Victor: The Avon again - To Pershore

To Pershore

Then it was an easy day down to Pershore after the 'A' frame house and back to the normal broad locks with wooden beams on the Lower Avon, with still the lock gates fairly easy to move. But alas there had not so far been much attempt to increase lock moorings to accommodate narrowboats, for as we exited the diamond shape Pershore Lock, there was nowhere to pick up the 'crew' as there were only mooring on one side of the river that held the waiting two narrowboats, with the rearmost one well into the bushes. But luckily as we had long perfected the picking up at lock mouths, so a bit  of reversing brought the boat back by the side of the weir to get the crew.

I should imagine a hirer however with little experience would just have to 'hang about' until the two boats taking up all the moorings had entered the lock before it could get to the mooring to pick up anyone.

Dogs

Pershore, and memories of 'She Who Must Be Obeyed'—Jan, attempting to fly a kite on the playing field by the moorings. For you with dogs, who actually walk their animals, there is the vast Avon Meadows, on which we clocked just over two miles, much to the joy of the dog.

The reason for my comment about walking dogs, is that all too often I have seen boaters, with rather large dogs whose idea of giving their pets a walk is to just turn them out on the towpath, which really is most unfair to the animals, as dogs need exercise. Like some others we know, we make a point of looking up bridle paths and the like on the map when choosing an overnight stopping place, though I expect for many a pub is the most important.  Now that should  ruffle a few feathers!

The worst

The last of the three days cruising saw our normal early start and Pershore Lock—the worst lock gate to move of the whole waterway.  Poor Jan tried her hardest, but it just would not budge, so another body gave a push, and even then it was no easy task. It seems the Lower Avon Trust's answer is to extend the lock beam with a piece of steel in the hope of giving more leverage. Not good.

Though I must admit most of the lock gates were well balanced and easy to move, however the now 'normal' paddle gear sometimes left a lot to be desired.

Bridge over the lock

Then shades of the Monkey Marsh Lock on the Kennet & Avon Canal—a lock with a swing bridge over its middle!  This time however, not one for farm animals but a rather easy to move one for pedestrians worried about crossing on lock beams, though of course boaters have to as normal when the the bridge was opened.

Very wise

It is always very wise to take notice of the sometimes hidden entrances to the locks and of course evade the often more inviting entrances to the weirs.

Here is one boater who didn't, much to his/her cost.

Attractive

There has been a great deal of effort both on the Upper Avon and Lower Avon to make the locks attractive, with flowers abounding all the way across some.  And we did not notice a single unpainted lock on the whole trip.

The lock sides were all nicely mown, with the only downside being that some of the notices were rather tatty and in need of replacing, otherwise the whole picture was inviting.

Eckington Bridge

Work was progressing steadily on the repair to Eckington Bridge, not having to wait for contractors—there was only one workman chipping away at the sandstone, which gives the impression it will be a long job, a very long job!

It was just topside of the bridge that we moored by the caravan park last time, but no chance now as contractors' boats have taken up all the mooring space.

Tewkesbury

So we carried on to Tewkesbury, arriving rather early, but discovering from the locky that the nearest mooring upriver on the Severn was at Upton, so called it a day and moored just beyond the lock, giving up three quid for the privilege. A walk down the arm and we discovered a vast flood plain, so Rusty was happy and we had our exercise for the day!

Victor Swift