Wow weather!

 It's been much too nice to sit inside typing, and it still is, but I thought I'd better have a catch up...

We moved on Tuesday and Wednesday, heading upriver to Pershore with a stop at Eckington Bridge, then today we pushed on to stop at Craycombe Turn. We'll wait out tomorrow's wet weather here before heading for Evesham. Two short days and a slightly longer one.

Leaving Eckington Bridge on Tuesday morning.

The river alternates between narrow, twisty sections and broad, open stretches.

Nafford Lock was the only one we dealt with, we had to wait while a boat dropped down and Mags popped up to see what was happening...

Misfortune in floods, I guess, above the lock.

 
We stopped for the night at Comberton Wharf, a fine, quiet spot.

From here to Pershore the river gets into one of it's lazy moods, long gentle curves generally heading north, as it's pushed to and fro by the gently undulating countryside.

It was an hour to Pershore, passing under the two bridges downstream of the town. 

Looking back, Pershore Great Bridge C1700, and the modern replacement from 1928.

Pershore Lock, above here is a broad reach with fine moorings and walks around the water meadows between the river and the town.

We stayed here for two nights, on Wednesday evening we had a small celebration for our canines, Amber had reached her third birthday and Milo his eighth!

Dog-friendly home-made birthday cake.

The dogs wouldn't stay still though!

Leaving Pershore this morning we didn't have far to go before passing the impressive Wyre Mill and arriving at Wyre Lock.

Pershore moorings, very quiet.

Wyre Mill, now a social club for the Avon Navigation Trust members.

I wonder why it's diamond shaped...?

Out of the lock and the river skirts the village of Wyre Piddle. (Enough tittering , thank you...) Thatched roofs have the thatcher's trademark, often an animal, on the ridge.

This one's a fox...

Lodge on Osier Island, only access is by water... 

Poor picture of a buzzard enjoying the sun.

An hour and a half of delightful wiggly river saw us arrive at the picturesque Fladbury Lock, with two mills alongside. The river branches here to provide water for the mills and the lock cut.

We had a pause to allow a boat to finish going up ahead of us and to let another come down. It's a deep lock too, so takes a while to fill. I'm not going to mention that I opened a paddle too fast and flooded the well deck - whoops!

Twenty-five minutes above the lock and we pulled in on the moorings at Craycombe Turn. A bit of traffic noise from the nearby A44 but it'll do us.

Ian pointed out that we're about half-way to Stratford now.

I normally wear a black baseball cap while cruising, but it's been too hot for that these last couple of days. So I've taken to wearing Mags' straw hat...

What do you think? Dashing, eh!

Locks 4, miles 13¼ over three days.