The Twelve Mile Pound

We had a great evening with Karen and Ian yesterday – we all walked the half mile to The Black Horse, on the canal side, where we had a lovely meal together.

After walking back in the dark we finished the evening off with coffee and chocolates on board ‘Chance’.

This morning we started late on our travels – leaving at about 11:30. Before then Doug popped to the market in Devizes while James busied himself in the engine bay……..

…….which is where he enjoys being occasionally - even though it’s not the most comfortable place to be!

We were soon out of Devizes ( much as we love the place we have to move on) and we were soon into lovely countryside with the Marlborough Downs ever present to the north.

The canal, with it’s “super soft” edges seems to blend in with the surroundings as if  it were a river.

Just before Ladies Bridge we saw this large ‘country manor’ house still under construction.  Very nice for someone.

Gongoozlers on Ladies Bridge.  This very ornate bridge, and the canal as large as a small lake in the distance, were constructed to appease the demands of the local land owner when the canal was being built.

Getting towards Pewsey we spotted this lovely old cottage nestling in the woods all on its own.  It’s just had a new thatched roof  and the chimney rebuilt.  The Calor gas containers by the back door probably indicate that it has no mains facilities at all.

After a fairy slow journey today (there were long stretches with moored boats which we had to pass slowly) we arrived on the outskirts of the pretty village of Wootton Rivers.  After 12 miles of lockless pound from Devizes we went up one lock and stopped at the very nice moorings just above it.

We were able to relax on the back deck with a glass of wine in the wonderful evening sunshine when, and after about an hour, we were back in the company of Ian and Karen on ‘Tacet’ who also decided to call it a day at Wootton Rivers.  We’ve travelled through probably the best countryside the canal has to offer and the weather has been great again – we’re very lucky.