We set off down the Avon early in the morning.
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| Waiting at the first Avon lock |
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| Cruising the Avon |
We tried to rendezvous with fellow Chaplains John and Gill but as we got to Luffington lock early and locked through with another boat. J & G misunderstood my message that we were now through the lock and thought we were going on without them. The other boat had left us behind. We lost phone signal and contact with J and G and eventually by text agreed to meet on Bidford on Avon. All the locks were inaccessible by car/foot before then.
We spied them on a moored boat and came alongside to pick them up. Once aboard, they set to taking the strain and helped us achieve Evesham. We moored up, showered and waiting for them to pick us up by car and take us to dinner. Great to be with friends. The helpwas greatly appreciated.
17miles 11 locks 9.3/4 hours
After a dinner out at Thai Emerald in the High Street we were joined by our friend Sue-per crew.
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| Sue-per crew food |
Tuesday 3 July 2018 Evesham to Pershore
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| Exiting Wyre Lock |
We attempted an early start and made excellent progress to stop at Pershore recreation ground moorings late in the morning. We moored and made a visit to the beautiful Abbey church and then found the heritage centre closed! Never mind, we stocked up at Asda and returned in sweltering heat to rest on the boat. Sue went for a walk to the confetti fields and told us they were beautiful. After a lovely home made vegetable chilli we retired.
11 miles, 3 locks, 2 hours
Wednesday 4 July 2018 Pershore to Tewkesbury
We spent the morning in the market and charity shops of Pershore. Well you have to don't you? No Pershore plums available yet but beautiful cherries from Kent were just too plump and inviting to resist.
We let go in the late morning sun and traveled steadily toward Tewkesbury.
Some of the locks were interesting. One is diamond shaped. At another the turn to the lock landing is very sharp. At others it is hard to see where the lock is at all until one is right on top of it.We were glad to have the Avon Navigation Trust's guide with us. We came across some "hire boat fun" at Nafford lock. Here there is a sunken narrowboat on the wrong side of the weir barrage to act as a warning. Butit is not visible to a boater coming up. But the hire boaters, in spite of our exhortations to turn quickly away from the weir managed to get stuck against the barrier. The second hire boat, having seen the difficulties the first got into, unbelievably followed in its wake and did exactly the same thing! Luckily flows are at what is probably their lowest ever! No harm was done. A couple of walkers, one of whom had been a boater in the past, were really amused. They had been watching the lock passage for about an hour and could not believe the lack of boatmanship on display.
After the motorway M5 was passed under we stopped on the mooring by The Fleet Inn just past the ferry and went in to have a drink in their lovely riverside garden. As the day cooled we set off again to moor for the night at Avon Lock (£3.00 per night payable to the lock keeper).
We had an evening stroll round Tewkesbury but this time the abbey was closed. The town was decked out for its medieval festival later in the month. There is a path beside the river for some of the way but many properties at the water's edge prevent a continuous walk on the bank side.
14.3 miles, 4 locks, 4.3/4 hours
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