Back on line in Hungerford

Well, we’ve made it back to Hungerford and a 3 connection, and it’s very hot. We shared down the last few locks with Little Mel, whose crew seem to feel much as we do about the canal; yes, it’s very nice scenery and so on, but nothing that can’t be had elsewhere with a lot less effort.

Never mind, it’s clear a lot of people do enjoy boating this waterway; presumably they are fitter/younger/more masochistic than we are. Oh, and fair play, the Bruce Tunnel is a delight, wide, high and straight.

We’ve restocked from the Tesco that used to be a Somerfield, and have spent much of the rest of the day reading quietly in whatever shade we can find. We’ve got a number of social engagements coming up; Derek and Sheila Mills from Clarence tomorrow, Graham and Brenda Keens from Jannock on Monday and my sister from Brooklyn, NY for three days from next Wednesday.

And I used to worry if moving aboard would reduce the number of folk we could have a drink with.

It’s too hot for me to feel very inspired today; I’ll try and get back into the swing of it over the next few days.

Meanwhile, here are some photos from the furthest west we got along the canal:

So many of the locks have to be left empty, it was a joy to find one that could be treated in the ordinary way

BW fondly imagines that this constitutes a visitor mooring here at Pewsey.

The same mooring from a longer viewpoint; it was nearly deep enough to get Sanity Again right up against the bank.