparently.. still it is on the stoppage list for maintenance and repair this winter.. but it may not be done as the government has decided that the British Waterways grant needs to be cut drastically.. I fear maintenance will be a minimum this year..

We decided to move up a bit yesterday.. and now we are taking a couple of days off just to relax..