Thursday 23 August: Stratford
upriver to the Old Bathing Place and then downriver to Luddington (4
½ miles, 3 locks)
We had a pleasant morning in town. John
caught up with our blog in Costa, then bought a week's Avon
Navigation Trust (ANT) license for £50 from the ANT boat in Bancroft
Basin. A leaflet gave charges and list of mooring places. ANT now
charge for mooring at places like Stratford riverside and Evesham
Lock moorings, which we think is a bit rich, having just paid for a
license.
We travelled ¾ mile upriver to the
services at the limit of navigation for narrowboats, the Old Bathing
Place. We emptied loo holding tanks and got rid of rubbish there. The
water point is not too close to the water, but a hose should reach.
On this sunny day, loads of dinghies, motor boats, canoes and nippy
trip boats were around, so John had fun avoiding things, including
colliding rowing boats and motorboats on the S bends!
Reaching the
tramway bridge, we found a narrowboat across the river wanting to
enter Bancroft Basin, a trip boat trying to pass it, plus the big
trip boat trying to leave the river lock! John managed to thread his
way past, avoid loads of little boats and the little chain ferry
which operates most days, crossing the river for 50p by Trinity
Church. John let Liana and Ali off before Trinity Lock (the ugly
metal C.P. Ritter Lock – they often have memorial names of patrons,
too).
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| setting up the 3d effect using masking tape yesterday |
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| chaos on the river |
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| the hand powered chain ferry by Shakespeare's church |
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| 3d effect completed |
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| Lyrebird and Annie in Colin P Witter lock |
We shared the lock with young actors from the Attic(?) fringe
Theatre on NB Lyrebird, admiring the new 3D lettering completed after
we watched the masking tape going on the other day. They stopped at
Weir Brake Lock (anonymous/Gordon Gray lock) to return to act later,
but we had others to help. The two miles to moorings above
Luddington (Stan Clover) Lock is pretty: We didn't hurry. We squeezed
in between two narrowboats at the moorings, with fenders overlapping,
thanks to one of the boaters, who moved as much as he could. The
other boaters on NB Latis couldn't move, as they said the owner of
the boathouse at the end of the moorings had told them not to overlap
his land. Liana watched tv while John had a short circular walk
around this small but quite scenic village. There were anumber of
thatched cottages and expensive houses: Clearly, not a place we could
afford to live in!
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| Luddington village |
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| Luddington a short walk from the lock |
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| ANT information board near the church |
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| pretty mooring above Luddington Lock, overlooking the weir |
Friday 24 August: Luddington to
The Four Alls at Welford-on-Avon (2 miles, 1 lock)
We got up early and repeated the walk John had done yesterday. The
church was closed, sadly. We decided to head for Welford-on-Avon
while it was sunny. Stan Clover Lock was THE lock of the day, but a
kind ANT Volunteer, who John had been chatting to, helped us through,
as the grass had not grown enough for him to cut. We reached Welford
quite soon, and the newish concrete mooring was empty, although it
was only about twenty feet long, and only twenty yards from the stone
bridge. John came alongside very carefully and used stern and both
centre ropes plus the fat fenders to moor the back half of the boat,
with the bow sticking out downstream.
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| riverside mansions |
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| approaching Welford-on-Avon: Bear left and stop before the bridge to moor |
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| the solid but short mooring close above the bridge |
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| I used fat fenders in the right places to protect Annie |
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| mooring was secure, not ideal, but the pub and village were worth it |
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| the view from the Four Alls pub |
Once he was happy Annie was
secure, we found the pub had a wood fired pizza oven: The pizzas were
brilliant! The beer was, too. We had a long walk around the very
affluent village, with lots of personalised number plates and
Porsches. We decided to walk back using a riverside walk, but had to
find the path by walking UP a hill! It was bosky but pleasant, and we
had to shelter from a shower. Eventually we found ourselves in a
field near the sports ground, climbed a fence and found our way back.
After toast, we watched tv.
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| Welford has some fancy houses |
Saturday 25 August: Welford to
Bidford-on-Avon (4 miles, 3 locks)
Cool but sunny, we set off early to take advantage of the good
weather.
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| you can see the Four Alls jetty here |
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| you don't see this until you are close to the bridge, because of a bend |
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| Annie going through the correct arch. The ducks are standing up under the other one!! |
We soon arrived at Welford-on-Avon Lock, helped by a
friendly boater. Although the lock island is very close to the
village centre, there is no bridge to provide acces to the village,
sadly. ANT, Welford-on-Avon residents, here is an opportunity to work
together?
At Pilgrim Lock a cruiser was exitting ahead of us, and a narrowboat
came upstream and up the lock, helped by Liana and caravanners, who
chatted to Liana while Annie went through the lock.
We cruised on to E&H Bullington Lock. As we descended, a trip
boat arrived wanting to ascend. The man came with no windlass and no
clue, Liana said! Liana and boaters who arrived behind us helped them
through. We had a lovely time chatting to every one. Reaching
Bidford-on-Avon, John turned and squeezed Annie between two GRP
Cruisers, leaving the bow sticking out, until they departed a short
time later. Then we moored properly, chatted with a large family
having a BBQ next to us, then walked across the old stone bridge into
town. John enjoyed watching football at the pub by the church, which
has Sky and BT satellite channels.
