Image via Wikipedia Recovering from the gallbladder operation and the emotional impact of “The wedding”, I stayed for a few days by the banks of The Kennet & Avon Canal. The footpath is flat and good for recuperation. I set off for the Croft Beam Engine and was told to look out for a very tall chimney. After five miles or so and after many chats with the happy holiday makers on their narrow boats, I glimpsed in the distance an apology for a chimney; well, at least if you come from the North of the UK where the mill towns had proper chimneys. The Crofton Beam Engine was built to pump water to the highest point of the canal in this section, some 40′ above Crofton. A spring was damned and the water pumped up the hill using steam engines designed in Manchester with pumping expertise from Cornwall. Further along the canal is the Caen Hill Flight of locks near Devizes. I hope to reach them on my next visit. So many nice people in their narrow boats but it is hard work opening and closing the lock gates.
But not much chance to discuss Equity Fingerprint for business plans until I met an academic from Reading searching for a Geocache; waterproof bottles hidden all over the countryside and in other countries. We are all different and my new friend was thrilled to discover and check off another Geocache. And he was also interested in Equity Fingerprint for his business plan!
I also talked to Mrs Ali Burch (tel 01672 870328) of the up market Crofton Lodge B&B – very special place to stay so she said.