10 miles, 1 lock

The weather forecast was for the rain to start around noon and then continue for the rest of the day. So we decided to get up early and get to Bath before the worst of the rain. Unfortunately the rain decided to get up early too! By the time we got to Bradford on Avon it had begun. Not too bad to start with so we carried on. We topped up the water and dropped down the lock with the rain gradually getting harder.

This stretch of canal between Bradford on Avon and Bath is notorious for the number of liveaboard boats that are permanently moored. If a boat doesn’t have a home mooring then they are supposed to “continuously cruise”, and not stay in one place for more than fourteen days. However many disregard the rules. This means that there are long lines of moored boats making progress slow. As we neared Bathampton the weather worsened, colder and heavier rain. We decided to stop.  The prospect of an evening meal in The George was a factor in the decision.

The rain stopped for a while in the afternoon and we went for a lovely walk along the Avon to Batheaston, then back along the opposite bank to re-cross the river by the toll bridge (no charge for pedestrians)