 Kennet and Avon Canal |
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MILE 63
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Staverton and Trowbridge and Holt, Wiltshire : KAC63.00=KAC64.00 |
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KandAC mile 63
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KandAC mile 63 - OS 1inch map, early 19th century.
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... canals skirt the backyards of towns ...
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The Kennet and Avon Canal from mile 63 to mile 64 runs past a pleasant
new marina with posh canalside flats, and Trowbridge's industrial
estate, including Airsprung's mattress factory. It continues down the
valley of the River Avon and crosses the valley of its tributary, the
River Biss. The towpath is on the north side
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The parish boundary between Staverton and Trowbridge runs
approximately along the canal, mostly on the offside, the south side.
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Milepost 63
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Hilperton Bridge, Staverton
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Hilperton Wharf, Trowbridge
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A new road parallels the canal on the offside.
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There's a lot of mooring about here.
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KandAC culvert 63.09
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Hire boat, Foxhunter, making it's way back to base.
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Parson's Bridge, Staverton
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Was there a bridge about here?
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Hilperton Marina, Staverton
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From an unknown source, before the canal was restored:-
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... The weeds [around Hilperton] had been particularly bad, and we had
been towing the boat for several miles in bitterly cold weather and
were all feeling tired and irritable, when it suddenly started to rain
in torrents. ...
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KandAC winding point 63.26
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Wessex Narrowboats Wharf, Trowbridge
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The warehouse complex south east of the hire service wharf is the
headquarters of the Consortium for Purchasing and Distribution, CPD,
an effective joint local authority purchasing system run by Wiltshire
CC.
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New Parson's Bridge, Staverton
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KandAC culvert 63.37
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On the offside, south east of the canal, is Wyke Farm Industrial
Estate or Canal Road Industrial Estate, some of Trowbridge's new and
old industrial bits. New bits include some out of town retail
provision, car sales, diy supplies, car tyre services, etc.
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There is an overflow running off north east on the offside, to the
culvert eastward.
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White campion, Silene alba, by the towpath.
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Poppy, Papaver rhoeas, on towpath.
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One of the less new bits of Trowbridge industry is a mattress factory
belonging to Airsprung, polymers, fibres stuffing, textiles, wood
working, a fleet of lorries.
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Airsprung lorries
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Airsprung / BEDS / RELAX / ...
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The road to Ball's Bridge passes between two parts of Airsprung's
factory.
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Ball's Bridge, Staverton
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On the northward side of the canal the agricultural ?waste land,
accessed across Ball's Bridge from the town, has become an area for
kids and noisy kiddy motorbikes.
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Ladydown Railway Aqueduct, Staverton
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Parish boundary Staverton - Trowbridge - Holt: ST85475939
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As suddenly as you are in it you are out of town and in the green
again across Ladydown. Ladydown Mill is on the River Biss to the
south.
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There is a plug in the bed of the canal between the two aqueducts, for
draining the water for maintenance.
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Biss Aqueduct, Holt
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From this embanked part of the canal you can see the chimney of the
Nestle's factory at Staverton to the north.
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Spare piece of coir roll; these are being used to reinforce the canal
bank.
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The canal eastward of Ladydown Bridge.
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Ladydown Bridge, Holt
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Kennet and Avon Scrapbook 2000
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