Stratford to Bidford

Today, Hinckley Canoe Club set out on another adventure – this time, back to the River Avon! We traveled from the lovely town of Stratford-Upon-Avon and made our way through Luddington and Welford-on-Avon before reaching Bidford-On-Avon after a wonderful 10 mile paddle.

The venture started at “The Recreation Ground”, which meant getting on the river at a Canal, full of Swans! Thankfully, they where very friendly and didn’t mind the group passing through their territory!

After a 100 yard paddle down the Canal, we reached the first of 6 weirs! This one called “Lucy’s Mill Weir”! With a lot of first timer’s for Weirs, and a few Family First Timers in a Canoe we where all hoping for the best! What is the best you say? No swims of course, since there where just under 10miles to go, and there is nothing wet than being soggy!

Everyone made it successfully, Neil Smith and I even having a little surf 😊

I think we can all agree that the Boyton Families faces painted a picture! Heidi obviously didn’t expect the water to be that cold! Meanwhile the kids are having a blast! Simon looks like he was the person who kept the boat up!

Continuing down the river we where faced with more weirs, the 2^nd one being blocked by a tree! That’s right – STRAINER!

We all took the line down the right of the weir, and thankfully their where no swims, even if a few boats did get stuck on some of the rocks! Nice bracing skills there, dad! 😊

A few miles down, we all had a snack break around the loch named after me! Dale Clarke even tried having a go at total wipeout a long the weir floats, because if we can’t go down the 3^rd weir, then we can play on the floats! Of course, it ended in a swim! Followed by a big seal launch! Although some started at the very bottom, the brave went down a windy path straight into the water!

We stopped for lunch just before the 4^th Weir, no soggy sandwiches! This weir was quite low, therefore all the kayaks got stuck half way down, no matter the size of the run up! Although, it was the same size as Lucy’s Weir!

We ventured a little while down the river before coming to the 5^th and 6^th Weirs, all being quite rocky, but everyone being succesful! Even a little playing was involved on the final weir of them all! (Of course Neil Smith was involved 😉). After this Weir Sally started a water fight with me, and although she didn’t have any swims, she certainly looked like she had been in the water! 😉

When we reached Bidford, the ones who where keen to get in the water jumped off  a platform into the river!

Once everybody was dry, changed and had got the crafts on the roofs of the cars, we headed to Welford-On-Avon and had a drink in The Four Alls Pub, that we had passed during the paddle, around half way through! With a game of tig for the kids (and the big kid Dale 😉) we where all happy, and set off home with smiley faces!

A big THANK YOU to the Leaders & Coaches for organising this fantastic trip, we all had a brilliant day, and I’m sure everyone can agree on that!

To see more photos, and of course the videos then head over to the HCC Group on Facebook and check them out!

-Stanley Crane