A Journey to Stratford on Avon from Gloucester and back:
24th May- 10th June 2024.
Friday 24th May 2024: Gloucester to Tewksebury.
Cruising along the Severn to Tewkesbury
French Tall Ship just arriving in Gloucester Dock as we leave.
We are out of the Lock at Gloucester at 11.30, to avoid the Tall ships coming in this morning for the Tall Ships Festival. It takes us four hours to get to Tewkesbury and we moor up above the first lock. Call at the Avon Trust boat and decide to pay for a 14 day licence., then adjourn to the Black Bear Pub sitting in the garden eating Pizza.
Evening drinks on the slipway on the Avon watching the sunset.
Saturday 25th May Tewkesbury to just before Pershore.
We stop at Tewkesbury Marina for gas, and looking out for the blue posts which are where we can moor and find some just before Pershore,
Passing under the water main for the first time, We had to take the wheelhouse down to get out of Tewkesbury but it is a nice sunny day.
Sunday 26th May 2024 Pershore to Evesham.
In the morning stop to visit Pershore and have coffee in The Angel Inn, and scour the charity shops for some more plates and mugs. Continue to Evesham and moor up at Workman Gardens. Wander into Evesham during a thunderstorm and not very impressed. Dine out in the Balti House by the gardens, and spend the evening watching film (Baby Reindeer) on the Tablet.
Monday 27th May 2024 Evesham to Bidford on Avon
A long day arriving after 6pm. at the town moorings. Walk into town looking for somewhere to eat- The Frog has stopped serving, so go to the Boar's Head.
Shakespeare Morris performing outside the Boar's Head. 9pm.
Morris dancers appear outside and we are the audience, get to have a go- waving hankies and do-si-doing etc. Supper of leftovers from the Balti.
Tuesday 28th May 2024 Bidford on Avon
A rest day shopping in Bidford and a late lunch at the village Cafe.
Wednesday 29th May Bidford to Stratford on Avon
Breakfast again at the Village Cafe, before setting off and through several locks along the winding course of the upper section, arriving in Stratford about 5.30, mooring in the canal basin. Trek to the launderette and while washing have a pint in the Thatched Cottage pub. Out to eat in the thai restaurant.
Stratford on Avon canal basin with ferris wheel in the background.
Fladbury Mill
Thursday 30th May 2024 Stratford on Avon
Compton Verney from the other side of the lake
Visit to Compton Verney by the 77 Bus. Great collection of landscape Painters including Claude,Tissot, Turner, Constable, Richard Wison et al. Some Floral paintings by Stanley Spencer, Paul Nash etc. Get a guided tour of the permanent collection including a picture by William Beechey and a Reynolds.. Picnic in the grounds full of modern sculptures, Back on the 77 to Marks and Spencers to stock up for our guests tomorrow.
Friday 31st May 2024 Stratford.
Move the boat out of the basin and back on the river, and put the wheelhouse back up. Clean the boat before our guests arrive at midday with their dog. Go out for a little cruise to the weir and back before driving to a pub that serves thai food. Walk a little way down the towpath with Judith and Stuart and Ben the dog before parting and continuing on foot back to Stratford arriving about 7.30 for a pint by the river at Cox's and a light supper on the boat of pate and hummus. Needed a fire at night to 'fight the damp'. Quiet now as during the day the park is busy with two competing fairgrounds .
Judith, Stuart, and 'Ben'
Saturday 1st June 2024 Stratford.
Breakfast at the Prospero Lounge, before going to B&Q, Lidl, etc. for food and bits and pieces for the boat and also Sports Direct for Julie's running shoes. This morning she did the Park Run with 400 others running passed the boat three times. Back to the boat for a little DIY putting up curtain chords for the lounge area. After a quick bite of fish and chips we go to the theatre to see 'Buddha of Suburbia'- very colourful.'
Julie passing the boat on the Park run for the third time.
unday 2nd June 2024 Stratford to Robert Akeman Lock
We leave Stratford through many hire rowing boats, a cruising barge and Windermere launches. Good to be on the move and quite quick with the current. Thinking we are going to stop at Bidford but the world and his wife were there barbequing, swimming- complete mayhem, so continue until we find a very fine mooring above the Robert Akeman lock, In the evening sun we set up a bbq, using the huge mountain of wood debri placed up from the weir., as we have no charcoal. Halloumi, burgers, courgettes, delicious. Phone Jax who we arrange to meet for lunch tomorrow.
