Our mooring fees for 2016.

I was quite surprised when I totted up our mooring fees for last year as I had expected them to be higher than last year.

The break down is as follows;

Over winter at Kings Orchard marina   844-79
A week mooring at
Sovereign Wharf, Banbury                     74-29
1 night at Henley on Thames                  10-00
1 night at Windsor                                    8-00
4 night Pryford Marina                           77-40
17 nights at St. Pancras                         170-00
8 nights at Barby Moorings                    84-00
TOTAL                                              1268-48

I was expecting to pay for more nights moorings whilst on the Thames. I think that Pryford Marina on the Wey must be the most expensive marina that we are ever likely to stop in. I hope so anyway. We were lucky on the Thames as we seemed to obtain the last free berth, or on a couple of occasions, leave before they came round collecting the fee.

2015 costs were £1524-55 and 2014's costs were £1298-48. It seems that mooring costs are fairly static. I suppose with the number of marinas that seem to be under construction, and depending where you are on the system, competition should keep a check on any increase in fees.

The Anthony Gormley 'Nobbly Man' at Lowsonford Lock was checking us out as we passed. I think he has since then be moved to another location.

We got to the bottom of the Stratford upon Avon canal and found a good berth in  Bancroft Basin. It is a very busy place with tourists, but is a very nice town to have a walk about, and plenty to see even if you don't go in anything but the pubs!

We left Stratford and headed down the Avon, our first trip on this river. The first lock is the Stratford Trinity, or Colin P. Witter Lock. We had a bit of a fight to get in as just above the lock is where all the large trip boats swing round to head back to the town. Still we made it and through out first Avon Lock, not counting the lock from the basin or the lock from the Severn up to the Avon at Tewkesbury.

Our first restricted bridge, Binton Bridges. I can imagine it being a little worrying approaching with a great current pushing you from astern but our trip was very benigh.

The river passes through so very pastoral countryside between Bidford and Evesham with civilisation hardly encroaching on the peace of the river.

There was plenty of room to moor at Evesham, and there was plenty to see ashore too. Also a good spot to fill up on the groceries etc

The Cropthorne Mill next to Fladbury Lock. I can't remember if we were on the river at the weekend but we never saw any lock keepers, maybe they are only on at the height of the season, and as this was May we missed them. But this would be a great place to spend a day as a look keeper.

after Pershore, another place where there was plenty of good moorings, and plenty of good pubs too, we continued and passed through Tiddesley Woods with distant views of  Bredon Hill.

At Nafford Lock there was evidence of the strength of a river in flood and the need for great care. It is never wise to underestimate the power of water.

This picture shows the Swans Neck bight in the river. It is not taken with a panoramic lens, it really is 360 degree turn in that space. And of course we did meet the boat of the day at the turn. Mind you we were okay, out lock buddy can be seen just coming into shot on the left. They would have more trouble that us.

We stopped on the Avon Trust moorings at the Fleet Inn Twyning Green. It was a lovely light in the late evening on Bredon Hill.

We got a good mooring above the lock at Tewkesbury. We like Tewkesbury a lot, and the Abbey must be one of our favourite churches, it is just so beautiful.

Our opinion of the River Avon is that it is very beautiful. we spoke to a gut who spent months here in the summer, but with the lack of mooring points I expect that, like most rivers, in the height of the season it must be dog eat dog to get a berth. I would come again, but at a similar time of the year as we had no problems. And in the towns, and countryside there is plenty to do and see. A week was a good taster for us at least.