We simply got wet.

This morning the weather forecast was horrid but for tomorrow.  
The problem was that I wanted to spend a day in Tewkesbury, at least a day, I could probably fill three easy.
But..
So by some kind of a compromise David suggested a visit to the Abbey at its opening time of 8:30, So we belted up there on bikes and did a tour quickly on our own.  Sadly the Abbey have no Tour Guides at the moment, the lady in the shop explained that their guides were all getting a bit long in the tooth and no younger volunteers available.   Its such a shame but volunteers are thin on the ground in all aspects of our society today.
So here are a few shots of Tewkesbury.

Medieval buildings a plenty. 

Wow just look at those Norman pillars.

Beautiful abbey, see the clouds coming our way?

This is so touching, a carved cross from the abbey's construction in the entrance, its worn smooth with fingers touching it, mine with them. 

We had met and invited NB Cleddau's Sue & Ken around for coffee at about 10am but it was clear both boats had the same idea, which was to flee, The Cleddau's south and us to the north.  I heard later that they had to face the wind and rain in the faces all the way whereas it blew us along. Sorry guys.

Both crews took about 15 minutes to get fully kitted out in wet weather gear, waterproof feet, hats and life-jackets on.

Next time both instead we hope.

So with the rain already falling, we all departed.  The Cleddau's first with another shorter boat sharing the lock and us following on needing the lock to ourselves.

Out of Tewkesbury lock and onto a wee branch taking you to the Severn proper.

Old warehouses just crying out for development.

We turned right for Worcester

Under the M5.

Restoration project anyone?

Well I wouldn't be relaxed this low in the water

Upton-Upon-Severn, a possible stop, but having just got into all this wet weather gear, we decided to just carry on.

These three swans took off right in front of WaL.

We arrived at Worcester lock, the traffic lights were on red.  It stayed on red so long that I wondered if he had actually seen us.  David repositioned WaL  so that the Lock Keeper could easily see us.  

Then ever so slowly they opened.   Now I was surprised to see the boat, looked a bit like a lifeboat from the Titanic, the rowers had Disney rain-capes on.  

Pretty heavy rain now settling in I called over where were they headed for  "Stratford" they said, I laughed as I thought they were joking but no, off down the Severn they went.

Bit surprised to see this.

Without a life jacket in sight.  

Our turn in the lock.

 Out the lock and there was a nice empty floating pontoon almost empty.  Moored up, kettle on but David decided to stay outside to scrub the cratch cover which he likes to do in a downpour, well he got that alright.
Cratch cover looks good though.

He was dry underneath all that.

Supper was scrambled eggs on toast with roasted tomatoes and avocados mashed in chilli sauce.

In, out, shake it all about

We had to leave this divine mooring today, we had to be in Tewkesbury tonight.  I didn't really mind as the weather was awful, cloudy, drizzling and cold.  This was a highlight of the trip, there weren't many.

Eckington Bridge

What another stunner.

We carried on, wearing full rain kit.  Two locks to do.  The first was Nafford Lock.  I never want to go there again.

So we arrived, the river makes a sharp right hand turn for the lock (In river terms), then this sight faces you.....

Holy Moly.

Now had I not have seen this already online, I might have started to cry, this poor boat has been here I think over a year, due to its rural location, its been unable to be retrieved as a crane cannot reach here.

Raining now, David brought WaL around to go a sharp left turn into the lock,  "David there's a bridge"  I shout,  I have to shout, he's a bit deaf and has a hood up,
"Stop panicking woman, let me get the boat in the lock, BLOODY HELL there's a bridge there!!!!"  
So we avoided the wooded footbridge over the lock, through frankly as us boaters have to cross the slippery lock gates when operating the lock I don't see why walkers can't.  It was a real heavy push to open it, but I got it slowly, the lock was already filled and the top gates open, so in he went, diagonally across the lock....  

Oh did I say, it was really raining now, the lock surroundings were slippery, my leather boating gloves were saturated, my hood was up but wet hair was blowing across my glasses and sticking to them, I hung onto the front rope, David clung onto the back rope around a bollard also holding the tiller at right angles to the lock to keep the rudder away from the cill, which was close to the stern.  I wound one paddle up, David yelled instructions to me asking how much further forward he could come, he couldn't hear the answers....  Marvellous.

