Trapped! But we escape at Hamstead Lock!

Benham Lock to Shepherd’s Bridge, Kennet & Avon Canal, 1.5 miles 3 locks

Just crept along the canal a bit today.. well we tried to!

Pulled the pins late morning to cruise along a couple of miles for a change of scene for the rest of the week.  I had walked most of the paths in this area this week, and had spotted some lovely paths on the map near Shepherd’s Bridge close to Kintbury.  Anyway, I want to pop into Newbury on Friday to fill the freezer compartment with some fresh meat, and we need some fresh veg too.. but alas..

Put both boats in the lock before realising.. and this is what Vic is pointing at…

This is the first lock past the stoppage at Benham Lock.. we are now trapped!  There are quite a few boats between this locked lock and the closed lock behind us.. so they are cosy there for a month or so.. but we didn’t want to be there!  I called British Waterways “Help, this continuous cruiser does not wish to be a continuous moorer for the next month, please come and rescue us!”.. She phoned me back to say someone was on the way with a key to let us out!

Annie (Moore2Life) made some homemade soup, and we sat on the back of our narrowboats enjoying that while we waited, and I baked a loaf of bread to save me having to go to Kintbury to fetch some tomorrow.. but it was quite a while and another phone call to BW before a guy turned up with the combination for the lock. 

Hooray we were free!

“We don’t want people going through this lock because the next one is closed” says he.. Humm I wonder if those trapped boats know that.. Oh well..

The waters here are very clear, and we saw quite a few pike chasing fish as we moved along the canal.. I was wondering if the movement of the water or the noise of the engine had anything to do with that.. maybe we disturb the smaller fish, then the pike strike.  I might get the rod out tomorrow.. don’t want to catch a pike though!