Pershore River Festival 20 July 2019 and on to Stratford on Avon

Loved these bubbles!

And how its done…..

Alpacas

Dragon boat

Paddleboarding seems very popular

Hospitality tent being towed away on Monday morning

The weather was cool but everyone seemed in good spirits. We met several ANT ( Avon Navigation Trust) volunteers. Friends Hazel and Simon from Chippenham came on Sunday so with them and friend Jenny now in Pershore we enjoyed lunch at The Star Inn.

Monday morning at 10.30 we went to Number 8 the theatre cum cinema with Jenny to see Late Night with Emma Thomson. Ticket price includes tea and biscuit!

Tuesday we set off heading for Offenham on the way to Stratford.

A good shot of a heron above and below a pigeon takes a ride by sitting on the satellite dish!

Hampton Ferry Warning. Sound horn three times. Snagged the ferry rope as it had not been lowered enough. Tony put Matilda into an immediate reverse. The ferry man came and let out more rope so no harm done after all.

Didn’t intend to stop in Evesham but passing Workman Garden we saw “little” Matilda moored so turned around and moored up to catch up with Paul and Anita. we met them first in Henley last summer and then they were moored in Caen Hill marina last winter. A Warm evening.

Left Evesham very early whilst still cool and moored overnight at Barton lock. Arrived in Stratford on Thursday at midday & moored opposite the Memorial Theatre. Another warm day. At 6pm it was 33.4 outside and still 25 at 10.00pm. An overnight storm.

Matilda from the theatre

We had tea at Huffkins. I can definitely recommend the Belgian Buns but Tony prefers the warm scones

Met lovely couple Donald and Kathleen on Fanny May, from Auckland NZ who were moored in front of Matilda and enjoyed a bottle of wine with them.

On Friday we took out a mortgage for seats in the stalls to see The Taming of the Shrew. I enjoyed it but it was a bit bizarre as they had reversed the genders so it was son Katherine to be married off to female Petruchio. I don’t think it added anything………..

The stunning flower bed is at the bottom of the flight of locks on the narrow canal. The rest of the towpath is in a pretty miserable state. Surprising really that this tourist town hasn’t done more to tidy up the canal.

Holy Trinity Church where William Shakespeare was baptised and buried.

Personally I preferred this chapel with its tombs

From the church we came across

So Shakespeared out we enjoyed the brass band concert in the park on Sunday afternoon and then drinks aboard Fanny May. Monday we set off on our return journey, mooring at Workman Gardens, Evesham.

Tuesday we walked to The Valley Shopping Village following the bridleway with an assurance that we would find a route under the A46. We didn’t!

We walked up through apple and pear orchards until we found a track leading to A46 island where we did manage to cross this very busy main road. And all this for green embroidery cotton!. The needlework shop had everything I wanted and there was an excellent craft store too. By this time rain was falling heavily so we called a cab to take us back to Workman Gardens. The rain continued all evening. By Wednesday morning the river level had risen to amber and was flowing very quickly so we decided to stay put. We did take a walk of 8201 steps ( 5,57km) and picked blackberries.

This was 31st July and so the following day we began our new paper diary.

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