The answer was no!  You are right on the gate, David inches down, then the gunnel of WaL appeared to be "Hooked up" on a little ledge of brickwork, I shouted at him and ran up to him, he pushed off the side and wumphed onto the water....

STOP!!!! he yelled full of feeling...  I bolted to the top gate and wound up a paddle to let the water in as the rubber was on the cill.

Holy cow.  I hate this stuff.

So paddle on the bottom gate let down and I refilled the lock.....  now what?

"Don't worry, I know what to do"  Now my only suggestion was to go home, David did have an idea,  I wasn't sure how he was going to make this lock bigger.....

He reversed out of the lock, around the two sharp corners, did I say it was windy now too, he did take two attempts, I was on the lock side unable to help except that I could indicate how close to the lock landing he was when turning by opening my arms wide and closing them again.

Finally in he came backwards, no bumps, scrapes or tinks and me pretty scared all over,   I climbed over the wet gates to shut the top gates again.  

So here we are again, me on the bow rope, WaL backwards in the decending lock, David hanging onto the stern rope, still with the tiller at right angles
"I've seen this done" he calls to me, as I quiver on the rope,
"Just the once"
Gulp
So oh so slowly one paddle went up, 
"How far over the cill is it?"  He calls to me at the bow
"Two foot" I called back
"That's okay"  he said, I considered it far from ok.

Reader as I write this I have a stiff gin next to me as I relive it all.

So with the windlass ready on the paddle to let water quickly in as necessary.....  but no need as it worked.  

I needed the loo with relief.  I opened the gates and he wiggled WaL to allow the gates to open behind him.  I shut the very slippery footbridge which wasn't easy, I laid down on the ground to pass David my windlass, then carefully carefully climbed down the wet ladder onto WaL's roof and David caught me and got me onto the back of WaL's deck.

Now all that was left was to reverse out of the lock, in the wind, and wind (Turn) WaL in the shadow of the weir....

What a bloody star David was that day, I have never been so pleased and proud of him.  I have to say it was only me quaking, he was always confident.

It was too wet for my phone, so I used his phone for these snaps.  My camera is forgotten and hiding in the car in a different county!!

Very slippery wooden footbridge open and WaL in the lock the first time.

Gates shut.... see the cill marker?  Did you hear my heart hit the floor?

Reversing out of the lock and lock entrance, that sunken NB is just the other side of that bush alongside him.

Finally out and turning in the wind.

Down the second time, footbridge in place, me about to go around and descend the ladder

Darling, still smiling.

So me now onboard and David deciding how to best spin WaL around

Out, the lock landing was closer than it looks here.

Yep pretty glad to see the back of Nafford Lock.

The rest of the run down to Tewkesbury was very dull, flat land, the odd duck, some motor boats moored and more rain.
But on arriving, we were the only boat and moored on the nice metal floating pontoons at £3 a night.  

We were meeting our son-in-law's father and partner for dinner at the WONDERFUL restaurant HERE,   

I had fois gras, lamb shank and creme brulee.   
Certainly the best meal out we've had in a while, can't rate it highly enough fellow boaters for an absolute treat after Nafford Lock traumas.

A little piece of heaven.

We are often scoffed at for not travelling far. Today I make no apologies for such a day....

This is our mooring for the last couple of days in Pershore, we didn't really have time to explore the town or abbey due to lounging at the cricket.  But needs must, and we must visit here again.

Moorings not totally rammed but many more boats here than when we arrived. 

 Another historical bridge over the Avon, this one here at Pershore.   Originally built in 1413  by monks  from the nearby abbey after their abbot fell and drowned from stepping stones, that pesky King Charles and the English civil war in 1644 put paid to it and it was "Almost" destroyed but rebuilt again.  So its only 370 odd years really.....

A beautiful sight.

So for complicated reasons, we wanted to be in Tewkesbury on Monday, but not today, Sunday. This was because there was a vintage vehicle show and all the moorings were occupied.  

So we did just a little hop.  There were three possible moorings out in the countryside, the first we came across, was next to a dutch barge who had chickens and a cockerel crowing as we passed, never mind a road.  

