K and A contrasts, old industry and the town arrives

Tuesday, 17 May 2011 11:26

Above Colthrop lock the scenery becomes industrial for a bit. Old buildings, lorry parks and factory units line the canal.

The extensive remains of Reed's Colthrop Paper Mill are here. The Reed company still had links with the canal in 1990, as this plaque on the lock gates of the lock indicates.

Plaque on bottom gate

The paper mill was closed in 1971 and the derelict buildings make the area feel very down at heel, although some find a kind of beauty in this sort of "modern" derelict site. It can be seen from the railway too and I remember spotting it and the canal on one of my journeys on First Great Western.

Thatcham station is right by the canal and there are handy (if noisy) 48H moorings above Thatcham Bridge.

Moorings and bridge, looking east

Monkey Marsh Lock is preserved as a  "turf lock" like Garston Lock further east; once again the turf lined banks are full of aquatic plants which hold up the sides, protected by a wood framework of the lock chamber.

Monkey Marsh Lock

The "Long Cut", about a mile long and delineated by Long Cut swing bridge and Widmead Lock, was one of the last bits of the K and A to be restored to be ready for navigation in 1990. WIdmead was the last lock to be restored, beginning in 1989 and finished in the summer of 1990.

Now we were approaching Newbury. The race course is to the south and the canal then winds its way through the conurbation, up three more locks and with one final swing bridge above Bulls Lock to negotiate.

Below Bulls Lock

Ham Lock has an old mill above it. John had trouble with the top gates as the towpath side one had had a "boat strike" which had damaged the walkway. This then snagged on the lock side when it was opened and consequently the gate jammed open. It took all of John's weight and strength to close it.

Meanwhile I had an encounter with the overhanging willow which swept the roof as I exited the lock, until I was able to manoeuvre the boat away once clear of the lock. An email report had been sent to BW and a "we know" response received.

Mill on the left and lock to the right from the lock landing

Reading Boat Company was once spread over three locations; two of these are now owned by other companies. Ham Manor Marina, above Ham Lock, is now owned by the Fearnleys, who used to run the award winning hotel boats Snipe and Taurus.

Entry to Ham Manor Marina

All Aboard Marine Services is at Greenham Lock, with a lovely covered dry dock.  Greenham Canal Services at Greenham Island also have long-term moorings. We called into the small chandlery and wharf above Greenham footbridge where there is water (£2), rubbish, diesel, elsan and pumpout. We only needed water and rubbish.

Our next stop was beside Victoria Park in Newbury, opposite the old wharf where the K and A Trust have a shop and cafe. Here we moored up on the 48H moorings.

Moored beside Victoria Park

We had supper date with Simon and Sally to look forward to and some shopping in Sainsburys, Staples and Halfords - all a few minutes walk from the canal. For a while we were the only narrowboat, then another two joined us. As usual the canal became busier over the weekend!

Kennet and Avon Canal, Woolhampton to Newbury
4 hours 50 minutes, 6.36 miles, 8 locks