Pewsey

The first day so far with real rain, although for the second half of the morning it was only a very light drizzle. By the end of the day, however, it was persistently wet!

We began the day with some maintenance, after moving up to the visitor moorings above the first lock. The rear doors needed yet another attempt to find the right thickness of mounting for the bolts. We came prepared and this time they were just about right. Mike also gave the doors another coat of varnish. Meanwhile, Andrew sorted out some of the lights.

Christine and Andrew went to take a look at Crofton Pumping Station - not much more to see than last night but with better light they could see where the feeder channel runs from the pumps to the top lock further up the canal.

Late morning we set off and continued up the remaining six locks of the Crofton flight to reach the summit pound. Immediately there we moored up for lunch, during which the real rain arrived. There seemed to be very little water being pumped up to the summit and, as a result, this and the long 15 mile pound to Devizes were very low.

After passing through the summit tunnel we arrived at the four locks going down to the Devizes pound - seemed quite strange to be descending after having been ascending all the way from Reading.

Christine wisely retreated to the cabin for the afternoon - making the evening meal amongst other things. Mike and Andrew were decidedly wet through by the time we reached Pewsey Bridge. Here we used all the usual services - moored alongside a couple of boats where the family in one were 'moving house' to the other which they were renting whilst theirs went for a refit. (We had seen several notices alongside locks where they had been advertising for a boat to rent)

Time then to moor up for the night but the shallow pound did not make it easy - the plank only just bridged across to the bank!