While the van was having its yearly habitation check (a requirement of its
warranty) I had planned a walk towards Bradford upon Avon down the Kennet and
Avon canal, returning along the Avon river after a couple of hours.
First off down the road to the Travelodge and the Greggs there - we had
visited the Starbucks last time and I wanted to avoid it. A late breakfast of
bacon roll and Belgian bun I was ready to start.
Continuing down the road passing the Police station to the old road (now blocked
to through traffic) that took me to the canal.
Down onto the canal, and along the towpath past all the moored up barges (very
little of the canal was completely free from parked boats). Past the swing
bridge, and onward.
I wondered what the guy on the opposite bank was looking at - initially I
thought it was an otter, however it turned out to be a spaniel playing in the
reeds.
Under a back road and past more moored up boats - I suspect a lot of these are
residential, just moving on when asked to.
Still on the canal towpath passing the moorings of Hilperton marsh farm on the
opposite bank.
As I approached the outskirts of Trowbridge there was a chandlery and boat yard
opposite - it even had a dry dock.
Then over the access way to the marina, before leaving the built up area
and back into tree bordered towpath.
Just before a railway crossing, I determined it was time to circle back and cut
through the residential area parallel to the railway line. The route took me
through all the new estates and over the railway at the B3105.
Along the road for a short while before a driveway took us down the side of the
cereals factory then along the railway with the first of the puddles for the
day.
Under the railway where it met the river Avon and out into the fields beyond.
Along the path through the rough grass - sometimes a bit squidgy but generally
passable.
Climbing up to Whaddon farm across a barren field on a guesstimated line.
Behind the farm buildings was a church and the path meandered around the back
and down a slope back to the river
An iron footbridge over a side stream and the path was back into the grass
fields beside the river Avon
I passed a pack horse bridge crossing the river with a cobbled deck, but did not
cross
Just beyond the bridge was Monkton house and farm - a large manor type house
with formal garden hidden behind trees. The path continued along the river round
a bend before we left the river to head towards the outskirts of Melksham. The
path went across another barren field but no hint of a track and with big
puddles in the middle to be avoided.
The closer to the town we got the less defined the paths along with the recent
ploughing and sowing I was kind of making my way up as it went along.
At one point we followed the path along a ploughed field which then turned
(according to the map) over the newly turned soil. In the end I went back and
around the edge then the following field a similar thing.
It finally came out down a driveway onto the back road and I used it to return to the pub (Milk Churn). As I had not had contact from the garage over the completion of the tests I stopped for a couple of pints of expensive orange juice and lemonade to replace the fluid lost on the walk. Back at the garage I had to think of something to do until mid afternoon - the current estimate for completion.
