Thursday August 1st was our 25th Wedding Anniversary. We had always said that the trip on the Queen Mary 2 was also an anniversary trip because we knew we would not be able to go away on our actual anniversary as we had on previous milestone anniversaries. Instead, we went out for a lovely Italian meal in a restaurant in Hungerford. The heat kept us in Hungerford longer than we had originally planned. We knew we had to be back in Newbury for August 11th for an upcoming trip, and made the decision not to go any farther on the Kennet and Avon Canal. The original plan had been to go as far as Devizes, Wiltshire which is about 52 miles along the 57 mile canal. Instead we had made it 29 miles along the K & A and achieved our objective (finding a house). We have however, travelled 82 miles since we picked up the boat. That doesn't seem far but it's a long way in a narrowboat over three weeks actually moving (and not in a marina). The K&A is an 'out and back' canal
Leaving the marina in Newbury was exciting but also a little sad. It had become a small home base and we had even got to know our boat neighbours to say hello to. There was only one live-aboard resident there- most people used their boats if and when they had time. There were also a few abandoned boats but according to Peter, the marina owner, as long as they paid their marina fees they were entitled to stay. View from the boat The Duke's spot From the other side of the marina This time we would have help to move the boat! Dick's sister, husband Colm and nephew Isaac arrived to start the next adventure. None of them had been on a narrowboat before so it was quite funny when Isaac asked if he could push the buttons when we opened the locks? :-) Dick, Colm and Isaac stayed on the boat and reversed all the way out of the marina with the help of the flow of the river. Kirsty and I went ahead to the first lock which was literally around the corner. The trip through Newbury was re