Narrow Boating - The Kennet & Avon

A major part of many trips to UK is to spend a week on a canal boat. This year was no exception and we travelled on the Kennet & Avon from near Devizes to Bristol and back. There are a number of river Avons in England apparently due to the Romans asking the locals the name of the nearby river to be told it was the Avon. This happened quite a few times until it was realised, too late that, Avon was the native name for river.
The Boat was 69 foot long and called FoxTerrier (the rental yard named all its boats with a Fox in them). First job was to stock up with beer and what a selection. One of the beers we bought was a “one off” – great taste but never to be repeated – what a waste.

The canal passed through great countryside and many historically interesting areas. Bradford on Avon had an enormous Tythe barn ...

and the local church at Bathampton had an interesting inhabitant …

Admiral Phillip founder of Australia and first Governor of New South Wales who died 4th March 1823 (born 1738).

Next down the “cut” was Bath – no shortage of history lessons to be had here. The bridge over the river is the only one in England with buildings both sides and the weir claim is it is wonderfully picturesque.

In Bath we were joined overnight by our Aussie friends Sue & Martin. We had a great evening dining at Jamie’s Italian (as in Oliver). Fantastic food and good value. Lianne got ticked off for taking a photograph (even though one waitress had given permission) as she had inadvertently included the menu which was copyright! Glen also left his 2007 Airshow cap behind. Fortunately Sue and Martin went back a few days later and picked it up for us while we were travelling to Paris.

The trip to Bath included a tour of the Baths. As Bill Bryson (in one of the tour commentaries) raised – it is a strange contrast that the Romans had significant engineering skills and yet were Pagan believing the entrails of a recently sacrificed animal could foretell the future or cast a spell.

On the return through Bathampton we encountered a small steam ship (the size of a dinghy) with a water boiler and wooden furnace (and the inevitable character at the helm).

The last day on the barge ended in a glorious evening outside yet another colourful pub. A brilliant week (pretty economic too given you get accommodation and transport for up to eight).