Gloucester

We haven’t yet adjusted to the faster cruising speed the river allows, so it seemed no time at all before we were approaching Gloucester Lock. We exited straight into Gloucester Main Dock and pulled into the free mooring the lock keeper had directed us to.

What a sight! The large rectangular basin was surrounded by stunning redeveloped warehouses. Eateries and bars occupied ground floors, with offices and high end apartments above. The whole area was pedestrianised and had a relaxed vibe. It is managed by Gloucester Docks Estates, who employs people to walk around and keep the place in order. One asked Vicky to put the dogs on leads, but in a very relaxed way. They seemed to do good jobs as there was very little noise in the evenings and no litter that we saw.

It was a hot day so Vicky stayed in with the furries, while Will set off in search of liquid refreshment 😉 The nearby Hop Kettle provided him with a taster flight of 3 ales and a stacked plate of loaded fries with a view overlooking Victoria Basin.

Vicky went on a photography walk that evening when the heat had gone out of the day, taking in Gloucester Cathedral and the Gate streets leading out from The Cross (North, East, South and Westgate Streets). A good selection of independent shops called these streets home and the utility boxes here had been painted with colourful designs, often with local significance, as part of an urban art trail.

Our stay was limited to 2 days, but happily one of these was Friday, when there was a small farmers market at The Cross. We picked up some delicious local organic fruit, veg and apple juice and sat on a bench to eat a salad and a wild boar burger.

On the way back to the boat we nipped into Eastgate Street indoor market which seemed to be thriving. Our favourite find here was Aladin's Cave; an 'everything and anything' shop where we bought a few DIY bits.Read more