To the Summit..........

........from here on its all downhill!

We had in mind to head to Pewsey today but as my title says, no fixed plans, but we set off at 9am in rather pleasant conditions for a change.

Quite a mix of boats to be seen now and another of the converted lifeboats, (I saw one on the Thames around Walton late in 2014), could be seen as we worked through the remaining four Crofton locks.

Most of the locks along this stretch have to be left empty which is a bit of a pain as you have to walk back and raise the bottom paddles in addition to the normal closing of the top gates, but we reached the summit at around 10:15.

Last uphill lock,we are now on the Summit

Around the middle of the summit is Bruce Tunnel, 502 yards long and wide enough to accommodate two narrowboats but restricted to one way working because of the number of wide beam boats that frequent this area.

There is a stone plaque as you enter the Eastern portal inscribed:-

“The Kennet and Avon Canal Company
Inscribe this tunnel with the Name
BRUCE
In testimony of their GRATITUDE
For the uniform and effectual support of
The Right Honourable Earl Thomas Bruce, Earl of Aylesbury
and CHARLES LORD BRUCE, his SON
Through the whole Progress of this great National Work
By which a direct communication by Water was opened
Between the cities of LONDON and BRISTOL
ANNO DOMINI 1810."

A photo might have been better but I missed it J

Once again my camera let me down by not ‘flashing’ inside the tunnel, one day I’ll work that out, but here’s one as I reached the end.

And leaving the Western portal

We passed a couple of project boats, I think they could both be lovely when completed.

Then Burbage Wharf

And then things took a turn for the worse, as we were about to leave Wooton Top lock (54) Karl slipped stepping from the lock ladder to his roof and crashed heavily onto his open hatch area, fortunately not through it, but he has badly bruised and grazed his forearm, at least we hope it’s just a bruise, we carried on through the next lock which was manned by some boaters waiting to come up and then moored temporarily for lunch and to give Karl a breather before moving through Wooton Rivers Bottom lock and calling it a day, stopping on the 24hr visitors moorings.