Camp report
Easter on the Wilts & Berks
This year s first Canal Camp began with a frantic search for any suitable accommodation...
bookings had had to drop out, one of whom - Alexandra Freudeman - arrived in London only to have to return to Germany as her father had been taken ill. The saga of our accommodation for the two On Monday the rest of the gang eagerly weeks camp proved to be a rather long plunged in (well, sort of - it had dried up a drawn out nightmare... bit) and (a) set up the Burco - have to get Step 1: Book Watchfield Village Hall our priorities right (b) Claire, Michael and (our usual accommodation). No problem Maggie brought bricks down the muddy track until they realised that Easter was not in the to site, (c) introduced Derek to dumper school holidays, so they cancelled our bookdriving, (d) Paul went down a hole to get ing one month before the camp. trenchfoot, whilst widening the trench for a Step 2: Phone round every village/ land-drain and for concrete backfill, (e) Rob parish/church hail in the area. No luck at started bricklaying on the SE wall to Debbie s such short notice, also because it was term mixing, (f) Martin went off to a builders in time. Panic. Faringdon to pick up a large core drill to Step 3: Reserve Foxham Reading finish the remaining drain holes and (g) Mina Rooms, even though it would have meant a the dog had a great time renewing her acnearly 80 mile round trip every day to and quaintance with Steppingstone Lane Bridge. from site. We also sorted out some more scaffolding. Step 4: Martin remembered that a On the way back to the hall, we made use of brand new sports hall was being built in the showers at Lambourn Community & Watchfield, with showers. They assured us Leisure Centre, and got told off for bringing that it would be finished by the end of Febru- in too much of Steppingstone Lane with us... ary, so booked immediately. Relief. Tuesday saw us on site bright and Step 5: Phone call from Sports Hall early, and we quickly got things set up. manager. A pipe for the boiler had failed its Mortar was produced by Maggie and Debbie, test, and they couldn t replace it for a month, while Derek and Rob were bricklaying, and so cancelled our booking. Panic again. Paul enticed Claire into his hole on the other Step 6: The local branch had no ideas, side of the bridge. Debbie tried her hand at so Martin trawled the internet, and came up dumper driving, and with Michael s and Rachwith a village hail near Lambourn that could ael s help brought a tonne of pea gravel down take us from Sunday. Still 15 miles from the track, which was now beginning to dry out worksite, but better than Foxham. Booked at last. Martin (now known as Red Van Man) quickly, and put start of camp back by a day went off on his travels again, collecting a site (fortuitously, as it turned out). level from home, and returning the core drill to We regretted missing the first Saturday, the hire company, before returning to site to until the RAINS STARTED. Pretty well nonscaffold for England! Various people were stop until Sunday afternoon, and driving up employed moving bricks around to satisfy on Sunday morning it looked as if the Cotsthe voracious appetites of the bricklayers. wold Water Park had extended its boundaThe North east side, which needed the most ries. There was even a brand new stream remedial action, was now coming up apace. pouring down the road outside the village Our D of E ers Claire and Michael were showhall. It was not an auspicious start to the ing great enthusiasm for any task set them, camp, but we told ourselves that it could including painting the second coat of bituonly get better - and thanks to Him above, it men on the arch of the bridge and themactually did! selves. We went off to showers, making sure Unfortunately, two of the first week s we left most of our mud behind.
Steppingstone Lane Bridge Wilts & Berks Canal March 16-29
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