Culture Vultures...today at least

We went into Gloucester today with the specific aim of seeing the Crucible2 exhibition of modern sculpture that is on display in Gloucester Cathedral. What a truly brilliant venue for 100 pieces of modern sculpture. 
We didn't like it all...and why would you? 
But, we liked a lot!

 Cathedral tower

 

 The first installation we came across as we entered the Cathedral  Jubilee IV by the late Lynn Chadwick.

 The Thief by David Mach

 

 Collateral..artist?

 

 A bit of traditional sculpture

 

 Effigy of Robert Duke of Normandy, the eldest son of William the Conquerer

 

 Fallen Angel by Damian Hirst

 

 Fallen Angel...expand the pic and look at the detail which includes, a heroin kit, spoon, needle, etc. cuts to the arms from self harm...brilliant piece of work!

 The High Altar

 Vesqua by W Pye

 Anatomy of an Angel (Black) by Damian Hirst

 Damian's Hirst's Anatomy of an Angel again.

 

We spent just over an hour having a wander about but I will definitely be going back for another look as we pass through Gloucester on our way north.

Street musicians in costume...the Town Crier was also with them at the Farmers market held every Friday. 

We bought some goats cheese and sausages, had a coffee and headed back to the boat, all cultured our for now..

To Sharpness

On Monday we loaded friends Val and Alan on to Yarwood’s tug deck and headed off in the glorious sunshine towards Sharpness about four miles further south.

Val enthroned with Floyd in attendance

No sooner have we arrived but Val has a glass of wine in hand

The view of the R. Severn from the Sharpness, tide out and sand banks revealed

Looking south you can clearly make out the Severn Road bridges in the distance

Joe doing a real man look…pink and a handbag – not his handbag though

Val gripping that glass

And on the return journey, Alan assumes the position

Leaving Sharpness and heading north to Patch

Gloucester to Patch

We left Gloucester dock after a two night stay (moorings there are limited to 48hrs) and moved south through Llanthany Road

lift bridge and directly on to the service pontoon which is immediately next to the bridge.   All the bridges across the Sharpness and Gloucester canal are ‘manned’ all you do is watch the traffic lights which are red; stay where you are, or flashing red; I am aware of you and getting the bridge ready and green; you are free to go through and give me a wave!

On the Llanthony road service pontoon

Once serviced the next stop was  Sainsbury’s which is just just a little further along the canal with moorings outside..

NB Oakdale, fellow bloggers moored just by Sainsbury’s

Joe hovers Yarwood while we wait for the bridge keeper to swing the bridge open

One of the porticoed bridge keepers houses

Another porticoed bridge keepers abode

A C&RT operative winding closed a swing bridge as Yarwood passes through

This is for Amy and James, another Severner folks

Approaching Patch Bridge, our destination.  The bridge is being opened to allow us through

Moored, Shepherds Patch Slimbridge

We were aiming to get to Shepherds  Patch as friends Val and Alan were dragging their shed (caravan) across country from Lincolnshire and mooring up in the caravan site that is immediately adjacent to the canal.  This was an opportunity to spend a bit of time with them and we aim to linger here for the week while they are holidaying.

Boaty visitors

When taking the wander with the dogs around the basins this morning I spotted a familiar boat and on getting back to Yarwood I sent a text message inviting the owners of said boat for a coffee.  Red carpet was put out to welcome aboard Mo and Ness of Nb. Balmaha!  We spent the next two hours chatting and will probably meet up again over the next couple of weeks and hit the town....well a pub is more likely.

I give you, Mo and Ness..

On to the R.Severn and Gloucester Docks await us

Yesterday morning we were fiddle-faddling (technical terms) about when a narrowboat slipped through the bridge and headed past us for the lock.  The steerer, who was single handling, asked me if were wanted to drop through the lock in which case she would wait for us...We stopped fiddle-faddling and got ourselves, and boat, in gear and into the lock.

 Sharing Avon lock

 That's it, we are now technically off of the Avon

The lock keeper had called ahead to the next lock at Upper Lode so it would be ready for us and gave us some advice about the safe approach to Gloucester lock...more of which later.

Leaving Upper lode lock 

 The lock at Upper Lode was enormous and we were joined by a 32'cruiser with a fly bridge ( I looked up how much these cruisers sell for and a 30 plus year old boat goes for in excess of £30k!), a kayak and the narrowboat we had travelled with from Avon Lock - there was still room to get a few ships of the line in with us...

 The cruiser overtook us as soon as possible

 Haw bridge

 What's this?

 The Edward Elgar hotel boat

 The approach to Gloucester Lock

 

Following the advice of the Avon lockie I had called ahead to the Gloucester lock keeper to warn of our approach when we were two and half miles away and again when we were within a mile.  The lock was readied for us and Joe got the boat well over to the left to make the approach as there is a strong sheer (flow) across the lock entrance towards the weir.  Joe fair gunned Yarwood into the lock where we waited for our single handler to arrive.  She gunned in as well and rafted up to Yarwood while the lock keeper filled the lock and raised us up onto the Gloucester and Sharpness canal.
As the gates opened there was revealed the historic Gloucester docks!

 Our first view of Gloucester docks

 

 A tall ship being moved from one side of the basin to the other

Our mooring. 

 

We will stay here for a couple of nights before moving off slowly towards Sharpness.

Weekend in Pershore, Monday it's Tewkesbury

Arriving in Pershore Friday afternoon we secured ourselves a mooring on the recreaction ground and settled ourselves for the weekend.  All essential boat services are available on the moorings, including an Asda 2 minutes walk away  and there is space for perhaps a dozen narrowboats, and many more plastics if you factor in the reduced space they take up.    Friday night was a bit trying however as the local youth club had a 'do' so from 6pm through to post midnight we were blasted with a bass beat that resounded through the closed doors, portholes, ear plugs, pillow over the head...you get the picture.  
I sent off an email to Wychavon Council...congratulating them on the super moorings, congratulating them  on actually having a Youth Club but mentioning that the noise was a bit over the top and perhaps a trifle anti-social..  Thankfully Saturday and Sunday nights were quite undisturbed.
And so to Pershore itself, a lovely Medieval town with the remnants of a former Abbey and extensive Regency terraces mixed in.  A wide range of independent shops including traditional butchers, green grocers, bakers, hardware, cafes and pubs, quite charming.

Pershore Abbey sitting in the Abbey gardens.

 

Tree carving in the Abbey grounds

t'other side

A preaching cross.  A number of the local villages also boast preaching crosses

 

Out walking the dogs and I wandered off to Wick, a local village just across the River Avon. Above is Wick Manor, Tudor, timber framed and once the home of Catherine Parr, Henry VIII's last wife and his only widow..

A stunning example of a timber framed farm house with attached barn

Come Monday morning we pulled forward on to the services and did the necessary and slipped away in light rain towards Pershore lock. We had decided to push on towards Tewkesbury so with fourteen miles and three locks before us we donned wet weather gear and pressed onward.

Strensham lock with swing bridge

Eckington Bridge...there are moorings adjacent to the bridge but we had decided to press on

Tewkesbury Town bridge

 Moored, Tewkesbury

 

Once through the bridge we moored up and visited the lock keeper to pay our toll, £3 per night. 
The new front access has come into its own as our side doors both here and at Pershore would have been problematic as the bank/quayside is above gunwale height at both locations.