Avon Calling

This morning I did a quick nip to the greengrocer and Tescos before we set off.  It was already muggy as I shopped and as we cruised out of Tewkesbury there was a welcome breeze.  Its about four years since we last did the River Avon and we came down not up, it's weird how things look different coming the other way and there are bits neither of us remember.  We passed under the M5, containing lots of caravans but at least the traffic was moving.  Again not much moving, the occasional cruiser, the occasional fisherman in a skiff.

We had a leisurely cruise, we shared a lock with another narrow boat that came off their mooring, then they were chasing us down so we let them past, it all became apparent, they were concerned that they wouldn't get a mooring at Pershore by the park, they did, but they were breasted up three deep and invited us to join them but we carried on a little further and have got a nice mooring by Wyre Lock.   There was a Avon Trust Workboat on the visitor moorings, a guy opposite saw me eyeing up the mooring and shouted that I should move it along so we could have a straight bit of mooring, he says he has complained as it has been on the visitor moorings for six weeks, I did decide to move it up so we could have the better spot and the chap came across in his dingy to help me move it up.  I think the reason he wanted me to move it is he is sick of looking at it as it is straight opposite his residential mooring.

The services marked in our Nicholsons and our Avon Guide (above Strensham Lock and at Wyre Lock) no longer exist and new ones are now on the park at Pershore.

There are strict guidelines about lock useage on the River Avon, at ever lock in all the information leaflets and guides, it tells you to rope stern and bow, a centre rope is not sufficient.  We have witnessed so much 'faffing' around with ropes today, cruisers and narrow boats.  Twice we have seen boats drifting across the locks bashing into other boats whilst the 'crew' are tieing up either the bow or stern.  I know the River is not high at the moment and I am sure sometimes the current is more, but these locks are not fierce if opened correctly.  Any one know why the advice is to rope as such?

John was watching this little chap eating dandelions for breakfast

First bridge of the day 

(the blue arrow tells you which arch to use)

Different weirs/sluices along the river

and some lovely bridges

The view from the side hatch tonight (one side)

and the other - not bad eh!

15 miles 4 locks

If you would like to leave a comment on our blog, click the word comment below