Rainboat

There were three double locks between us and Stratford; the most northerly town narrowboats can reach on the Upper Avon. Handily our new found friends, Mark, Caroline, Harry, Bronwyn and Monty on Sandfly were planning the same journey so we doubled up, making the journey a lot easier. They too had walkie talkies so we were able to keep in touch as we cruised. (The kids found this fun but Will and Mark seemed to enjoy it the most 😉).

It was early Sunday afternoon when we moored up at the riverside Recreation Ground. It. Was. BUZZING! Large groups, singles, couples, families, young, old and everywhere in between seemed to have made a beeline to the park. We needed to put the dogs on leads because there was just too much picnicy temptation to be had. However the huge grassy area accommodated its visitors well and it didn't feel overly full, even at this peak time.

Will went off exploring while Vicky recovered. A chain ferry was conveying tourists across the water so he hitched a ride for £1 and not only treated himself to a pint but an ice cream too! That evening he booked us tickets to a Royal Shakespeare Company performance of As You Like It for the following evening. Being a shortened version, Vicky didn't need to worry about getting too tired. It was being held outdoors at the Holloway Garden Theatre, less than 10 minutes walk away.

The next morning we set out with William Shakespeare in mind. His grave was in the riverside church opposite us. We strolled downriver along a pathway lined with weeping willows and accross Lucy's Mill pedestrian bridge. We were disappointed to find the grave was inside the church, which charged £5 entry fee. We gave it a miss and carried on the RSC building where we took the lift to the viewing platform at the top of their 32m tower (for free!). It was a beautiful sunny day and the panoramic windows allowed us fantastic views of the town, river and countryside beyond. We continued on to a costume exhibition with outfits, photos of them being worn by famous actors like Judy Dench and David Tennant, props and interactive displays. Vicky dressed up and Will enjoyed speaking some lines to a full size screen that made you feel you were on stage interacting with another actor. It was really good!

We chose the Rose and Crown; a Greene King pub on Sheep Street for a light lunch. The area exuded everything Shakespeare, but where some places go too far with tat and tackiness, we feel Stratford had managed to keep a handle on things, maintaining itself as a high end attraction. Taking in the mainstreet it was great to see so many businesses thriving and so few of the shops (vapes, charity cheap takeaways and acrylic nails) that move in when a centre is struggling. Vicky was overjoyed when we stumbled upon Hooray's ice cream parlour, whose extensive range included vegan options! We sat on bar stools at the window, enjoying our coffee, pistachio and white mint choc chip cones and watching the world go by.

That evening we joined the crowds being funnelled in to the Holloway Garden Theatre, finding a pair of empty seats near the top of the left stand. It was thankfully dry and sunny, but we were glad we'd brought layers. As You Like It began with an apology. The actor playing Orlando had broken his leg! He insisted on carrying on regardless and they managed it well. He was excused from the wrestling scene and his opponent's acting skills stretched to being beaten up by an invisible man- thank goodness it was a comedy! We loved the outdoor setting and the cast gave a great performance, making for a really enjoyable experience.

The following morning Vicky persuaded Will to join her and the dogs for a ride on the big ferris wheel at the edge of the Recreation Ground. It was taller than the RSC tower and you could see in every direction at once. Vicky loved it and Leo was enthralled, watching with interest as we rose and fell. After about a minute Tiger decided she didn't like it but Will gave her a cuddle and it didn't last for too much longer.

Mooring was limited to 48 hours and our month's permit for the Avon was drawing to a close. The Stratford and Avon Canal joined the river in the centre of Stratford, but before we left we wanted to reach the navigable limit of the Upper Avon. The Inland Waterways Association had designated this spot, 2 miles on from Stratford, a Silver Propeller site.

It was a gusty day and the edges of the channel were shallow. We didn't see any other narrowboats but there were a lot of hired rowing boats and small powered craft, whose crew had very little idea how to steer and even less of a clue what side you were supposed to pass other vessels. Thankfully we got through without any collisions and chugged on through the beautiful green corridor in the full throws of summer.

Turning at the top was tricky with the wind and shallow water but we managed it and moored about a mile downstream at a green where teenagers swam and SUPed. The area was well maintained for land visitors, but had fallen into disrepair for boats; the bank crumbling into the water. We hammered the mooring pins deep into the stoney ground, emptied our pee pot at the elsan point and settled down to rest. Five minutes later Vicky felt something wasn't right. Opening the blind, she saw Rainboat had pulled her front pin out and was skewed at 90° accross the river. There weren't any more secure spots here so we ploughed on back to The Recreation Ground at Stratford. Technically we'd outstayed our allotted time here but we hadn't seen anyone checking so we took our chances and stopped another two nights.

The centre of Stratford is beautifully presented. The grass is mown around strips of wildflower meadow in the parkland and riots of colourful flowers flow from planters above clean streets and shiny exteriors. Even with our extended stay we felt we only just scratched the surface and would definitely enjoy a return visit.Les mer