Saturday 14th August

We didn’t wake up till late so were quite late in setting off but we only had two miles to do which was just as well as it was pouring with rain :( We arrived at Devizes Wharf – as usual there weren’t many mooring places left but we found one and moored up. We walked into the town which is an ancient market town with quite a few little streets with lots of independent shops. However Devizes is the home to Wadworth Brewery famous for its 6X beer and still does horse drawn deliveries to the town and surrounding pubs. We went into the visitor centre which is well worth a visit – especially as it was free entry! Devizes Wharf is the home to the Kennet and Avon Trust. The canal was completed in 1723 but in the 1920s it started to become neglected and derelict along most of its 87½ mile length and the last voyage through the full length was in 1952. On the 11th August 1951 the Kennet and Avon Canal Association was formed, which became The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust on 6th June 1962. After years of hard work the volunteers were finally rewarded when the Queen reopened the canal in 1990. After dinner we went to look at what is front of us tomorrow – Caen Hill Flight!!