It was clear blue skies that looked down on me as I alighted from the train from Birmingham at Wilmcote station. Wilmcote is where Mary Arden’s house (she was William Shakespeare’s mother of course) is located and a must trip out for tourists staying at Stratford. The Stratford canal at bridge 60 is just 50 meters from the station, so I was soon on my way down to Statford-o-A.
(Click on images for larger view)
You can see from the above photo that it was a super warm day; this was taken at 11:45.
Just after joining the towpath is a splendid cluster of houses and private boats right on the opposite bank as seen above.
I know from previous visits that the southernmost house has land enough to keep traditional UK white goose (chen I think, but correct me with a comment if I’m not please), so much more attractive than the immigrant Canada Goose. And here is one of them parading for the camera.
The towpath was awash with walkers and cyclists.
I only suffered one near miss as a large male cyclist in full gear and full flight failed to warn me of impending doom with his bicycle bell and sped past at about 25mph lust as I began to rotate to take in the view behind!
And this in total disregard of copious signs
This heart racing and potentially injurious experience was soon forgotten when I met the people on nb Tokopia. I marvelled at the lambs in the adjacent field with the young lady who was cruising with her grandparents. 0908 shows the black sheep of the family?
Our brief chat was interrupted abruptly when their Alsatian decided to take the plunge in pursuit of a broken branch. Then branch twixt teeth the doggy attempted to climb out of the water. After several attempts and encouragement from its humans it clambered back onto the towpath followed by a huge shake and all was recovered.
After walking 4 miles in 3 hours (I loiter somewhat in pursuit of good photo scenes, you understand), and without further happenings of note, I arrived at Bancroft Basin in the heart of Stratford bordered by the River Avon and the New Shakespeare Theatre. 0014.
Watch a video of happennings at Lock 40:
