Narrowboat Tacet

Silent Movement - Our gap year travelling the inland waterways



Sunday 21 April 2013

Caen Hill - 7th Wonder

Friday
After our visit into Devizes and a good lunch in the town, we decided to take up the challenge of the Caen Hill flight of locks.  All 29 of them!
Not too hot, hot too windy, not wet, perfect conditions in fact.  In most cases the locks were set for us, just a few had leaky gates and the level had dropped, so the going was good.  We met only one boat at the third lock down, the rest of the flight was our own.
There were plenty of others out walking or cycling the towpath, showing a friendly interest in what we were doing and asking questions as people often do.
The view from the top is amazing, spreading out towards Bath and Bristol, but you mustn't forget to look back too, as the well photographed and iconic view of the main flight of 16 locks in that straight line unfolds.
The distance from Devizes Wharf to Foxhangers is just 2.25 miles and it took us 4 hours.  It was fantastic.
Here are just a few of the pictures taken on the way down..........












................... no wonder it is known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways. We have now done them all on Tacet.  Do you know what the others are?


Caen Hill
2.5 miles, 29 locks
4 hours








3 comments:

  1. Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (tick)
    Anderton Boat Lift (tick)
    Standedge Tunnel (tick)
    Barton Swing Aqueduct (tick)
    Bingley Five Rise Locks (tick)
    Falkirk Wheel (tick)

    Would you agree? Have I missed any out? Jan wondered about the Foxton Inclined Plane but I think they have to be "doable".

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  2. Falkirk Wheel wasn't on our list. Either too modern or not part of main system.....
    The other one was Burnley Embankment

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  3. I guessed the Anderton Boat Lift, the Bingley Five Rise and the big aqueduct (but couldn't remember its name). I should have thought of the Barton Swing Aqueduct, but didn't.

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