AND WE’RE OFF, EVENTUALLY

The tree blocking the canal and towpath took a bit longer than we expected to clear. The towpath was cleared on the first day, but the part blocking the canal needed specialist equipment to remove it.

We stayed put on Thursday moored on the off side tied to a tree and unable to get off, but on Friday we decided we needed to move, I was going a little stir crazy being cooped up, and we had run out of bread and milk.

First we took a trip down to look at the tree and catch up with Steve who was moored just in front of it. It was a big tree, and we could see the reason why they needed special equipment to deal with it.

We exchanged mobile numbers with Steve, so he could keep us updated on the situation going forward. Then we backed the ¼ of a mile or so back to the lock. Narrowboats don’t steer when in reverse, so it took all of the Captain skill to keep us on the right trajectory for the lock landing. Now under normal circumstances we would never moor on a lock landing, but we had no choice.

It was great to be able to get off and we took a walk up to the main road and a petrol station to get the bread and milk.

We knew that the pub, The Butt Inn, was reopening, so of course we had to give it a try, we were impressed with the pub, although there were no dark ales on (I think the Captain has given up expecting to find any down here in the south). They were also giving out free tasters of the menu, so that we thought was tea sorted. Unfortunately it didn’t quite pan out that way, we got the first plate out of the kitchen, a crispy beef dish which was really tasty, but then we became invisible as dish after dish was whisked away in front of us to the people sat outside. Now don’t get me wrong, we didn’t expect to try everything that came out, and we quite understood that they wanted to give all their customers something to try, however the first table by the door seem to get to try every dish sent out by the kitchen, which really wasn’t fair on the rest of the customers. Must have been mates of the server. The Captain did chunter a bit, but after waiting a while we got to try a second sample of deep fried gnocchi which was very nice.

https://thebuttinn.com/dine

Saturday as we waited on the lock landing for news on the tree, we got chatting to a couple of paddle boarders, Keith, Charlie and Dipper the dog. They were very interested in our way of life, so I invited them on board to take a look inside our boat, they were very impressed with our home.

Then the news we had been waiting for, the tree was gone and we could resume our journey.

I must give a shout out to CRT customer service, who I contacted on the first day and spoke to Natalie, she kept me updated with phone calls, and when she went on holiday on Friday her colleague Sarah took over by email. It was much appreciated.

After 4 locks and a swing bridge with Steve as our companion once again, we decided to stop at Thatcham, but due to some serious git gaps we struggled to get in, but Steve came to the rescue, his shorter boat fitted into the space nicely and we just brested up to him for the night.

Newbury next day and we needed to get there and moor up by early afternoon, as we were meeting our old friends Lorraine and Mr Kev, we met them in 2015 when they had a boat called Dragonfly, but the life afloat wasn’t for them and they returned to the land. But we still get together when we can.

Mr Kev and Lorriane

We really wanted to be on the moorings near Victoria park, but a passing boater told us these mooring were full, bummer. However when we got to Newbury there turned out to be plenty of moorings opposite Newbury Wharf, which was even better as we needed a pump out, and that’s were the Captain had planned to get one.

https://newburymarina.com/chandlery/

We had a lovely time with Kev and Lorraine, a great Lebanese meal and finished the night off in the local Wetherspoons, which had Lancaster Black on for the Captain.

https://lebanesehouse.co.uk/

https://www.lancasterbrewery.co.uk/beer-and-cider

We had a lie in next day before pushing the boat over to the wharf for the pump out, and then back into the same space. Shopping was on the agenda, first Lidl, but horror of horrors they had no large bottles of sparkling water, but we managed to get everything else. So off to Aldi and hallelujah they had plenty. Both these shops and a large Tesco are accessible to the canal, in fact you can moor outside Tesco. We didn’t explore the town centre but are planning to visit again on our return journey.

Next day after scrumping some apples from a tree by our moorings we set off for Kintbury, 8 locks and 1 swing bridge away, this stretch of the canal is lacking in facilities and we needed water, which after Aldermaston Kintbury is the next available. The locks were quite heavy, but I managed, and at one of them I met a couple of canoeists who were doing a charity paddle from Reading to Bristol, and they had managed to raise £1000 for Great Ormand Street hospital.

We made it to Kintbury, watered up, and stayed the night. There are 2 pubs, the Dundass Arms right on the canal, and the Blue Ball in the village. We tried both of them, no darks, but we weren’t really expecting to find one to be honest.

https://dundasarms.co.uk/

https://www.admiraltaverns.co.uk/pubs/blue-ball-kintbury/

All the villages we visit in this area are quaint and beautiful, with their old thatched cottages with roses and ivy round the doors and windows.

After a late start next day we headed to Hungerford, unfortunately a name for those of a certain age that holds a terrible memory of a mass shooting in 1987 when 16 people died.

There were 3 locks for me to do, and we were joined by a hire boat, the lady crew seemed ok, but her Captain was at times what I would call ‘away with the fairies’. Particularly at one lock, the Captain had entered first and was struggling to hold the boat against the lock side and it drifted into the centre of the lock. Instead of waiting the hirer came in at full speed and hit the back of Avalon Two causing her to hit the cill heavily at the front of the boat. He did apologise and no damage was really done, but I could see the Captain was not a happy bunny and was pleased when we parted company.

We found great mooring and beer at Hungerford but that’s for next time folks.