Avon Ring (Hatton ... Stratford ... Avon ... Severn ... Worcester ... Kings Norton ... Hatton)

by Janet & Chris Hunter

Friday 14th May: Crew is Chris & Janet (and Dylan the golden retriever), onboard for 2 weeks. We are planning to head off to Stratford and maybe the Avon Ring.

Arrived Stockton Top 1.15 and loaded the boat. Ownerships were showing prospective owners round boats including Rodbaston. Difficulty identifying the boat from the rear! (name is only on the bow and we were confronted with 15 or so similar Ownerships boats moored stern in to the bank). Should we have a name plate by the engine gauges?

Boat is still looking good inside, but a number of exterior paint chips on areas difficult to imagine have been caused by minor collisions. No paint seems to have arrived on the boat yet (or maybe we just haven't found it). There are two pieces of missing wood trim from the bottom left front of the cratch with exposed wood underneath. The catch holding open the interior door between the bathroom & bedroom is broken - but I may be able to repair it. Some of the interior varnish is looking scratched in a few places.

Set off 2.30 or so, went through Stockton and Bascote flight in the company of a pleasant Welsh family in a hired Kate boat - they were planning to get round the Warwickshire ring. Moored about 6.45 just through lock 22 in tranquil countryside with sheep in the adjacent field.

(5¼ miles, 19 locks)

Saturday: Set off 9.30 ish, just one lock and then on the bottom pound to Warwick. Stopped bridge 46 to stock up at Tescos - good mooring and a 100 yds walk. On to Cape locks to fill up with water - slow fill as took 40 minutes to fill. Still, it was time for lunch anyway.

Started Hatton at 1.50, no other boats around so just Rodbaston with it's sterling crew of two. Luckily we were caught up by a well crewed Kate boat for the last 10 locks. Got to the top in 3 hours 10 minutes and moored in the cutting just past the top lock. Quite a lot of other moored boats but very pretty.

Did some minor repairs to the bolt on the front left side cratch panel. Considering anyone walking over the front of the boat will hold onto the cratch, the bolt doesn't seem very sturdy. It is starting to bend and the screws are pulling out.

{8½ miles, 24 locks.}

Sunday: Late start today - waiting for Douglas Netherclift (Four Counties Boating) to arrive to give us a day's training for the RYA Helmsman certificate. Winded and went back down the top three Hatton locks, then back up again - we must be gluttons for punishment. Then along the summit level in glorious sunshine, practising engine failure, man overboard and manoeuvring. Dropped Douglas at Kingswood junction, and headed down the amazing scenery surrounding the Southern Stratford. Moored in rural scenery at lock 29.

Be aware of four youngsters in an overloaded boat (three lads and one girl) really low in the water. Travelling up and down the canal at dusk. At 10 o'clock in the dark they carried their dinghy down lock 29 and set off past us with no engine. I had been watching out as their behaviour had seemed suspicious. I offered to phone for help if they needed help. One just said "yeah, right" and then started the boat and left. It would be very easy to burgle narrow boats and quickly escape by water. We are predictable; finish for the day..go to the pub.or for a stroll. All that is needed for smashing glass is kept in the locker; don't even need to bring your own brick. Should we think about locking the storage locker where the heavy windlasses are? Even if I am wrong it really unsettled me and we got the heavy metal in before I went to bed. We will when we leave the boat in isolated places and leave the radio/lights on.

I found the day with Douglas very helpful. He is very patient, kind and tolerant. It has really improved my confidence and I managed to helm through the Kingswood junction It is useful being able to helm if I can't manage the heavy or stiff locks.

{8½ miles, 16 locks.}

Monday: Set off about 9.30, watered at Lowsonford, continued through beautiful empty rural countryside. Very few boats moving - probably passed 5 or 6 all day. Stopped to look at the boatyard at Wootten Wawen to see if we could buy a replacement for the windlass we seem to have abandoned earlier today (mea culpa!). Got a good rhythm, descending the Wilmcote flight - managing 8 per hour with the two of us. Arrived in Stratford Basin at 6.30, went to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre (all of 50 yds away across the gardens) and bought tickets for the 7.30 performance of Macbeth - fantastic. Meal afterwards 'Thespians' Indian restaurant opposite the theatre. £24 for 2 people, good food - we enjoyed it. 10% off if you have been to the theatre.

