Saturday 3 May 2014

The Caen Hill Locks on a Sunny Saturday Morning.

 The view through "Prison Bridge."  

After a week of awful grey and very wet weather, the sun finally shone on us all on Saturday.  Having been cooped up at home for a few days, I made the effort to take a long walk around the 16 locks on the Caen Hill flight on the Kennet & Avon canal in Devizes.  This weekend is the May Bank Holiday, and everyone was out and about, taking in the sun before it disappears again in the coming week when rain will be with us again.  

The photo above was taken underneath "Prison Bridge," so called because in the 19th century the large "County Prison" stood nearby.   The bridge was recently restored, as parts of the parapet were knocked into the canal by a fatal car accident on the bridge in 2012.  

 A narrowboat entering lock 44.

This lock is almost the top of the flight, and in the distance locks can be seen descending towards Lower Foxhangers and on towards  Bradford on Avon and Bath.

 Swans and cygnets.

The swans have produced five healthy cygnets, although sadly I read a notice which said, "Please keep dogs on a lead.  During the week a cygnet was killed here by an unleashed dog."   
The old "Lock Cottage Cafe" at the top of the flight of 16 locks.

The lock is the site of my "Dance with death," when in 2005 I slipped on a rope and fell from the lock side down onto my boat at the bottom of the lock.   I survived much shaken and bruised, but from that moment on, I have kept away from the edge of locks, although I do venture into the cafe to buy a big rum and raisin ice cream, complete with a chocolate "99."  Happy days!

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