The next one I said yes to instantly.  in the sun, no road, no other boats no hesitation.  

Comberton Quay, only room for two narrow boats or a bunch of yogurt pots.

View down the river....

View up the river....

Over the meadows....

Birdsong filled the air, a cuckoo, my very first sighting came to entertain us and well what more can you say....?

I can't remember what was for supper but we did have a splendid bottle of fine chardonnay.

David's sunset picture.

Our stay in Pershore

Pershore is an attractive place.  I liked it 21 years ago when we hired a narrow boat and did the Avon Ring with the children.  I remembered that however there is precious little else I remembered about the river.

After mooring up at about lunchtime, David wanted to fetch the car.  Do you want to come? There was rain forecast much later so I said yes. 

I took the precaution of taking my waterproof jacket just in case...
Out of the recreational ground and away on the cycling route, just far enough not to turn back, the heavens opened.  

Now how long do you think it took me to; 

a)  Get wet.
b)  Have sodden jeans.
c)  Totally loose my sense of humour.

Yes you are all correct, no time at all.  I noticed that David kept 50 metres ahead to prevent his head being bittern off.

Well much much later I did agree that it was a very pretty ride, I didn't see all that much of it having pulled my rain hood right up and my glasses getting all wet.....

Car collected and we drove into Evesham to pay a visit to the EE Store about the almost new dongle not working.  Sweet girl got it working almost immediately.  It was flat out of charge. 
Yes yes how we laughed.......
Turns out the new extra long cable I brought isn't working.  Sweet girl even gave us a new cable.

Back to Pershore, we parked in the carpark alongside WaL and hunkered down.

Supper was lamb rogan josh to warm ourselves up.  It worked.

The next morning, it was cloudy but the sun was due to come out later.
I had the home hoover in the back of the car, I don't usually carry it around, but I have enjoyed giving the dust what for at times when the car is close by.  David played trying to get the sweetchestnut blossom off the roof, the rain had brought masses of it down.

The sun came out so we took the car to Pershore Cricket Club, found a great mooring, I mean parking spot overlooking the pitch and settled down to watch a very exciting game Pershore v a Worcester side.  It was close but Pershore just won.  Spent the entire afternoon here.
Getting back late into the evening we saw that another blogger was in town NB Cleddau  HERE
We hadn't met before, I felt it was too late and too chilly to disturb them either.

Hope to meet them later.

Supper was sea bream with french beans.

David took these photos of the beautifully set cricket ground.











  

Craycombe Turn to Pershore

Our mooring last night.  I have to confess that there was a slightly busy road behind that row of trees,  we sat in the sun and all the washing dried but you never lost the sound of traffic.  

Didn't disturb our sleep though and in the evening David walked almost up to the top of an attractive hill that's out of sight.

Craycombe Turn moorings

A dull day to leave after warm sunshine of the afternoon before.  Past pretty trees, lambs in meadows and youngsters in canoes having a lot of fun as it's getting towards the end of term I suppose.  

If you look at WaL's nose in the picture you can just about make out a bank of wild Honeysuckle

Just imagine the perfume.

Sweet cheeky face.

 Here's the first of four of these catamaran type canoes, the children were having heaps of fun, the adults I fear less so as we approached....
But all was fine.

So onward to Fladbury Lock.  It really is a wonderful setting here, this part of the mill is the first sight you get, then the lock and then as you exit the lock the other buildings associated with the old mill come into view.

No real problems here, none that we aren't used to now, that is to say getting in is not the issue, getting out again is for us at 70ft.  Someone was shortsighted in lock building along here, why not just make them 72ft long instead of what feels like 68ft?
Some of the cills are the same shape as the gates, some are straight across the lock, most are unseen but felt on the rudder....
Here at Fladbury, we positioned WaL diagonally across the lock and when it had emptied, slowly and carefully on one paddle, I heaved on the centre rope to assist the birthing, we have done similar in the past with calvings!

Back of the lock side Mill 

Fladbury Mill was operational until the 1930's, I felt it looked a bit rundown, as if it needed a lottery grant or millionaire or maybe the National Trust to buy it and restore it for visitors to see working.  Well that might just be me.

