Saturday 8th October 2011
We arrived at the Anglo Welsh boatyard at Wootton Wawen just before 13.00 and popped into the Navigation Inn for a spot of lunch. The food was honest pub food and not at all pricey. The beer wasn’t too bad either.
We were told we could pick the boat up from 15.00 but decided to try our luck at 14.30 and sure enough, Golden Finch was ready. We were left to load up and when we were ready had a very thorough hand-over. The guy was not interested in how many times I’d steered a boat before and watched me take the boat through bridge 53 and wind at the winding hole just after before coming back through the boatyard. He did then say he was trying to distract me by talking all the time and that it didn’t put me off one bit!
After he hopped off at the aqueduct at 16.15 we had a relaxing and uneventful run down to Wilmcote where we moored up for the night at 17.30.
Sunday 9th October 2011
We set off at 09.00 to get ahead of the other Anglo Welsh boat that had left Wootton Wawen after us. Wilmcote locks were reached at 09.25 and were initially against us but after the 3rd lock we met a boat coming up and thereafter we had a fairly good run arriving at the bottom lock at 11.10. Becky understandably chuffed at completing her first flight of locks on her own. I had offered to do the locks but she refused to steer!
We topped up with water above bridge 63 and had a steady run down the remaining locks into Stratford-Upon-Avon meeting a few boats on their way up. One with 4 men on board who didn’t even offer to assist Becky when she was struggling with a gate and just stood and watched.
We entered Bancroft Basin at 13.00 and reversed alongside one of the pontoons. However the wind was so gusty we kept getting blown off the pontoon so winded the boat round and went in forwards along the other side, the wind then blowing us against it. By the time I’d messed around we eventually moored at 13.19.
The afternoon was spent looking around Stratford with a pint or two in the Garrick. On our return to the basin at 16.30 the other Anglo Welsh boat was there having arrived only about 15 minutes previously although they set off half an hour after us.
Monday 10th October
Spent the whole day doing the tourist thing in Stratford. Can thoroughly recommend the ‘Fourteas’ tea rooms in Union Street, decked out as a 1940’s tea room even with takeaways in gas mask cases!
Tuesday 11th October
Set off back up the locks out of Stratford at 08.20. Was initially a little worried about getting off the mooring as the wind was still strong but in the end I had no problem. Why couldn’t the crowds who had seen me struggle on our arrival been there to see us effortlessly leave?
Again we filled up with water at bridge 63 and reached Wilmcote Bottom Lock at 10.15 finding the locks to be either empty or just taking the minimum of emptying.
We reached the top lock at 12.00 and were moored up at Wilmcote by 12.20.
We spent the afternoon wandering around the village and visiting Mary Arden’s Farm which is well worth a look.
We did think about moving a little further and mooring by Edstone Aqueduct for the night but decided to stay put and open a bottle of wine or two!
Wednesday 12th October
A 09.17 start from Wilmcote back across Edstone Aqueduct and through Bearly Lock.
Approaching Wootton Wawen we met a boat on a bend (as you do) and were forced through tree branches to avoid them. They had more than enough room on the outside of the bend as I ducked to avoid branches but still a woman on the back (not the steerer) waved at us to get over more even though the boats were far from touching. As we passed another crew member shouted sarcastically “Thanks for the room!” I was going to make some comment about next time perhaps they would prefer the trees but thought better of it.
After putting a bit of a downer on an otherwise lovely morning, things got a little worse when as we were just crossing Wootton Wawen Aqueduct a boat pulled out of the visitor moorings ahead of us.
That set the tone of the day and all the way up the locks from Preston Bagot we had to wait for them to refill the locks as they were following a slow boat too.
By the time we reached Lowsonford Becky was feeling the workload and I wasn’t much better so we decided to call it a day and moored up at 15.10 in a lovely quiet spot just below lock 29.
A walk up to Lapworth Junction and back cheered us up and a very pleasant evening was had with just the birds and the distant noise of the M40 to disturb us.
Thursday 13th October
We intended to set off fairly early with a view to doing a bit of the Grand Union before returning back down the Stratford but a phone call about a family incident threw our plans into doubt. As there was a chance we may have to head back early we set off up the locks at 09.25 in order to find somewhere to turn.
Just as we were approaching the junction we received another phone call relating to the first which would require more calls so turned right with a view to stopping at the visitors moorings between the Stratford and Grand Union. In the end we didn’t need to stop and turned left onto the Grand Union for a bit of variation from the Stratford and some lock-free rest for Becky.
We turned at the winding hole just past the Black Boy at Knowle and headed straight back down towards Kingswood. One of our original plans was to stop at the pub for lunch.
Feeling refreshed after the blast to Knowle and back plus a good outcome to all the phone calls we turned back into the Stratford and moored up opposite the Fleur-de-Lys at Lowsonford at 15.30.
Friday 14th October
After the excitement of the previous day and plus it was our last full day on the boat we didn’t get up too early and set off eventually at 11:19.
At Preston Bagot there was a shriek of delight from Becky as she realised she’d done her last lock of the trip.
We moored up with another boat below the road bridge at 13.30 and decided that would be it for the day. We had thought of getting closer to Wootton Wawen but decided it was a nice spot so we stayed put.
The people from the other boat arrived back from the Crab Mill restaurant just down the road and described it to us as “very nice, not pretentious, just very nice with some good beer” so we decided to give it a go. I’ve never seen a pub car park full of so many expensive cars with so few letters on their number plates before!
It was so pleasant to sit out in the sun in short sleeves with a couple of cool drinks in the middle of October. So pleasant in fact that we reserved a table for the evening and weren’t disappointed.
Saturday 15th October
Due to the events of the Thursday we wanted to get back to the boatyard early so woke up at 6.30. When I ventured outside it was gorgeous. The sun was just starting to rise and the ground was covered in frost with mist on the water.
Not knowing how long it would take to get back we set off at 07.22 to give ourselves plenty of time. We moored up at the Wootton Wawen visitors moorings at 08.03 and waited for the yard to open at 08.30.
We were on our way home by 09.00 having had a wonderful week away feeling ready to deal with the situation when we got home.
More Pictures Here
