Foxhanger to Trowbridge

Monday 30th September

We walked up to have a look at Caen Hill Marina where we hope to berth Chuffed for the winter, but as the office doesn’t open till 10 on a Monday we moved on, after another visit from our furry little friend;

We also had a look at the solar panel array which helps to power the pumps that raise the water to the top;

and the display which says how many kgs of carbon it has saved;

We pulled in at Sells Green to water up in case the water point at Seend was occupied (good decision – it was) then joined Dick and Mary (boat name unknown) for the locks.  We had to stop at Seend anyway for a rather urgent visit to the sanitary station, but Dick and Mary kindly waited for us, letting the kitten’s boat and companion go past, to share the rest of the locks.  They pulled in at the bottom, but not before tipping us off about the Tesco Express a short walk from the swing bridge.  We didn’t quite fit on the little mooring, but it was ok so we went off for supplies and had lunch before moving on.

On the way to Hilperton we spotted the other ‘Chuffed’ .

As we passed the hire base, with the hirers just getting their introductions, the rain started and in a heavy shower we moored at the Biss aqueduct and watched the poor hirers go by.  When the rain stopped Dave had a look down the weed hatch and removed some baler twine – the prop has been making a fair bit of noise this afternoon, which is quite worrying, but he will be surprised if the baler twine was the problem.  He went for a stroll and found a much nicer mooring, and as the boat in front had just turned their engine on we pulled pins and moved to a much quieter location just past bridge 169.  It looks as though someone uses it regularly as the grass is short!  We were alone except for a boat a little way back from which an interestingly herbal scent drifted in the damp evening air ….

7 locks, 6 swing bridges, 8 miles