Stratford on Avon (those French have fancy stanking plank stores)

Having gone down to Luddington on the River Avon at the weekend we came back to Stratford on Monday as we were having guests.  We play bridge once a week, diaries permitting, with a couple of ladies from Stratford.  We alternate between their houses and have always promised them that we will host when we are in Stratford.  It was finally our turn on Tuesday, hence the return to Stratford.

Moored near the old tramway bridge where limestone used to be transported across the river

Our mooring with the eye in the background

Both ladies were vehemently opposed to the eye being erected over the summer – the townsfolk believed it would encourage the wrong sort of people.   It was quite ironic that we were playing bridge in full view of it.  The evening went well apart from the fact that my back started playing up.

By Tuesday morning it was really in spasm, the first time since we have been living on the boat so I suppose that’s not bad as it used to happen two or three times a year in the office based days.

I spent most of Tuesday resting my back and having the odd short walk to ease it.  Coincidentally Buddy is also under the weather so he has been happy with short walks and spending most of the time curled up in his bed.

Aileen and Mike are well into their first year’s cruising the French waterways and Aileen sent me a picture of a stanking plank store.  Rather posh really as it even has a tiled roof – don’t think the tiles would survive vandalism over here.

Store on the Lateral de la Loire - thanks Aileen

Later in the afternoon, whilst I was resting my back, there was a knock at the door.  It was Wendy and Austin paying a surprise visit.  They had moored near the top of the Hatton flight and caught a train to Stratford for the day.  As usual we had a pleasant catch up and our paths should cross at the end of May as they are heading down the Stratford canal then which is probably when we will be heading back up.

Before my back had gone I was going to cruise back to Luddington but it seems we may well be stuck in Stratford for another day or two.

Stratford on Avon (still on the river)

The moorings at Luddington have several water points so it was an ideal opportunity to wash the boat on Monday morning knowing we wouldn’t be holding anybody up who wanted water.  As usual we had to clear everything off the roof and decks first and then sweep off the tree debris before starting.

Karen sweeping the roof

Whilst outside we saw several kingfishers (or maybe the same one several times!) fly past.  It was good to see this bird again.  We only saw a couple when on the South Stratford canal over the last three months which was strange as it is normally a common bird on the canals and rivers.

A man came over to see us at one point and opened the conversation by saying that he would like us to stay all summer as he was impressed with our winding skills.  I never caught his name but he is a member of the Avon Navigation Trust committee and also the Steamboat Association of Great Britain.  Before mooring on Sunday evening I had spun the boat round and reversed back onto the moorings.  On Monday I had to turn her again so that we could wash both sides down. Both operations went really well because no one was watching.

What I hadn’t realised was that there were a group of people, having afternoon drinks in a summer house, watching us so that was how he came up with his opening statement.  He recounted several horror stories of people getting into difficulty there especially as there are the submerged remnants of an old stone weir.

Anyway, we had decided to go back to Stratford for a few days so wouldn’t stay for the summer.  I did have to turn the boat again as we were facing the wrong way but fortunately without mishap.  On the way back a plastic cruiser (yogurt pot as they are referred to) caught up with us so we locked up with them.  We knew we would get with the guys on board, Gill and Carl, as soon as we saw the name of their boat – Yoghurt – as they obviously had a good sense of humour.

As we were cruising my back started going into spasm and by the time we moored up back at Stratford it was getting really painful.   Since living on the boat my back has been fine – I put this episode down to having to bend down to wash the sides of the boat.  We had to walk to Wilmcote to get the car which we left there on Thursday so I hoped a walk would ease the back.  After a mile I had to stop as it was getting too painful. Karen carried on the last couple of miles with Buddy and drove back to pick me up having left me lying flat out on a lock balance beam.

Plenty of wine and painkillers ensured I got a good night’s sleep and it certainly feels quite a lot better this morning although I can’t attempt to sit down or put socks on!

Our view at Stratford on Tuesday morning

Luddington (somewhere new for a change)

We had forgotten that rowers are out on the river early on weekend mornings so were woken by trainer’s cycling along the riverside with loud hailers.  It’s good they go out first thing really as once the mechanised boats get out and about it would be quite precarious for them.

On Sunday morning we had a look round Stratford’s craft market and then popped into the Avon Navigation Trust’s office to get a licence to travel on the river.  We’re not sure how long we’re going to be on the river so forked out £60 for two weeks.

When we got back to the boat, Nigel and Julie were waiting for us.  They were setting off but wanted to say goodbye and apologise once again for getting “squiffy” (their words) when they came round to us on Saturday night.

The trouble with rivers when Karen is working is that mooring spots are few and far between and quite often out in the countryside nowhere near a road.  Looking at the map it seemed that Luddington looked a likely village to moor with a nearby lane to park on so we decided to set off downstream to see what it looked like.

Setting off on Sunday morning from our mooring opposite the RSC theatre

Soon after casting off we passed the church where Jo and I had a picnic last week and, unrelated, William Shakespeare is buried.

Cruising past the church at Stratford

Not much further on we came to our first lock of the day, named after a major benefactor when the Avon Navigation was restored to navigation in the 1960s and 1970s.

Colin P Witter lock

Information/dedication sign

The locks on the River Avon are all wide locks and tend to be unmanned apart from summer weekends.  Each lock is named after a main benefactor or volunteer and were restored with the help of groups such as boy scouts and prison inmates etc.

Waiting for Karen to open the gates

Once through Colin P Whitter lock we were out in the open countryside.  Unlike many rivers, the banks weren’t too high so we had good views for most of our journey.

Disused Stratford to Gloucester railway line

Our second lock was Weir Brake lock and fortunately for us a river cruiser was just leaving as we arrived so we drove straight in.

Weir Brake lock

Dedication/information plaque at the lock

Buddy waiting on the lock bridge

Buddy doesn’t like the lock gate walkways as they are metal gratings which can’t be easy for him to walk on.

Buddy and Karen avoiding the metal gratings on the lock gates

We arrived at Luddington and moored just above the lock.  There is room for two or three narrowboats at the moorings and we had the place to ourselves.

Our view from our mooring to the weir and Luddington lock

After mooring up Karen did a bit more repotting and then we went for a walk round the village.  To get to the village we had to walk through the churchyard from the river.  It’s a really nice place but has no shop or pub. Several houses are new and the sort of houses you would see on an architectural design TV programme.

Most of the houses in Luddington have views across the river and to the hills byond

The moorings are at the bottom of the garden of a house which has just been sold for over £1m – it’s rather a grotty looking place as it has a lot of 1980s style extensions.  Looking at the estate agent’s details it has been sold with planning permission to demolish it and build a house of 8,000+ square feet plus a separate swimming pool and gymnasium complex - not a small house by any means.

Our mooring at Luddington for Sundaynight