Monday 29th July 2024 Bradford on Avon onwards and backwards!

Always one for a bargain,  we chanced our luck on getting to The Boatyard at Hilperton for the best value fuel on the cut! Considering we haven’t filled the tank since October, (my brother kindly bought me 10litres in a jerry can when I thought we might not make it!)  this was risky,  but we arrived and duly filled the tank to the brim with 141 litres! So much for a cheap fill up – we then bought three new boat batteries and agreed to have an electronic solar panel fitted this week, after finding the fridge cutting out over night due to lack of sufficient battery power.  Previous advice was that solar was unnecessary, because we ‘continuously cruise’.  Spence at the Boatyard asked me what that phrase meant – I said,  ‘Oh, we travel about 3hrs every other day’. He burst out laughing – to him it means travelling 10hrs daily.  In fairness, that would be holiday cruising,  not full on board living, but he made a fair point in that  we don’t use the engine enough to charge our batteries sufficiently.  So,  just as I had planned our route for the next fortnight, I need not have bothered as once again it was bin and redraw the  plan!

The good news is that we are now close to many family members and friends,  so we are enjoying a very sociable time.  This does need some forethought, especially as most people have very full diaries.  (We met an old time boater on the Cut yesterday who asked Richard why he wore a watch and told him to take it off as time should not be a factor in boat life – he has a point,  but we can’t quite get that laissez faire!). We’ve also met up with other boaters who are part of the Canal Ministeries network and that has been very inspiring.  We even have a ‘uniform’, namely an airtex shirt and a fleece,  with the CM logo on it.  Not one for uniforms, I wasn’t sure I wanted to wear it,  but infact, every time we have walked along the towpath with our logo showing,  we have met some really interesting people,  especially the liveaboards who have been around the eastern section of the K&A for a long time.  The canal appears divided by the Caen Hill flight, East and West, because most people don’t have the energy to attempt it too often! One couple,  with a tiny baby and a toddler, had chickens on the towpath and also on the back of their boat.  Every two weeks they pack them up and move on to find new grass for feed. Sadly, the chickens can only wander the towpath in the early evening – one of them was killed by an out of control dog,  even though the dog was on a lead!   The boatees have many and varied stories and it’s really encouraging to see how they all look out for one another. It’s also very distressing to see how many live almost below the poverty line.  It’s an intriguing part of canal life, the mix of people that rub shoulders together and the enormous economic divide.

We were warned that there would be a plethora of holiday boats on the canal,  especially now the summer holidays have begun,  and there are.  Personally,  I rather like the increase in traffic.  More people to say hallo to.  Slightly hair raising at times and there is always the worry that moorings will be hard to come by, but infact,  if you don’t mind using a plank, we have found more than enough places to moor up, so far!

Arriving in Bradford on Avon, which is a charming small town and well worth visiting,  we were amazed at the quantity of hire boats on the move. It was change over day and the hire boat wharf is right above the lock.  Many newbees are on the tillers and it’s utter chaos! It felt like we were in a holiday village. I was in the local health food shop,  where a loaf of bread is £3.50 and overheard the shop keeper saying that a couple of lads had come in looking for enough bread to feed 12 lads for 4 days.  They’d been tasked with the bread buying and forgotten to bring any.  I’m sure they were on a boat jolly and needed the bread to soak up the beer.  The stag groups are given a wide berth as you’ve no idea how drunk they are,  even first thing in the morning.  R and I did feel sorry for one lot of lads though.  They passed the boat of a notorious boater called D, who we happened to be visiting.  Our CM friends had asked us to look out for him and said he was usually in a relaxed and happy state and would be very welcoming.  However, if a boat passes him and he thinks they are going too fast,  he shouts obscenities vociferously and at length ,  whether they are infact going too fast or not!!  D shouted at these lads and the poor boys looked terrified – I almost wanted to run after them to offer solace! I think D just thinks it’s a great game to play, but I’m not sure many others would agree with him!

I’m learning, though, that what people look like sometimes belie their true nature and some of the roughest looking longterm boaters are the most friendly when you stop,  smile and chat to them.  It can be hard to be discerning about their characters. I may be a little too naive, but fortunately R is more cynical, so I think we strike a happy balance. It is hard to ascertain though,  what difference we can really make to their lives,  especially as we are just passing through. I still believe that most people like sharing stories and appreciate being listened to. Someone once described to me the benefit of a ‘cameo moment’ – a one off meeting sowing a seed with possibly  a lifelong impact.

One of my aims for this K&A trip was to go into Bath and see my two young great nieces,  who live close to the canal.  As its the school holidays and they are going away and we needed to get to them before they left.  Time has run away with us due to all our delays along the way,  hence the planning I did last week to get to see them in time.  It gave me great joy,  therefore,  to arrive in Bath today.  Our original plan was to then go straight on towards Bristol, but because of the solar installation,  we now need to return to Hilperton first.  Infact, the day worked really well.  Their mum brought them to the boat and left them with us.  We turned the boat, (with some difficulty in a confined space due in part to so many boats on the towpath) above the top Bath lock and then headed back to  Dundas Wharf, where the girls parents met us a few hours later, armed with a hot picnic! The weather was glorious and it was such a great way to spend the day.  The girls were engaging and fun but exhausting because we had to have eyes in the back of our heads to keep them safe.  Good grandparent practice! It also gave us an excuse to stop for ice creams and treats. Infact, the middle of the day was so hot we rested in the boat awhile and I lost many games of Dobble to a 5 and 7yr old! If you don’t know it, it’s worth a go – excellent for improving your quick, or in my case glacial, reactions!

One of the highlights of my week was a visit to the American museum at Claverton. I last visited on a school trip 50yrs ago and I have always remembered the beautiful patchwork quilts that were on display.  I was not disappointed with this return visit and an added bonus was appreciating the glorious extensive gardens, which looked truly magnificent on a hot summer’s day. I wasn’t the only one returning after a long absence.  I heard another lady  say it was 34yrs since she came as a schoolgirl and it altered the trajectory of her life – she emigrated to the States as the result of her visit.  A Cameo moment with a life long impact!

The only disadvantage of seeing the museum was the necessary 20 minute uphill walk in the heat.  However we were intrigued to see many cars lining the side of the A36 as we crossed over it.  On our return we discovered why.  Below the canal,  where the River Avon runs,  there is an extensive weir and on a summer’s afternoon it turns into the local beach, with bbq’s, topless sunbathing and swimming in the cool water. It was quite a sight to behold, over 200 people taking the air on the banks of the Avon.

Ps Once upon a time Someone lost a glasses case, with important bits of paper,  as well as the glasses, inside.  Someone looked high and low and then compounded the problem by announcing the credit card was also lost,  presumably falling out of a pocket.  Someone involved Otherone, in the search,  which went on for at least a day and a night.  Eventually Someone decided all was lost, was dejected and fedup and prepared to buy new glasses and asked Otherone to cancel the credit card.  Then,  amazingly,  glasses case appeared tangled in the bed sheet and mattress and credit card was found where it should be,  tucked deeply into a credit card holder.  Someone and Otherone were relieved but perplexed – how is it possible to keep losing so many things in such a small space!! And who do you think is Someone in this tale, which has happened more than once,  at least with the glasses!  A salutory lesson for Otherone to take deep breaths, think and not to panic or get more involved or stressed  than absolutely necessary!!!