Stratford basin is adjacent to the Avon, set in parkland, and despite being in the middle of the town was surprisingly quiet at night. However it was a Monday and might be different on a Saturday night. There is a pair of swans nesting by the baguette barge; crazy place to nest. Cygnets spotted in several places along the way but in more usual habitat.

(12 miles, 26 locks)

Tuesday: Wandered round the attractive town in the morning, coffee overlooking Shakespeare's birthplace. Bought a 2 week combined Upper & Lower Avon licence for £44 (2 weeks seems to be the shortest period available). Locked down onto the Avon at about 1 pm watched by at least 150 tourists - we managed to look vaguely as though we knew what we were doing. We went from an empty narrow canal to a teeming river with trip boats, rowing boats and punts all around - quite an experience. The Upper Avon is a beautiful river punctuated by large modern very ugly locks - but they are only every two to three miles, so in between the cruising is like something out of the 'Wind in the Willows'. A family of 19 goslings in crocodile with mum at front and dad in the rear really delighted us. Stopped for water at the Recreation Ground mooring at Bidford-on-Avon - would make a good overnight stop. Most mooring is at locks, so finished for the evening at Robert Aickman Lock - very rural, 2 swans and their newly hatched cygnets just across from us.

(13 miles, 9 locks)

Wednesday: Late start at about 10 am, Through the Evesham lock onto the Lower Avon. Evesham river frontage is clean and attractive. The Lower Avon is as pretty as the upper, and the locks are more in keeping. Stopped for an hour or so in Pershore, wandered round the town and looked at the Abbey. Very good co-op and swimming pool here if weather is dire The recreation ground moorings would be fine for the night but we decided to carry on downstream for an hour or so - a mistake as the mooring we were planning to stop at was full and we had to continue to Ecklington Bridge - a pretty mooring but noise from traffic going over the bridge. It is the meeting place for boy racers with a taste in very loud music - started at 11 pm for half an hour or so. Very noisy girls there too. (Wednesday night - maybe does not happen on other nights). Mooring sites are limited - there are only 9 or 10 between Evesham and Tewkesbury. We wish we were morning people and could start and finish early. However we love the early evening light on the water - and not the early morning. I can't see it happening!

Did some repair work on the drop down flap at the end of the right hand bed in the front cabin where some screws have pulled out. It looks to me as though it has been fitted incorrectly initially - I will bring it to Ownerships attention at the end of the cruise. Also repaired the door catch on the interior door between the bedroom and bathroom.

(21 miles, 7 locks)

Thursday: Set off 9.30. Janet walking 2 miles along the riverside path to exercise the dog and meet the boat at Strensham Lock. Really miss the walking and mooring where and when we fancy. Then onto Tewkesbury and moored past the Avon Lock. Looked round the town and Abbey, lunch at 'Great Grandfathers' - traditional English cooking, reasonable value. The Abbey refectory looked good as did the Abbey tea-rooms opposite.

Locked down onto the Severn and encountered a 2-3 mph current (current on the Avon had been slow). However, Rodbaston did not need full throttle to maintain the 6 mph speed limit at 2100 rpm and water temperature only got up to 65 degrees centigrade. Found a space on the Upton-on-Severn moorings; mooring is both sides of the pontoon. Friendly swan looking in through the side hatch wanting bread! Attractive town with a variety of pubs and restaurants, but after eating out at lunchtime we only wanted a light meal so ate in.

(14 miles, 2 locks} (but we know we have got Tardebigge to come!)

Friday 21 May: Left Upton at 10.15 after shopping for presents (good selection of gift shops). Continued up the Severn in sunshine looking very attractive (the Severn, not us). We were welcomed by traffic lights into the smaller of the two Diglis locks - but it still seemed enormous - dwarfed Rodbaston. Then up through Diglis Basin onto the Worcester and Birmingham - seemed very strange to be back on narrow canals again after the large river. Stopped and looked round Worcester - lunch in the Cathedral refectory, Cathedral beautiful and spiritual. The canal in the city and suburbs is quite clean and gentrified - doesn't feel inner city at all. Takes a long time to get out to rural countryside. Moored 8 pm Tibberton. Tried to get into 'The Bridge' but fully booked. Looked good food.

