Although Pewsey and Bedwyn are on the same line, there are no trains between them at the weekend, so we drove to Bedwyn and took a taxi to Pewsey. This was not much more expensive than two single train tickets.
The forecast had been 'dry with white cloud', so the rain that started just as we started walking was not welcome. It didn't last long, but the low cloud lingered for a while, making it a humid morning. we made good progress on this quiet stretch.
The main feature of the morning was the Bruce Tunnel at the very summit of the canal. It's quite short, but has no towpath so walkers follow a public path over it. The original canal boats were horse-drawn - the horses were led over the path and the barges were propelled through the tunnel by the bargeman lying on their backs and 'walking' the barge along with their feet on the roof of the tunnel.
However the highlight of the day was Crofton Pumping Station which was built in 1812 to pump water up to the summit of the canal. It has two steam beam engines, one of which is apparently the world's oldest working beam engine in its original site, The engines are only 'in steam' a few weekends a year and this wouldn't normally have been one. However, a National Geographic film crew was on site working on a documentary,so most of the staff were on duty and both engines were in action. A great site - and a reminder of our many visits to Kew Bridge Steam Museum. You don't need to have young boys with you to enjoy these attractions - but it helps.
This was the final stretch in our project to walk the K&A between Reading and Bath. However, we're hatching a plot to extend to project to include the Avon between Bath and Bristol.
View Pewsey to Bedwyn in a larger map
The forecast had been 'dry with white cloud', so the rain that started just as we started walking was not welcome. It didn't last long, but the low cloud lingered for a while, making it a humid morning. we made good progress on this quiet stretch.
The main feature of the morning was the Bruce Tunnel at the very summit of the canal. It's quite short, but has no towpath so walkers follow a public path over it. The original canal boats were horse-drawn - the horses were led over the path and the barges were propelled through the tunnel by the bargeman lying on their backs and 'walking' the barge along with their feet on the roof of the tunnel.
However the highlight of the day was Crofton Pumping Station which was built in 1812 to pump water up to the summit of the canal. It has two steam beam engines, one of which is apparently the world's oldest working beam engine in its original site, The engines are only 'in steam' a few weekends a year and this wouldn't normally have been one. However, a National Geographic film crew was on site working on a documentary,so most of the staff were on duty and both engines were in action. A great site - and a reminder of our many visits to Kew Bridge Steam Museum. You don't need to have young boys with you to enjoy these attractions - but it helps.This was the final stretch in our project to walk the K&A between Reading and Bath. However, we're hatching a plot to extend to project to include the Avon between Bath and Bristol.
View Pewsey to Bedwyn in a larger map
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