Dundas Aquaduct

After the exertions of Friday, Saturday should have been a day of relaxation. However the food store required restocking so the morning was spent shopping. We also hit Marks & Spencer to change the shorts that Emma had bought Geoff for Fathers day. Since he hates shopping for clothes he was a real grumpy bear!! My vivid shopping trolley which everyone laughed at me for buying proved very useful as it was a fair walk back to Petroc and the last bit uphill. I felt justified in my purchase of said article when the lady assistant in M&S admired it!!

The rest of the day was quite relaxing with Wimbledon to watch in the afternoon. We couldn't get a brilliant picture on the TV but it was sufficient to watch. Geoff strolled up to Bathampton to check out the church times and the pub for Sunday.

From mid afternoon onwards lots of boats, mainly hire boats, came past en route down to Bath. The majority of these were going far too fast and one wonders if the hire company actually does brief them to slow down past moored boats. A lot were full of groups, mainly male, obviously intent on hitting the fleshpots of Bath for Saturday night! The beer bottles were already in evidence.

Sunday we walked up for the 10.30 service at St Nicholas Church, about a mile along the towpath. Two interesting sight along the way are shown below.

Modern Tree Art?

Scruffiest Boat on the K&A or modern Art??

The service was morning worship with a good number of the younger generation which was nice to see. The music was lively although we only knew the first and last hymns. We then tried both of the pubs and although Bathampton Mill seemed the nicer of the two, it was also the more expensive, so we settled for the George Inn. It was far more crowded than the other one, but we were early enough to get a table and had an acceptable lunch at a reasonable price. They even had my favourite steamed syrup sponge so I was able to be really wicked!

Back at Petroc we saw the return of many of yesterday's hire boats one of which, quite obviously deliberately, went past at a rate I have never seen a narrowboat go before. I was not the only one shouting at him to slow down. Unfortunately he was past so quickly I failed to notice the name or hire company or I would have been on the phone.

Today Monday we had a very leisurely start in the direction of Bradforn-on-Avon. I walked with Ellie as far as Bathampton as I wanted a picture of the church. She was a very reluctant walker and at one stage I thought she would not make it there. After getting on board again I spent most of the morning sitting in the cratch with Ellie watching the world go by, and a very pretty world it was in lovely sunshine. Just after we passed Claverton, someone from a boat called out "Good Morning Geoff". Unfortunately Geoff had gone too far past to see who it was, so if anyone reading this was in the Claverton area this morning who knows us, perhaps you could let us know!! Otherwise it will remain one of life's mysteries.

When we reached Dundas Wharf we stopped to water etc with thoughts of exploring the short arm up the Somersetshire Coal Canal. Whilst Geoff was watering I explored on foot and discovered a cafe and small boatyard in a very pretty setting but very limited turning room. Instead we have decided to moor at the aqueduct itself as it has lovely surroundings with plenty of activity to entertain us.

Entrance to Brassknocker Wharf

Moored Dundas Wharf

Gentlemans' Edwardian Launch passing by

TV reception poor on the normal aerial so Geoff has had to wrestle setting the satellite up, but he succeeded so I have Wimbledon. Tomorrow we plan to continue towards Bradford.

The picture below shows Geoff with one of the many "King Bladud's Pigs in Bath." These pigs are part of an art exhibition which are in various places around Bath and surrounding area.

They will be auctioned off in October with the proceeds going towards the Two Tunnel Project.

Another of King Bladud of Bath pigs

The Two Tunnels route will use an old rail trackbed to burrow beneath Combe Down - the high ground south of the city - creating an almost level and direct route between the city centre of Bath and the Sustrans path NCN 24, 2½ miles south of the city - a gateway to an emerging wider network of routes