(16 miles, 17 locks)

Saturday: Gentle day moving onto the bottom of Tardebigge. Bought a replacement sleeved windlass from Dunhampstead Boats for £5 - a bargain. Nice lunch at the Eagle & Sun at Hanbury Wharf. Passed large numbers of Black Prince boats leaving with new hirers heading down to Worcester.

(7½ miles, 12 locks)

Sunday: Set off 9.30 - did the 30 locks (every one set against us) by 1 pm and even caught up with the boat ahead - felt quite pleased with ourselves. Watered at Tardebigge wharf and then lunch past Tardebigge tunnel. Moored for the evening past Alvechurch and had a BBQ on the towpath.

(7½ miles, 30 locks)

Monday: Wast Hill Tunnel (1½ miles) is quite wet - took half an hour to go through. We were worried about bandits in Kings Norton but (admittedly on a Monday morning) had no problems - the few towpath walkers were friendly. The (unused) guillotine lock at the start of the Stratford Canal is interesting. Lunch by the Shirley Drawbridge, then shopped for provisions in Hockley Heath - only a small One-Stop but convenient to get to. Moored at the top of the Lapworth Flight.

(16 miles, 4 locks)

Tuesday: Lovely scenery coming down Lapworth - is a very attractive setting. Spent far too much in the little canal souvenir shop by lock 15. Watered and washed the boat at the bottom, then back on the Grand Union having 'done' the ring in 9 days at a fairly leisurely pace. Had lunch halfway to Hatton then started down Hatton. Moored leaving 4 locks to do - towpath maintenance going on so mooring difficult.

(7 miles, 33 locks)

Wednesday: Completed the Hatton flight, the met Inglewood (another Ownerships boat) at Cape locks - they had also done the Avon Ring but anticlockwise. Went through Cape locks with then, then moored at Bridge 49 to go into Warwick. A bit of a walk in, but spent a good three or four hours going round Warwick Castle. Had a good lunch there. Shopping in Warwick and then back to the boat, mooring for the night by bridge 33. Cleaned and washed the boat with 2 ducks sitting on the roof begging (successfully) for bread. Had to wash the roof again afterwards!

(6½ miles, 6 locks)

Thursday: Gently back to Stockton Top, having a good pub lunch on the way at the 'Two Boats' in Long Itchington. Met various Ownerships boats on the way - including Wolverley, a rear galley boat like ours which has a step to ease getting onto the roof from the helmsman's position. We would like to add this to the wish list. Also chatted to Hatherton who, like us, are still waiting for touch up paint. They had been told by Ownerships there is a Health & Safety issue and decanting large tins of paint into smaller ones is a safety issue!

Fuelled and pumpout at Stockton Top. Haven't had to replace a gas cylinder so £10 left in the tin.

We have left on the boat for general use (but will remove if people do not feel are useful)

" 2 picnic folding chairs (easily stored in the cratch boxes)

" 1 pair of shears for trimming nettles etc. when moored in rural locations

" A chopping board (there is already some damage to kitchen surface where knives have been used on it)

(50 miles, 226 locks in total.)

End of Holiday Report items

Item	Comments
Valet	Booked
Touch up paint	Ownerships reminded that the supply is awaited.
1 cup required	To replace a broken one
Crack in the grouting and a cracked tile in the bathroom.	Asked them to look at these to rule out any underlying structural problem.

Hatton top lock
Above Hatton
Shiny brass !
The crew
Lapworth
The crew
Yarningdale
Bucket lock
Edstone aqueduct
Edstone aqueduct
Southern Stratford
Southern Stratford
Wimcote flight
Bancroft lock
Stratford on Avon
Stratford on Avon
Stratford on Avon
Bidford Bridge
Geese and Goslings
New cygnets
On the Avon
Evesham bridge
Lower Avon
Aickman lock
Nafford lock
Ecklington bridge
Ecklington bridge
Sunset over Ecklington bridge
Filling with water on the Lower Avon
Lower Avon
Sunset at Upton-on-Severn
On The Severn
Worcester from The Severn
Worcester from The Severn
Diglis lock
Tardebigge
Tardebigge
Tardebigge tunnel
Lapworth flight
Lapworth flight
Lapworth flight
Lapworth flight
Hatton
Duck on roof