Akeman Lock BBQ
Monday 3rd June 2024. Akeman Lock to Evesham
Running late to meet with Jax and 'Quatro' at The Bridge pub by the river for a greek flavoured lunch and a catch up about family and friends. Continue on to Evesham where we hoped to get a pump out at the lock, but it wasn't working so went back up the lock to the marina for a £25 pump out. We walk into Evesham and find the Waitrose that Jax had told us about, and see the Shakesbeare Morris performing again like in Bidford, this time with a black dressed troup. Have a good meal in the Italian restaurant with a fine bottle of red wine.
Morris dancers in Evesham
Tuesday4th June 2024 Evesham to Fladbury Mill.
We arranged to meet with Priscilla for lunch at The Chequers Inn in Fladbury. Put on waterproofs to walk across the Jubilee Bridge into Fladbury as there is no way across at the mill. Walk through a meadow and arrive a few minutes before Priscilla. Sit in the conservatory and enjoy a good lunch with HBA beer and good service. Walk around Fladbury and see the ice bolder deposited by the Welsh Ice Sheet. Buy a pie at the Fladbury Pie Shop. Home to nooze, then collect firewood as Julie needs a small fire to cheer us, and I go outside to paint Fladbury mill,.
Wednesday 5th June 2024. Fladbury to Elkington Wharf.
Elkington Bridge on the way up to Stratford on Avon
Watching a party of about 50 school children in 6 double canoes play about below the weir. Tied together they come up through the lock which we then take down. Next stop Pershore. Walk into town, buy a pie and Julie buys some sewing kit to finish the red table mat window coverings having cut them down to size. Not stop long, let the bow sweep round in the current and begin long stretches between locks now. Not like the Upper Avon. A few hire boats and others about. Decide to stop for the night on 'Elkington Wharf' above the very pretty bridge. A rather bad attempt to make a basket while Julie has a shower. Then a walk into Elkington, undersided which pub to go to. The first one 'The Bell' has a courtyard garden and sunny.. Decide not to eat there but eat pies and broccoli on the boat and watch TV.
Thursday 6th June 2024. Elkington Wharf to Tewkesbury.
Elkington Wharf
Realise we are on the 'riverwatch' camera this morning (been out to pee on camera). Breakfast of fruit and yoghurt, up late 10.00 now 11.00. Sail on to Tewkesbury marina where we buy some diesel, then into Tewkesbury and after some discussion, with permission from the lock keeper go through the lock and moor on the pontoon in readiness for leaving in the morning. Walk into Tewkesbury while Julie rests to buy letters for the boat registration number.. In the evening head off into Tewkesbury and find a proper Real Ale bar before going to an Italian restaurant. Back to the Real Ale bar for a degestif. What an impressive place is Tewkesbury, a real gem of a town. Back on the boat now for a late night whisky. What a day!
Friday 7th June 2024. Tewkesbury to Gloucester Dock and on to Frampton.
Leave the pontoon about 9.30 and through Lode Lock at 10.00. Takes only one and a half hours to get to Gloucester, when it took us four coming up. Get very cold. Moor up and Jamie comes to look at the loo problem. He then goes for his lunch and we have a pie from the greek deli. After lunch Jamie returns and suggests changing the valve on the loo. We then leave as we are continuing down the Sharpness canal, passing 'Bart' now in new ownership. Manage to get under the 2.7 m bridge ok,. After filling up with water at Saul Junction head for our favourite mooring near the Three Horse Shoes pub. Walk to the pub and sit and watch the Boules championship in the garden while listening to folk music, walk back to the boat for soup.
'Bart' moored at Gloucester.
Saturday 8th June 2024 Frampton.
Set off about 12 for a long walk up the nearby hill. Stop for sandwiches in the churchyard at Standish. Up the hill for views across the Severn valley, walk down and along the Stroudwater canal and the River Frome back to Frampton and the Three Horse shoes for a Three Shu Pie. Look at the Toulouse Geeese they are rearing in the back garden. The hill we walked up was Harefield Beacon, part of the Cotswold Way.
Haresfield Beacon and Descending Haresfield Beacon into the Severn Valley
Sunday 9th June 2014 Frampton.
A day recovering after our 14 kilometre walk yesterday.
Monday 10th June 2024 Frampton back to Gloucester.
We return to Gloucester and leave the boat outside Sainsburys for Sarah to take it up to the boatyard as she is unhappy about us leaving it there. Jamie is going to fix the valve on the yard. Return to home.
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