Mixing with the Big Boys!!

Hurray! After about a week and a great deal of hastle we again have internet connection! Fingers crossed that things are now back to normal!

We are about half way down the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal at a place called Saul Junction where there used to be a link across the Cotswolds to the River Thames. The canal is under restoration. I only hope I live to see the restoration complete!

This canal was built to by-pass the shallow, tidal section of the lower River Severn so that big vessels could safely get to Gloucester Docks and then back out to sea again. It is only 16 and a half miles long but it is wide and deep and so, despite not having a current, it feels more like a river. There are no locks but there are lots of swing bridges operated by BW staff.

It is SO my kind of place!!

• A huge variety of craft to see going by - narrowboats, widebeams, all sorts of different barges, large sea-going cruisers, sailing boats and - the chance of a fabulous tall ship as seen in the picture.
• A wide, well-maintained towpath with, in places, fantastic views over the Severn estuary and the Forest of Dean to the West and the Cotswold Hills to the East.
• Lovely quiet lanes and villages to explore either on foot or on the bikes.
• Masses of footpaths (not always maintained that well I have to say!) for walking Maggie.
• Mandarin ducks visit the galley window every day.

Just as well we like it because we need to spend about a month here!! After the appalling rainfall of yesterday I was beginning to think that we would be stranded here all Winter!

Looking across the Severn Estuary towards the Forest of Dean.