BITM Camp July 25th To August 1st 2009

Bookings

The Camp is one of a series of Waterway Recovery Group Canal Camps - Please follow the following links

Book on this camp now via online booking
Click here to download a form to print & post

For further information on please see Canal Camp 0914 Wilts & Berks Canal (Seven Locks) (BITM)

Introduction

This year camp will be on the Seven Locks flight (Dig Deep project) of the Wilts & Canal. We are hosting WRG Canal Camp 0914. We will welcome a number of new volunteers to canal restoration. We are running our usual canal camp for Weekend Navvies - those people with families, retired, working full time - who are normally only able to come canal restoring once a month.

WRG BITM is providing a substantial work force for the week. We are inviting you to join us either for a few days or the whole week. Flexibility is the key.

During the camp you will be rebuilding the brickwork at the top end of Lock 2, paddle culverts, etc plus various other work on culverts under the canal.

Dates

From July 25th To August 1st 2009.

The camp will start and finish following canal camp traditions - Saturday to Saturday. However to suit weekenders and the super-keen, we are overlapping the first weekend with our normal Working Party Weekend.

If you are one of our regular volunteers coming for the first weekend - and you need to arrive Friday evening - check with Racheal for availability of accomodation.

If you are joining us for the first time please arrive around lunchtime at the accommodation. You will be given a classroom style health and safety briefing followed by a familiarisation tour of the site.

Leaders

Camp Leader: Rachael Banyard

Work Site

Seven Locks.

Post code: SN15 4DT

OS Grid ref: SU 020 807

Work

Rebuilding the brickwork at the top end of Lock 2, paddle culverts, etc plus various other work on culverts under the canal. Lots of work for skilled bricklayers

Investigating the lower wing walls at Lock 5, to see how they can be rebuilt.

Clearing vegetation where the road will be diverted for a new bridge at the tail of lock 2.

There will also be some opportunities for large & small excavator training – probably using Rachael's JCB812 which now uses the standard control layout, and Blue (wrg's JCB803 small excavator)


Accommodation

Bushton Village Hall.

Post code: SN4 7PX

OS Grid ref: SU 066 774

This is the hall that we used in April 2007. It’s about 5 miles from site, but only 200 yds from the pub. There is plenty of car parking space.


How to get there


By Road

From the M4 Junction 16 take the A3102 to Wootton Bassett. Left at roundabout by landrover garage and through the town. Over the railway bridge, then left into Breach Lane. After 2 miles at T-junction, turn left. Half a mile and straight over the crossroads. Trotting Horse pub is about 50 yds past the crossroads, towards Clyffe Pypard. The Village Hall is about another 200 yds further on. It’s the last building on the right.

From the M4 Junction 17 take the B4122 for 1.5 miles and turn left onto the B4069. Follow this for 6.5 miles to the roundabout by the White Hart. Second exit onto A3102 takes you into Lyneham. Past the Co-op store, then left into Preston Lane. Follow this road until you reach Bushton, then over crossroads and past Trotting Horse pub as described above.

By Rail

The nearest station is Chippenham. Please let us know beforehand if you want to be picked up from the station.

Futher Information

Websites

There are several websites for the Wilts & Berks Canal

The official one is http://www.wbct.org.uk You might find these links interesting.

http://www.wbct.org.uk/interim/SevenLocks.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilts_and_Berks_Canal

http://www.wbct.org.uk/interim/restoration.htm

http://www.smithswbc.org.uk