Our 2013 Blog Begins Here

Sue and I hope you all had a wonderful time over Christmas and the New Year. We travelled 1298 miles over that period but unfortunately not aboard Tempranillo. We drove a round trip that included Yeovil in Somerset, Gateshead, Glasgow, Loch Fyne, back to Gateshead and then back home to Devizes. Worth it though to be with close family members who are scattered around the UK.

A cold and windy Loch Fyne.

Our Grandson watches the waves.

So back to our voyage to Bristol in September. We had got as far as the outskirts of Bath and entered Bath Deep Lock that dropped us down the the lower level of Pultney Weir right in the heart of the city.

Tempranillo waiting for the water level to drop to allow us to pass under the white van men ahead.

This lock is the second deepest in England and Wales. At 19ft 5ins it has a rise and fall of only 3.5ins less than Tuel Lane lock on the Rochdale canal

The same lock looks like this as the water drops almost to the level of the River Avon.

The massive gates close behind Tempranillo.

One more lock and we arrive at the junction of the K&A and the Avon. We turned a very sharp right and headed up the short spur to moor just below Pultney Weir. 

The River Avon above the weir is navigated by boats but it is not possible to sail past the weir itself. This means boats on the upper part can only cruise on that stretch of water, so it is mainly hire boats found along there. We were met by a very helpful warden who very politely suggested that there would be a charge to moor overnight. A very modest charge considering the location. And a charge that reduced the more nights we moored. He also cycled off to his office and returned shortly afterwards with lots of leaflets and brochures about Bath and things to do therein. We didn't have the heart to tell him that we used to live in Bath and new it very well.

to be continued.......