River Avon above Stratford

[Spesh]

I'm hiring in September and doing the Avon ring and want to have a little explore of the Avon upstream of Stratford. I know making it to the limit of navigation isn't an option, but does anybody know the furthest point you could safely wind a 67 foot boat? Canal Plan suggests "The Red House" but I can't work out where that is.

 

Pearson's has a place marked which appears to be here:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=stratford+upon+avon&hl=en&ll=52.207526,-1.671802&spn=0.000976,0.002835&sll=53.852527,-4.042969&sspn=15.437014,46.450195&t=h&z=19

Looks like plenty of space to turn here, but then again impossible to assess depth. Any useful info would be much appreciated.

 

Edit to put link to google map as technical inability prevented embedding it.

Edited July 18, 2011 by Spesh

[WJM]

about a mile - there is a little park with refuse disposal on the river left as you go upstream.

[john6767]

The Guide Book shows you where, unfortunately mine is on the boat so I can't look. 67 foot is going to be quite long up there!

[Spesh]

about a mile - there is a little park with refuse disposal on the river left as you go upstream.

Is this the "old bathing place"? Certainly does look nice and wide there.

 

The Guide Book shows you where, unfortunately mine is on the boat so I can't look. 67 foot is going to be quite long up there!

I think I shall have to send a cheque off to the good people at the trust and get myself a copy. I do like a challenge when steering, but not absolutely wedded to the idea of turning left out of the basin if it's a very silly idea!

[john6767]

Is this the "old bathing place"? Certainly does look nice and wide there.

 

 

I think I shall have to send a cheque off to the good people at the trust and get myself a copy. I do like a challenge when steering, but not absolutely wedded to the idea of turning left out of the basin if it's a very silly idea!

 

Try not to do it when the river is full of rowing boats. Between the tramway bridge and the road bridge is where the rowing boats are hired from, so going through the bridges can be interesting.

 

 

 

[Iain_S]

From Nicholson's : the "Red house" (which isn't really red) is at Grid Reference SP226561, on a sharp left hand bend when going upstream. The little park, which I think is the "old bathing place" is about half a kilometre further upstream, and I'm sure is wide enough for a 67' boat to turn.

 

The last windng point (Grid.Ref.SP233573) is supposed to be OK for 56'. We got Copperkins (58') turned there, but with a fair bit of difficulty, and several attempts to find the widest/deepest point. I wouldn't fancy my chances with anything longer

 

Iain

[Max Sinclair]

I'm hiring in September and doing the Avon ring and want to have a little explore of the Avon upstream of Stratford. I know making it to the limit of navigation isn't an option, but does anybody know the furthest point you could safely wind a 67 foot boat? Canal Plan suggests "The Red House" but I can't work out where that is.

 

Pearson's has a place marked which appears to be here:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=stratford+upon+avon&hl=en&ll=52.207526,-1.671802&spn=0.000976,0.002835&sll=53.852527,-4.042969&sspn=15.437014,46.450195&t=h&z=19

Looks like plenty of space to turn here, but then again impossible to assess depth. Any useful info would be much appreciated.

 

Edit to put link to google map as technical inability prevented embedding it.

There ia submerged weir cill about a mile upstream of the town. We were stuck up on it in Vesta and recorded by the Kodak photographer in their colour photography book.

[stewey]

Is this the "old bathing place"? Certainly does look nice and wide there.

Yes, the old bathing place is the recommended limit for narrow boats.

 

Well worth getting the guide book as suggested above.

 

Stewey

[Spesh]

Thanks for all the responses. I've just sent a cheque for a copy of the guide book so cheers for that tip. I'll report back with news of the number of rowing boats sunk

[Odana]

The guide book was a truly dreadful purchase - been a complete waste of cash as it has little detail and is incredibly hard to navigate. Good that money goes to the trust, but a geomap or nicholsons is a much better buy.

The Old bathing place has plenty of room to turn a 67 footer. And about 3 boat-lenghts of mooring, plus water. We didn't try to go further but apparently turning might be an issue if you don't know the river well. Enjoy the property-ogling en route!!

[john6767]

Each to their own, but I thought the book gave good info. The diagrams are a bit basic true, but there is more in there than Nicholsons in terms of moorings, and the lock diagrams I found helpful

 

 

The old bathing place is only half way to the red house, and the absolute limit is another mile or so further that that. So if you want to try you can get perhaps 2 miles further than the old bathing place, but perhaps with 67 foot it is pushing it a bit.

