Cruising on a Barge ... June 2014

[Manoverboard]

... How long did it take you to complete the locks at Caen Hill? I often used to walked up and down the main mile or so and, from the conversations with some of the people on the barges, it sounded like it could sometimes take all day to do the full 2 miles/29 locks.

One of the other passengers, sorry guests, asked that question and I sort of got the impression-ish that it could be done in four hours-ish with a following wind and absolutely no delays getting through any of the locks but that is not the way it is done on the Wessex Rose cos of its size.

On our trip after a Sunday afternoon stop in Devizes we chugged Westwards and moored overnight at the top of the Caen Hill flight which meant of course that we had already done the first five locks.

Mobietta and I set off after breakfast the following morning for a slow walk down the entire flight for a few pics etc and thereafter intended to nip to the shop at Rowde but it was a very dodgy road ( no pun intended ) so we strolled back again and re-boarded part way down. Progress was inevitable slow because the Wessex Rose always gives way to oncoming barges, David can be spotted zooming up and down checking out the status of the locks and then radioing his findings back to Karen. Anyhowz we continued chugging along and ended that day at the Barge Inn in Seend ... a watering hole I trust you know

For the wider audience

In case you wish to visit the Caen Hill Flight of 16 locks these are located a short distance from Devizes along the towpath heading West or they can be reached from the excellent ‘ Barge Inn ‘ which is sited alongside the canal towpath approx 2 miles to the West of the locks.

I've seen those locks too. I reckon they take most of the first week.

See above

[Dennis The Menace]

Cheers Moby, normal sized barges generally take about 5 or 6 hours to do the lot so you sound like you've done well there. I think doing the first 5 or 6 locks in Devizes the night before is a popular option (as is rising at dawn to finish the rest) otherwise, during the height of summer, they can be in danger of hitting Mervyn's timescales

And yes, the Barge Inn at Seend used to be a good first-date pub, but I don't have many of them anymore

[Manoverboard]

There seems to be a theme developing with MoB's "cruising".

First it is ocean cruising, then river cruising and now canal cruising - next it will be three weeks cruising on the local boating lake

Only if he can get someone else to do the rowing for him!

Surely that is what cruising is all about - letting someone else do all the hard work for you.

Maureen

Exactly, Maureen