Return to Worcester

Carole made it safely to Evesham and Paul met her at the station on Friday. We soon got her into a life jacket and started on our way. We made a stop Pershore again on Saturday having a meal in The Star Inn. Lovely meal and good service. They do have mooring but not sure that it was long enough for us! Sunday we stopped at Eckington again. We only intended to stop for lunch but the rain came in and we ended staying the night. Only a short mooring so with 2 other boats there we were breasted 3 out.
Monday saw us cruise on to Tewkesbury where we stopped for a look around before moving on to Upton on Severn for the night.

Approach to Worcester 

Worcester Cathedral 

Carole's friend Diana along with daughter Val were coming to collect her from Worcester so Tuesday it was a case of getting up and getting on. We arrived with enough time to have coffee before they arrived, so ideal timing. So today, after spending a day in Worcester we continue to travel north.

Back at Evesham

Well we made it safely back to Stratford making a couple of overnight stops before reaching the Avon. One stop was to restock the larder and to do the laundry. See it's not all fun 😉
Otherwise we have been gradually cruising down river meeting people at locks. Including a couple of 'interesting' encounters with day boat hirers! It does brighten our day! As long as they aren't putting themselves in danger that is.

Taken in Stratford a couple of weeks ago
Carole, Addison, Paul and Brogan
No Carole isn't drinking from the straw however it looks!

We have stopped here in Evesham for the night as my cousin Carole is joining us today for a few nights. We meet her at the station this afternoon. Then it's continue on to Tewkesbury and hence the River Severn. Take care all till next time.

Stratford Canal

Come Friday we had spent 3 nights on a 48 hour mooring so thought we had better move on. We had planned to move on Thursday, but there was so much rain in the afternoon we thought it best not to venture on to the River. So on Friday we thought the best thing would be to travel some distance on the Canal.

Part way up Wilmcote Locks, there are 11

 Didn't go far on Friday as we didn't set off very early! This is us on Saturday continuing our trip up. We got as far as Wootton Wawen where we spent the night.
Today we visited a near by shopping barn with all sorts of different shops, including one selling coffee and cake!  We set off after lunch to return down the Canal towards Stratford.
There are 2 aqueducts along this stretch of Canal. They are built in similar style as the famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in Wales, but on these the Towpath is on the bottom level of the trough. It makes everything look even steeper

Going over Edstone Aqueduct 

As we were coming back today a train went underneath! Yes the bottom right corner of the picture is our Boat and the side of the trough we are cruising through.
We are hoping that when we get back to Stratford the River Avon will have dropped and we can carry on.

Stratford upon Avon

Sorry folks I just found this in drafts. I wrote it on Wednesday but obviously I didn't press the right buttons to post it!
Whoops, didn't realise it was nearly 2 weeks since I last wrote on here. We have put a couple of pics on Facebook which some of you may have picked up on!
So since then we have made our way right to the top of the navigable River Avon. To the 'Old Bathing Place'. Which whilst it is a nice picnic area with a car park, doesn't offer much for the boater . The only mooring is for the sanitary station, so having 'gone all the way' all you can do is turn and head back.

Llast lock up into Stratford.

We have now been in Stratford for a week. There are some beautiful buildings around and we have walked a lot. Also done some catching up.

Moored on the River Avon by Royal Shakespeare Theatre 

 On Friday Julie came to lunch. I used to work with her husband many years ago, in the time before children. She has been on board once before a couple of years ago when we were in Oxford.
Saturday was busy as Lorraine and all the family came to see us, my cousin Carole too. We all went off to Bistrot Pierre for lunch.

Paul, Brogan, Lorraine and Addison

Saturday night we went to The Attic to watch a play called Bouncers. It was very funny and part of a set of 3. So on Sunday we saw Teachers and yesterday was Shakers. All were very funny, the company was called 'Tread the Boards ' . We will certainly look out for them in the future.
Tonight we are off to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre to watch Midsummer Nights Dream. A bit more cultural than our previous theatre visits I think.

Stratford upon Avon

Sorry folks I just found this in drafts. I wrote it on Wednesday but obviously I didn't press the right buttons to post it!
Whoops, didn't realise it was nearly 2 weeks since I last wrote on here. We have put a couple of pics on Facebook which some of you may have picked up on!
So since then we have made our way right to the top of the navigable River Avon. To the 'Old Bathing Place'. Which whilst it is a nice picnic area with a car park, doesn't offer much for the boater . The only mooring is for the sanitary station, so having 'gone all the way' all you can do is turn and head back.

Llast lock up into Stratford.

We have now been in Stratford for a week. There are some beautiful buildings around and we have walked a lot. Also done some catching up.

Moored on the River Avon by Royal Shakespeare Theatre 

 On Friday Julie came to lunch. I used to work with her husband many years ago, in the time before children. She has been on board once before a couple of years ago when we were in Oxford.
Saturday was busy as Lorraine and all the family came to see us, my cousin Carole too. We all went off to Bistrot Pierre for lunch.

Paul, Brogan, Lorraine and Addison

Saturday night we went to The Attic to watch a play called Bouncers. It was very funny and part of a set of 3. So on Sunday we saw Teachers and yesterday was Shakers. All were very funny, the company was called 'Tread the Boards ' . We will certainly look out for them in the future.
Tonight we are off to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre to watch Midsummer Nights Dream. A bit more cultural than our previous theatre visits I think.

On from Tewkesbury

Well sometimes things go according to plan and we left Gloucester on Sunday. We had a safe uneventful trip up the Severn . A bit too uneventful as we had planned to stop for lunch, but all the moorings were full. We arrived at Avon Lock to find it was shut for lunch!

Avon Lock

Paul, Lou, Richard and St Mary's Abbey

Well we did get through and filled with water, finding a mooring and finally having lunch about 3.
Monday was a lovely day, not the least because we had visitors to lunch. Richard and Lou who are neighbours from Plymstock popped in to see us on way home from Nottingham.
We spent Tuesday looking round the Abbey and the lovely old buildings of Tewkesbury before moving on yesterday.
We spent last night at a little place called Eckington. This bridge was built over 400 years ago. Surprisingly some very large vehicles were passing over it. We thought there would have been a weight restriction.

Yesterdays mooring by Eckington Bridge

Today, after a little less than an hour cruising we have moored at Converton, an even smaller place, for the night. Very peaceful, the only sound is birdsong.