Welford on Avon (you can’t beat an evening cruise)

I know I covered Thursday on yesterday’s blog entry but Karen remembered she took some pictures when she left for work in the mist and frost.  Apart from the stray dog they show the river in Stratford as we love it - at its quietest and at its best.

Sun rising behind the big wheel

 

Chain ferry behind us

 

RSC theatre reflected in the water

Karen had to do some work on Friday morning so I left her on the boat and took Buddy for a walk back towards Stratford.  We went along the north side of the river and I found it really strange as part of the walk is through the back gardens of people who front the river.

Buddy wondering if he really is allowed to cross the lawn

The people in the house above had even put a sign up saying, ‘Please follow the mushrooms’.  A good idea as it keeps walkers in a straight line but there are no stone mushrooms this end.

Later in the morning Karen and I went into Leamington as we had appointments with our dentist.  I then dropped Karen at her office as she had a couple of meetings to attend whilst I did a big supermarket shop.

We had thought of having a walk around Warwick and a meal after I picked her up from work but it was such a pleasant evening we decided to go back and have a cruise instead.

Going through Luddington lock after leaving our mooring

Even though it kept spitting with rain, the weather was mild and we had a lovely cruise to Welford; it really is a pretty river and so rural. 

Approaching one of the Binton bridges with different size arches

Looking back at all the Binton bridges - we had come through the left hand arch of the bridge on the right

The first permanent moorings we have seen since leaving Stratford

We moored up at the cut at Welford on Avon with the intention of walking back to get the car on Saturday.  We hadn’t realised that the moorings were on an island so we had no way of getting off. 

Over the rest of the weekend we will cruise on down to Bidford on Avon where we know we can get land access and therefore able to go back and retrieve the car.

Our mooring on Friday evening on the island at Welford

With only ten months until Karen stops working we have started thinking and talking about what we will be doing.  We know the overall plan is in 2018 to cruise some of the northern canals and rivers we haven't managed before and then get the boat to France for 2019. 

We have both found that we have really enjoyed staying in the same general area for a few weeks at a time since Karen has gone back to work.  We probably have different reasons; Karen feels like she needs roots and I enjoy being part of the community knowing I will be moving on.  We suspect we will probably end up staying in the Yorkshire Dales for two or three months; we love the area and also my parents live on the Leeds and Liverpool canal.