[classicstove]

Received from the Startford and Warwick Waterways Trust:

 

<< The Red House is the furthest point upstream where a 67' boat can be winded successfully.

 

 

 

It is some 2 miles upstream from Stratford (Bancroft / The Theatre). It is a sharp left-hand bend marked on OS maps as 'Avoncliffe', its Grid Ref is 226562.

 

 

 

In the River Avon Guide - published by ANT (The Avon Navigation Trust) it is marked as: Avoncliffe Red House, Safe Limit of Navigation GR226562.

 

 

 

The Guide is well worth buying (not least for the rest of the Avon - for which it is easily the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide). It can be obtained either from the ANT Information Boat 'William James' - moored adjacent to the River Lock in Bancroft Basin, or from the Lock-keeper at Tewkesbury - (depending on whether your 'Ring Trip' is either clockwise or anti-clockwise.

 

 

 

Alternatively it can be purchased in advance from 'ANT' < www.avonnavigationtrust.org > >>

[BlueStringPudding]

We turned our 65ft boat up there a little beyond the old bathing place, but you could see the bottom!

[MaryP]

I took my little 23' boat almost to the limit. Pretty up there, so perhaps walk up to have a look if you have a longer boat?

[David Mack]

I'm hiring in September and doing the Avon ring and want to have a little explore of the Avon upstream of Stratford. I know making it to the limit of navigation isn't an option, but does anybody know the furthest point you could safely wind a 67 foot boat? Canal Plan suggests "The Red House" but I can't work out where that is.

 

Pearson's has a place marked which appears to be here:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=stratford+upon+avon&hl=en&ll=52.207526,-1.671802&spn=0.000976,0.002835&sll=53.852527,-4.042969&sspn=15.437014,46.450195&t=h&z=19

Looks like plenty of space to turn here, but then again impossible to assess depth. Any useful info would be much appreciated.

 

Edit to put link to google map as technical inability prevented embedding it.

 

We went up there in a hire boat a number of years ago. I can't remember the length of the boat - probably aound 45 ft, and not that deep drafted. We made a point of going right up to Alveston Weir and actually touching the concrete of the sluice. There was sufficient depth of water, and I don't remember any particular difficulty in turning just below the weir.

 

David

[Keeping Up]

I've often turned our 67-footer at the Red House without any problems.

 

As has been said, the old bathing place is only half way to the Red House (which is NOT red so don'r be fooled by that), and there is plenty of room to turn there but it can be very weedy indeed and I think I would prefer turning at the Red House. As soon as you find the reach hand bend, that is where to turn. Last time we turned, the water was very clear and we could see dozens of old dinner-plates on the bottom, of many different designs so not just one set, which has remained a puzzle ever since. Do thee occupants of the Red House practice plate-skimming as a hobby perhaps?

[capnthommo]

only half way to the Red House (which is NOT red so don'r be fooled by that),

 

Perhaps a corruption of 'reed house' or 'rood house' maybe indicating an earlier building at the site?

 

dozens of old dinner-plates on the bottom, of many different designs so not just one set, which has remained a puzzle ever since. Do thee occupants of the Red House practice plate-skimming as a hobby perhaps?

 

nearby Greek restaurant?

 

I believe there has been talk over the years of creating a link through to Warwick, I wonder if anything will ever come of it.

cheers

nigel

[RLWP]

 

I believe there has been talk over the years of creating a link through to Warwick, I wonder if anything will ever come of it.

cheers

nigel

 

A. I hope so

 

B. I don't think it will ever happen

 

Shame really

 

Richard

[BelgiumBrit]

A. I hope so

 

B. I don't think it will ever happen

 

Shame really

 

Richard

 

Why do you think that is Richard ? Is it the 'financial costs ' or objections from landowners along the way ? At Charlecote Park for instance there is a boom across the River, quite difficult to negotiate even in a canoe. The proposed extension was being 'talked 'about 25 yrs ago, when I worked on The Avon.As you say, Shame !

[RLWP]

Why do you think that is Richard ? Is it the 'financial costs ' or objections from landowners along the way ? At Charlecote Park for instance there is a boom across the River, quite difficult to negotiate even in a canoe. The proposed extension was being 'talked 'about 25 yrs ago, when I worked on The Avon.As you say, Shame !

 

I can't see this getting through the riparian landowners, or there being enough volunteers to make it happen, or there being enough money around.

 

Apart from that...

 

Richard