Avon haven

We have had a lovely time on the River Avon. In fact it was so beautiful, we got to Stratford and decided to go back down the way we came. We had a spell of very warm weather, which sounds great, but on a narrow boat you don’t want to get too hot, so we found ourselves searching for shade. 

We found an idyllic spot in Pershore, not before having a few dramas such as leaving my jacket in the lock. I had hung it up because it was so warm, forgot about it, and when we arrived in Pershore realised that it was still by the lock. I walked for miles backtracking, and across the Pershore bridge into the countryside, only to find that there was no way of getting back to the lock other than by water

Fortunately, we had met some other boaters and we saw them coming through the lock from the shore. We shouted over to them and they picked up the jacket. Saved the day!

We headed to Evesham after a couple of lovely days in Pershore. Everyone was out on the water on their water toys. It was delightful. 

The river is very different from the canals. The locks are quite ferocious. You have to make sure you’ve got the bow and stern line otherwise the boat goes flying, and there is a very good chance of sinking.

But we made it all the way to Stratford. We had a lovely time there and stayed for about a week! We must be on hundreds of peoples videos as there were so many people watching us at the lock as we drove into the basin. I felt like taking a bow once we’d got through the lock.. We moored right opposite the Royal Shakespeare theatre. 

We even got to see an outdoor performance of Shakespeare’s “As you like it.” Then we came back downstream, staying in the favourite spots we had discovered. We had some interesting encounters, like blokes mending the locks at Evesham, and there must have been a fishing Rod competition there as the blokes all had very long rods! 

There is a rope ferry that crosses the river at one point; such a lovely throwback to old times. 

On our return to Diglis Marina in Worcester we settled in for a couple of weeks while we dealt with a few things. We nearly bought a country house near Malvern, bought a car and  grand piano, and did a quick dog sit in Gloucestershire. 

Now we are back on the canals, travelling new territory. 

PHEW