Lovely old buildings, then that.... not my taste.

A nice change from dreaded Canadian geese here, its a Greylag goose, who snubbed me at the last minute.

The next lock was at Wyre Piddle.  This house below gets todays prize for the ugliest seen, to my mind looks like an office building, the white one next door wasn't much better.

Wyre Piddle has the last of its kind of Diamond Locks, no bad thing either to me, we crept in.  I gulped silently.  We knew this one could be trouble, this is the lock where Sarah and Andy had fun and games on their boat but for different reasons last week or so.... 

Want a laugh?  Read this  HERE

Looks huge.

Oooooooh suddenly not that big..... 

Loadsa room, hang on..... look where the cill marker is!!!

Seems alright, just got to get out.

I was a pulling on the bow rope hence its a mess, David Lewis  (boater sharer) HATES messy ropes don't you dear?

Charles Showell a traveller and writer in the 1900's said Wyre Mill "Was the ugliest, of which the Avon is ashamed", so that told them. 

An easy run down into Pershore.  A huge long run of moorings on the recreational ground, we always try to get on an end to be out of the way...  it beautifully worked out that there was a car park at this end too, plus a beautiful Sweet Chestnut tree too in full bloom

Pershore moorings.

Supper was seafood starter of leftover salmon and crayfish, then a second entre of bresola rocket and parmesan, we were to have had the sea bream tonight too but I said "Non, demain"

"Well we can get in, not sure we'll get out again"

The boat that had arrived late last night was 

NB Little Gem,  they had come down from their mooring at Bidford in the late afternoon, a good few hours boating.  This morning, we all left together so shared the lock.  We picked their brains on moorings further down the river and what was going to be convenient for us.

Little Gem was going to whizz into a boat yard on the way to Evesham for one particular thing, the next town and next lock. 

Fine we said, we'll prep the lock and wait for you....  

The upper part of Evesham is wide and exposed to the gusting wind today, there were lock landings on both sides of the approach to the lock, with the wind blowing us sideways of course, it was a job mooring up onto the metal staging which was over the weir, mummmm my favourite!

Well I got to the lock and filled it.  We waited and waited, then David brought WaL in and we waited some more.  Eventually, we shut the gates and emptied it, then this dawning came over both of us that it was a shorter lock and we were going to have to diagonally across the lock and  to wiggle to get out again, certainly no room for us and NB Little Gem together...  

Almost as soon as the paddles were raised of course Little Gem came into view.  

David after healthy use of the bow thrusters and me on a rope, got the nose around the gate.  He moored up on the lock landing below the lock and I filled the lock again for the other boat.  

In the mean time, they in the wind and without the benefit of bow thrusters had moored up on the far wall, the wifely crew had tried to walk around to the lock but the tall metal gate was padlocked to prevent this, not overly helpful. 

But they were grateful for the open lock doors in the wind.  It was a surprisingly challenging lock in the wind for novice hirers I think.

So after all that palava,  we crept around the corner into Evesham, under the bridge and masses of moorings.  Quick Supermarket Sweep to Lidl and after watering up we set off five minutes behind a Share boat and agreed to share the next lock with them.

approaching Evesham bridge

Leaving Evesham's generous mooring, if you like swan poo everywhere....

Still pretty windy at the next one Chadbury lock, so as we arrived we went straight in.  The sharers of a nice looking Diamond boat said they were on the way back to Worcester to return it.  Two couples and they weren't enjoying the river much.  They were used to and preferred canals where you can moor wherever you want, which I really do understand, but I do love rivers, especially when they are so benign as now.

Well this lock was the same shorter type as Evesham, so we knew we'd have to wiggle again, but this one took about 15-20 minutes to exit.
But eventually we were out from behind the inward opening lower gates.

Quite a few cruisers on the Lower Avon which aren't worth a photo to my mind but this one was.

A lovely pretty stretch of the river and we moored up at Craycombe Turn moorings.  Only room for us and one other boat, but beautifully out in the countryside.

I took the following pictures, I really liked the changing light.

Mirror thing going on.

Supper was a highly artistic salad made by David with steamed salmon and crayfish tails.