--- In [email protected], Cliff Hutton <chuckl...@...> wrote: > > Hi from distant Nova Scotia, > > Yet another distant soul wondering about England's canals. We plan on doing > the Kennett and Avon (third time) We hired in 2000 and 2003 from Sally Boats. > No complaints there but wondering about the K &A .............. it was said > to be deteriorating and had been taken over by Brit Waterways. Whats' its > state now and more importantly what'll it be like in 2010 ... locks and the > like? Soon be time to book so thought I'd ask the experts.
Hello, Cliff, I am planning to spend most of the next 3 weeks on the K&A, starting out from Bradford-on-Avon tomorrow [Saturday] and heading generally eastwards. I will try and post the occasional report to this list, subject to the constraints of mobile internet connections. Over here we call it a dongle, but you may have a more polite word for it. BW have issued several stoppage warnings in the last couple of weeks, mostly for broken lock gates, but none of them long term - we'll just have to see how it goes. You may have been told that Sally Boats went broke earlier this year, but they've been re-incarnated under basically the same management and are operating from the same site with pretty much the same boats. The only difference seems to be a change in the colour of the tunnel bands around the stern - now all cream instead of the more traditional red and white. You'll probably cope. Some of the information on their web site is a bit dated - at least 2 of the recommended pubs [The Beehive and the Somerset Arms] have ceased trading - but it seems basically sound. No reason not to plan your trip! Baz
