Reading

Before setting off, we called the Waterways Regional Office and were told that they hope to clear the sunken boat which is blocking the canal above Lock 104 by Friday afternoon. It is clear we will have a lazy few days!

It was only a short distance from where we moored overnight to the entrance to the Kennet and Avon. The first part of the canal is really the River Kennet and the stream flow was even faster than on then Thames. We proceeded very slowly upstream until we reached Blades Lock, still under the Environment Agency jurisdiction. There is no attendant lock keeper here but the operation is quite conventional. However, the paddle mechanism is one that we have never seen anywhere else - a large 'steering wheel' raises and lowers each paddle, with white and red indicator rods to show how far open or closed it is. Fairly light to operate.

On then to the centre of Reading. There are few mooring places but then there are no other boats around! (Not moving, anyway) We found a good spot close to the Oracle shopping centre, just before the traffic light controlled one way system. We went into the centre but Christine was disappointed to find that the ex Principles stock had not made its way to Debenhams and MandS proved fruitless! Still, Mike stocked up on a few basics from M&S.

Back to the boat and then along the towpath back to an earlier bridge to track down Homebase. Here, we managed to find most of the hardware items needed to progress the under-bunk storage doors.

After lunch we began with the traffic lights (whilst stopping a local man warned us against mooring overnight where we were as it was a haunt for drug dealers!) It quickly became apparent why there is a one-way system. As well as being narrow through the new shopping centre, the water flow makes steering difficult and there are numerous tight bends. It felt like being in a water flume at a leisure swimming pool!

Fortunately the bottom gates at the next lock were open - the fast running weir is close to the lock, pushing the boat hard up against the lock landing below the lock.

We had hoped to moor near to the Brunel Retail Park (to visit Halford, Maplins etc) but the banks were quite impossible to moor against and so we were forced to continue through Fobney Lock. Here there is the river stream coming from the left and a strong weir stream on then right at the lock entrance. Tricky! We moored for the rest of the day in the canal section just above the lock. At least we now have three storage doors complete!