Ali and Scott arrived, we ate at the pub and shopped at Budgens,
using the car. After Scott left, John watched Liverpool FC beat
Brighton 1-0 in a hard match at the pub (ok, ok, yes, he admits it,
he had a total of five pints!!). We played Settlers of Catan twice.
Sunday 26 August: Sheltering from
the rain at Bidford-on-Avon
What a horrid, wet, windy day! John tried the keep fit apparatus
close by, but had to dash back/ hobble quickly as more rain arrived.
Bidford has plenty of pubs and eating places, plus a decent Budgens
foodstore. The Recreation Ground is a good place to moor, with plenty
of play equipment for adults as well as for children!We read, watched
tv, chatted with passing folk and played Settlers of Catan: Ali
points out that she has STILL not won!
A Valley Cruises (“Excellence Afloat”) hireboat arrived at noon,
trying to moor going downriver, hitting our bow, making us jump. We
helped them moor. Two similar boats arrived and they breasted up
together, as they were all friends. We had several pleasant chats
with these friendly Geordies, some of whom had boated before.
Ali lost again :( …... but enjoyed her white wine :)
Monday 27 August: Bidford to
below Workman Bridge, Evesham (7 miles, 4 locks)
Apart from the odd short wet squall, the morning was cool, windy but
mainly dry, so we set off, letting the current turn us as John held
the stern rope. Our boat bumping friends followed us and shared all
four locks, making life easier and more fun :)
We weren't rushing, enjoying the countryside and riverside scene as
we passed through Maricliff (IWA) Lock, Harvington (Robert Aickman)
Lock and Offenham (George Billington) Lock. We used the open air
Elsan point here to empty four loo holding tanks so quickly that we
had finished as our companions arrived! John saw no floating fenders
to salvage, and no Kingfishers, though. The moorings above Evesham
lock, opposite the weir, looked a biut uncared for, As the ANT
pamphlet stated they charge here, we descended the lock, with its
attractive lock keeper's house, and moored below the town bridge.
Evesham has loads of shops, plenty of history and things to look at:
The riverside, parks, Abbey remains are nice. The Almonry museum is
quite small, but excellent (£5 adults, £2 concessions), with lots
of interesting stuff to enjoy in this ancient Abbey pilgrims' guest
house.
Tuesday 28 August: Evesham to
Pershore (11 miles, 3 locks)
We slept in, popped a few hundred yards to LIDL for supplies, passing
lots of eastern european grocery shops on the way. We set off after
1100. John held the stern rope while Liana pushed the bow out and let
the current do the work turning us. Evesham is quite a pretty town,
with plenty of flowers evident. We passed Abbey Park, and
complimented an ANT Volunteer cutting back weeds on the ANT mooring
near Abbey Bridge, which Pearson's Guide states has water and rubbish
bins. Hampton's chain Ferry, a small affair, was moored but not
working. Sankey Marine seemed busy, with diesel and boats for sale.
The river through Chadbury Lock to Fladbury is very pretty, with
reeds. Lilies, Oaks and overhanging willows. Sadly, there is no
bridge connecting Fladbury Lock Island to the village, just a small
wire foot ferry, which looked like it is operated from the shore. As
there didn't seem to be a village mooring, despite Pearson's Guide
2011 stating ANT were trying to sort one, we had to carry on: A
shame, as the village and butcher's sound enticing :(
Two boats emerged as we reached Fladbury Lock, which was helpful.
These locks, with their weirs, are lovely to see. Passing Cropthorne,
the millionaire's mansions on the left had huge gardens, parks,
really! Again, the river is very scenic, and we took our time. John
finally saw a Kingfisher.
We moored at the Anchor Inn (48 hr moorings for patrons), Wyre
Piddle, after passing Smith's Island and Tiddle Widdle Island! John
HAD to have a pint of 'Piddle! He did return it before leaving :P The
food seemed expensive to we midlanders.
Wyre Piddle has a nice little church, St Anne's, which was open, plus
several pretty thatched and timber frame houses. Piesse of Piddle is
a newish wine bar with a good concrete mooring near the Anchor. It
helps to have a lavatory sense of humour here!!
We decided to carry on the short distance to the good Pershore
Recreation Ground moorings. Wyre Boatyard has pretty much taken over
the shore and weir stream above Wyre Lock. Below the diamond shaped
lock, is the large mill building, Wyre Mill Boat Club moorings and
the ANT offices.
Once moored near ASDA at Pershore, John used more classic wood oil on
the wood/resin surfaces in the semi-trad rear. This seems to go on
like varnish, which John didn't expect, and improves the
tired-looking surfaces. Ali cooked mince & tatties, while Liana
watched Tipping Point.
Wednesday 29 August: Pershore to
Tewkesbury (12 miles, 3 locks)
Pershore presents quite a pretty face to the world: Hanging baskets of flowers prevail in the streets, where there are plenty of decent shops, including an indoor market next to the ASDA store close by the moorings. We visited the abbey church remains, now the parish church, with magnificent quire as its nave, and a scary ringers floor supported by four wooden beams, a hundred feet above the ground.
Reaching the
tramway bridge, we found a narrowboat across the river wanting to
enter Bancroft Basin, a trip boat trying to pass it, plus the big
trip boat trying to leave the river lock! John managed to thread his
way past, avoid loads of little boats and the little chain ferry
which operates most days, crossing the river for 50p by Trinity
Church. John let Liana and Ali off before Trinity Lock (the ugly
metal C.P. Ritter Lock – they often have memorial names of patrons,
too).
