Back under the low bridges on The Basingstoke Canal

Monday 1 June 2015

After two nights outside The Fox and Hounds we made our move this morning as it  was forecasting a dry morning at least to 11am. We collected Matthew from above Fleet Road bridge and prepared the boat by removing the cratch and top box again. All went well except we had a few drops of rain as we approached Ash Lock at 11.20 so we stopped and put the cratch back up.

The best bit of the day occurred as we were approaching Ash Lock and we suddenly saw that brilliant blue flash in front of the boat- Yes we have seen our first Kingfisher of the trip- they really do bring things alive when they suddenly appear- it darted in front of the boat several times.

As you approach Mytchett you go past a very wide area know as Mytchett Lake which makes even the flashes around Middlewich seem small. It had some interesting bird life.

Day off tomorrow hopefully we will survive the strong wind warning tonight and we start down the Deepcut flight on Wednesday.


The first low bridge at Fleet Road which is the lowest and bent the radio aerial back by about 3 inches

Approaching the last low one -Wharf Bridge (or some call it Farnborough Road Bridge) - the team is ready to take out the top board and lower the front A section-the first bridge is the old road bridge which is OK its the new one which is the problem.


The new Wharf Bridge which didn't bend the back aerial-the bridge is higher on the non towpath side



Queens Avenue Bridge with a bit of style

There are a lot of  Herons on the canal- these two were on Mytchett Lake

So was this cormorant