Last week me and a bunch of single handed women met up and walked the Wey and Arun canal. The path deviates from the canal a fair bit and is called the Wey South but all 7 of us completed it and we enjoyed the route.
Day one is pretty much either along the old railway line and across fields with occasional crossings of the canal. That was okay as there was a lot of chat and catching up to do so not having to pay too much attention to the route was a bonus. Although the advance party did get mislaid at one point and we had to retrace our steps. When we caught up with the two stragglers (who had the guide book) there was some comment on the hare and the tortoise!
Day two was the longest but mostly along the canal and a good few miles of the canal were in water with boats.
Day three was the hardest as it involved a good few bridle paths which were very churned up and made it difficult to walk. Especially for those with dodgy knees and or hips. Plus a good few hills. South Downs you know.
36 miles walked in total.
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| The beginning |
There was a boat moored just beyond the bund that had been put in so they could repair the bridge. Definitely a continous moorer!
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| View of a lockhouse (much extended) | | |
We spoke to a couple living in part of the above lock house and he was a South African and she it turned out was also a boater and she was moored next to the son of one of the women!
Small world hey
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| This picnic area is made up of lock beams supported by sawn up lock ladders with a table made out of the paddles. |
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| Lunch on day two with three boats in the background. Dayboat, narrowboat and a broadbeam! |
The visitor centre is behind this pub.
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| The Pickupstuffers |
Like we didn't have enough to carry. One of us has a proper working boat and she has been looking for ages for some milk crates as they are perfect for holding the tarps off the top planks. Apparently.
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| Water wheel raising water from the river into the canal which then goes over the river in an aquaduct. |
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| End of day three lunch time. |
Well we had done 10 miles before lunch and none of us could get the enthusiasm to do another 4 miles along the river Arun. Technically we had done the Wey and Arun Canal and that was good enough for us. Luckily we had left a car here because one of us was leaving early and needed to leave her bags in the car that would take her to the train station. Otherwise we would have had no choice but to carry on to where the two end cars were waiting.
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| Panda and friend. |
We stayed 4 nights at the Travel Lodge Billingshurst. They allow dogs no problem which is useful to know. Breakfasts were had at 'Billys on the road' and the choice was incredible. My parents told me it used to be a Little Chef and always appeared to be empty. Now it is very, very popular. Open 7am to 7pm.
The disappointment? No work done on the boat. I have cancelled it for this year. Snarpip.
