Messing about on the river.

We had a lovely stay in Stratford, we buzzed about, sat in the sun, decided to leave, changed our minds then as we were in the park lying on a rug reading on a gloriously HOT Sunday afternoon with the families and friends of the marathon runners, the half marathon runners, all the locals picnicking and thousands of visitors into the bargain, it was hilarious and calming with so many people to watch,  the cars leaving the car park had to queue to leave pretty much all afternoon and yes that well known smug feeling descended as my home was just over there.....

NB Pipistrelle suddenly arrived, I jumped up and help Helen moor up.  Helen is a woman I supremely admire, she is a single hander continuous cruiser boater who has been doing so for about 11 years.  Non boaty friends this means that she is constantly on the move, staying up to 14 days in one place where local restrictions allow.   We first met her last year on the Shroppie, she was heading in the same direction as us but we didn't see her again until today.

She came onto WaL later for dwinkies and we had a good catchup.

Supper was chicken tikka masala.

Monday David looked out and it was cold, we knew this for certain as a hire boat went past us going downstream with winter hat, gloves, coats and mufflers.  We hid and put the heating on again.

Later that kind husband cycled to Halfords up the tow path to buy me a cycling helmet.  I had taken mine home in October and of course forgotten to bring it back again.  While he was gone I went shopping...  Nice shops here in Stratford, very nice.

I saw this;

See the sign?

Great row of timber framed buildings, I was next to a flock of Japanese taking the same shot.

Later we cycled to Waitrose, beautifully situated at the end of a cycle track, that is an embankment not a cutting so you can see all around.

WaL from the Terrace of the RSC, where we had coffee and photographed our boat.  All crowds gone.

Well I met up with my husband of 35 yrs plus and guess what, he got me a black helmet. BLACK!  A colour I loathe, you might think he would know that by now....  He kept the receipt.

After the sun finally came out, well a bit, we untied and turned, filled with water just behind us and pootled off.  I walked to the lock and D brought WaL around.  

When I got there a wide beamed trip boat was there, full of visitors all going hardly anywhere with lunch aboard.  The captain looked about 16, 18 tops, well I helped them through, half expecting them to close one gate behind him but no....
On rivers for a reason I am not fully acquainted with, you leave two gates open.  On the river Nene two years ago, we left the down stream gates open, here, you leave your exit gates open.  I had hoped the trip boat would shut his side, but no, he hopped on the roof of the trip boat and didn't wave either.  
The gates were so heavy I thought I would have to ask David to climb out and help, but it began to close millimetre by millimetre.  Phew.

WaL leaving the water point and Stratford.

The trip boat had just beaten us to the lock.

Shakespeare is buried in that church with a waterside setting.

I kept as well back from her as possible.

I would like to retire to one of these flats please.

Darling little schoolchildren all stood and waved at us, note to Readers not in the UK; Hardly anyone wears straw boaters (Hats) to school here anymore.

River Avon.

Pretty tame heron didn't fly off although we were close.

Huge gardens of these huge houses, forget mowing, I would get some sheep in.

Now that is a solar panel to be proud of.

We moored up after a mamouth cruise of just over two hours..... We stopped on moorings at Welford Lock, curiously known in our book as Cadbury Lock.  No one else here.

Supper was salmon and watercress risotto.