Farewell Gloucester & Sharpness Canal.

We parted with our  new friends with their three little Pug Dogs, who came up to sit in the shade of our deck chairs. We have just had such a fantastic time while we were ‘dahn’ south seeing family and friends. Some came on board and others we used our bus passes to visit. This is a view of Stroud from the top of the double decker bus, I really enjoy the fantastic views among the Cotswold hills and valleys.

As we passed the reed barge a father and his two boys were taking photos together.

On our way down this canal there was a ‘For Sale’ sign on Parkend Bridgehouse, but as we passed by the sign had gone. A nice unique little residence for someone we thought.

This is Hempstead Bridge which has to be wound open by the Bridge-keeper, boats can then proceed when they get the green light.

    

Spartacus was still moored on the wall by Sainsbury’s on our return journey to replenish our empty cupboards with victuals.

So, on the whole we enjoyed this canal, the service stations are good, the bridges are all swung for you, towpaths are wide and generally well kept, plenty of places to moor and plenty of depth of water too. Fuel is easily obtainable at a reasonable price from ACP Fuels at Frampton Wharf. There are a variety of different boats using the canal from Sculls and Dinghies, many friendly narrow boaters and the large trip boats, Edward Elgar, King Arthur and Boadicea which are based near Gloucester Dock. Only the large plastic boats spoil this canal as they glug past creating huge washes as they look down their noses from their fly bridge.  We noticed that they usually travel in convoy with similar boats, never wave or greet anyone who is not in their ‘clique’, I wonder why?  As the canal was wide we didn’t have to slow down when we passed the fishermen, who generally seemed to have good catches. The water levels did vary though, according to how many people were having a bath in Bristol!