Bartimaeus

We set off from Stratford-upon-Avon with two objectives.  The first was to get the waste tank emptied.  It was a sharp turn immediately above the Clopton Bridge, with the current trying to push us on to the bridge, but once we were in the back water to the side the flow vanished - plane sailing!

I'd driven in forwards so that the operation could all be done from the (short) pontoon.  I didn't think there was enough room to wind though, so I reversed back out.  I had to turn the stern upstream as we joined the main flow, or we risked being washed broadside on to the bridge structure.  Once I was far enough upstream, I used the bow thruster to spin us round so that we could continue upstream.

The second objective was to get to the limit of navigation.  It seemed a shame to get this close to the top of the river and not at least go to look.  We were rewarded with a kingfisher sighting just at the point where we needed to turn back.  The river here was only just as wide as the boat is long.  It took me a few attempts to spin in a suitable place without drifting downstream in to a narrower spot.

After filling the water tank and our stomachs at Stratford, we continued downstream to the first of the river locks.  The operation of the locks feels very different from those on the canals.  Using ropes to hold the boat slows the operation considerably making the whole process feel more sedate.

We stopped for the day at the flood-safe moorings above the next lock.  What makes these moorings safe in times of flood are the tall poles along the edge.  There is a ring around each pole to which we attach our ropes.  If the water level changes significantly, the ring will simply slide up (or down) the pole.  In addition if the levels go very high, the poles will ensure the boat is not caught on the towpath when the waters receded.

The next day we started by going through Weir Brake Lock and then on as far as Luddington Lock.  The moorings here allowed easy access to have a look around the church in Luddington.  We set off on a walk thinking we might reach Welford, but the local geography didn't make that easy.

Next morning, I decided to have a further go at adjusting the belt that connects the electric motor to the propeller shaft.  I was convinced that adjusting it might stop the annoying clatter we get from time to time.  This time I tried to make it a little tighter.

As we drove out of the lock on diesel, the controller started behaving in an unusual way - as if there was too much load on the propeller.  We were still getting propulsion properly, but it was a little distracting and stressful.  I wanted to stop as soon as we could, not least because I didn't want the engine to get too hot to sit on while making adjustments.

We spotted a private mooring and turned upstream on to it.  We probably wouldn't even be noticed, and would start with an apology and an explanation if anybody came to complain.  I slackened off the belt a little and we set off again.  Astonishingly, that seems to have fixed the problem.

The guide book suggested that we might be able to moor at a pub just above Binton bridge - and I could have done with a drink.  As we approached I could see that the pub mooring was not only very short, but also had a boat moored at it.  We were going to have to choose a different lunch option.

The next mooring option was just above Welford Lock.  As the name suggests, this lock is very close to the village of Welford, but it is completely cut-off from it by the River.  The moorings here have excellent views across to the village, but no access to anything but the river.

The following day we were about to cast off when a cruiser came past and in to the lock.  We joined him there and worked the lock together.  On exit I invited him to go ahead.  Cruisers generally go faster than narrowboats, and we go slow for narrowboats, especially when we are trying to maximise our time spent generating electricity.

The next section was quite narrow and I noticed that the edge of the river here was solid looking rock.  If there was more water in the river this could have been quite hard to see, but well worth avoiding.

As we approached Bidford Grange Lock, it looked like there were no spare moorings.  The cruiser who had gone ahead was sitting in the middle of the remaining space in front of a moored narrowboat.  Fortunately, the cruiser then drove in to the lock, leaving us space to moor as we'd planned.  Once tied up, I helped operate the lock.  He was grateful for the help, and much more chatty than he had been when we'd shared the previous one.

It was only a short walk along a path to the road from the mooring, so we got the tandem out.  It was a short and pleasant ride back to Welford, a village that had been tantalisingly close for three days.  The main attraction is easy to spot - one of the tallest maypoles in England, and a listed "building".

The nearby pub (other pubs were available) provided us with a fine lunch.  Clare used the Maypole Post Office and then we went on a short tour of the village looking at the fine thatched roofs.

We went as far as Binton bridge and saw that the mooring at the Four Alls pub was vacant today.  A particularly picturesque lane near the church led to the bank of the river, affording us a view back to where we had been moored the previous night.

After many months when there was hardly any rain at all, it is a big change to plan around possible rain.  The forecast for today had shown almost continuous heavy rain, so we had planned to stay put.  In fact, the rain seems to have passed by further north, so we have had a single shower which was not enough to get the ground wet.