Rape in the countryside

Jan was awake at 5:00AM and kindly let me sleep on until 7:00 before gently tweaking my nose.  The sky was blue and the birds were singing.  There was a slight breeze but it looked like we were going to have a great day.  I donned my walking boots and grabbed a banana and apple before heading out for a walk to the north-west.  Another circuit, and this one was over familiar terrain for the first quarter.

It was an anticlockwise circuit passing around Beenham, Woohampton and then Midgham.  By the time I reached Midgham it was new ground.  The rape is in flower marking the countryside with fields of bright yellow.  Back in Australia it would more likely be canola in flower.  But still bright yellow!

The high ground behind Thatcham provides some good views across the valley.

The route took me to the left edge of the distant field of rape and then down into Thatcham.  From there I turned east and headed back to Aldermaston Wharf along the canal towpath.
Part of the way towards Woolhampton I came upon this DD (double-double) standard Bailey Bridge across the canal.

It’s more than 40 years since my basic military engineering course; however I can still remember the bridging phase and the construction of a DD Bailey Bridge across the dry gap at the SME (School of Military Engineering).  This bridge looks like it provides access to a local quarry.
The circuit was just under 21km and took slightly less than 3½ hours. A casual Sunday stroll!
After a cheese sandwich made from Jan’s delicious home baked bread I headed off to Waiouru to mark out on the roof the holes for the pump out and rinse connections.  These were then cut out from the inside and outside of the roof to give a clean hole.  The last of the box plastic cable ducting has been fixed in place under the gunwale.
The plan for tomorrow is to cut the blackwater tank breather hole through the hull and then make a start on running the 230v power cables.