From Martin@g4cio.demon.co.uk Sat May 1 11:26:22 1999 Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 22:19:57 +0100 From: Martin E Phillips Reply-To: canals@blacksheep.org To: canals@blacksheep.org Subject: Boden up the Avon (trip notes) Herewith a few notes from our recent trip up the Avon, in lieu of a full report. We departed Saul Junction Sunday two weeks ago mid afternoon, with the intention of going up the Avon to Stratford and back. Crew was the wife (Katrina) and two kids (Frankie aged 4 and Rachel Ratbag, 2). As we only had ten days available, and wanted to restrict movements to not more than about four hours a day lest the kids got too difficult, the Avon Ring seemed unfeasible. Going out and back would keep the number of lockings down to forty or so. Moorings: Gloucester Docks (Llanthony pontoons) Tewkesbury (above the Avon Lock) Pershore (Recreation Ground) Evesham (Workman Gardens) Bidford (LANT moorings) Stratford (river opposite the theatre) and the same on the return journey, except for mooring at the Four Alls instead of Bidford. Impressions: the Avon is a lovely river. Lots of water life and lilies growing, very pretty. A nice contrast between the wide, slow bits and the fast-flowing, narrow stretches. It felt strange steering a fifty two foot boat through some of the narrow stretches below the weirs - hard to believe that the boat would fit. The fishing is good too: spent a couple of evenings dangling a line, caught lots of roach plus a rather fine perch and chub. Best pubs: The Boat at Ashleworth on the Severn; a totally unspoilt little pub with three real ales in top condition. No pretentious food, just well-filled buns and crisps. The Brandy Cask at Pershore: serves three ales from its own brewery, plus a couple of guest ales. Lovely garden with short mooring, currently closed. Fish pond in the garden with big, tame carp and goldfish which will nibble at your fingers - the first time I've had my body parts sucked by a fish. Moorings: most of the public moorings are good, but a little sparse, especially on the lower river. The upper river has moorings at most locks. Plenty of space at Evesham. There was very little traffic moving - we tied up every day in the location we had planned. Whilst we were at Stratford, there were two or three moorings available in the basin at any time. Water points are also a bit sparse - worth checking in the guides to avoid running dry. Pumpouts also a bit thin on the ground - we used the one manned by old Harry at Wyre Piddle (GPB7). Saw no sign of other ng / list folk, other than passing One Moore on her moorings at Evesham at a time when the Dykes were unlikely to be around. Flood damage: little evident any more, other than rather localised stretches with debris in trees, especially around Evesham. More evident when travelling downstream than up. Most (all?) of the riverside pubs are now open, although some are still a bit restricted on food and at least one has a boat in its garden. The businesses around Tandoori Corner at Workman Bridge in Evesham are all still closed, so we had to walk a good 200 yards to the nearest takeaway. Other items worth mention: Lots of Scandinavians on the river - we met two boats of Norwegians and three of Danes. Passed a sunken nb on the return at Tewkesbury Yacht Club. She was one of the Stratford hire boats - the tidy ones with the red and green paintwork. Not clear why she had gone down - she was against the piling, bows underwater. No obvious damage, but clearly a recent event as there were heaps of bedding on the bank. The kids for some reason took an aversion to lifejackets from the outset. After a battle to put them on, Frank screamed for an hour and then was happy - except that he would not open his eyes for another two hours. Similar events the next day, but by the end of the trip they wouldn't let me untie until they had put the jackets on themselves. Strange kids - must get it from their mother. Only one collision: totally misjudged speed, wind and current and rammed the moorings of the Fish and Anchor above Evesham. Felt a prat as lots of people watching. Then discovered the wind would not let us off the bank without many RPM in reverse and much agitation of water, and then collided with the lock gates. Only one weed incident - when I dropped the family off to walk the half mile back to our home moorings at Saul. Much churning of water and no thrust, until the boat drifted into open water and a lot of throttle holding back cleared the prop. Wassail! -- Martin Phillips: Web page http://www.g4cio.demon.co.uk/index.html Home brewing, black pudding, boats, Morris Dancing and more