A rather accomplished saxophonist who entertained a growing crowd all afternoon (Author’s Collection).
Part 6 of my long, lazy and beautiful day in the sunshine of Stratford-upon-Avon is also the second volume (of 3) of my ridiculously titled “Deleted Scenes”. To have one article alone of so called deleted scenes would seem reckless enough but as I had such a magical day in Shakespeare’s sunshine there will be a grand total of 9 separate articles and 3 of these will be of images that didn’t quite make the cut. Now this is not to say that the following images are defective or of little narrative use. These are simply minor duplicates of images already used or from a slightly different angle or simply images capturing the same portion of the canal/river/church or bustling streets of Stratford already showcased more fully in the main articles.
Furthermore, these images are of a day I’ll treasure for a long time to come and frankly they’re too good to sit in a folder on a laptop being unloved.
I walked the canal/river loop around the streets of Shakespeare’s Stratford twice on a glorious day and this second volume of hence far unseen material covers a continuation of my walk around the canal “basin” and back and forth along the banks of the River Avon before we end in the huge public park or Recreation Ground beside the river.
There are over 30 images and I sincerely hope you enjoy this pictorial stroll in the English sunshine.
*All images captured by me on Tuesday 9th August 2022*
Welcome back to Stratford-upon-Avon!
View from Bridge Number 69 or simply “Bridgefoot” with the “Big Wheel” and the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) building dominating a beautiful blue skyline.
As per picture above aside from making the “Big Wheel” a centrepiece of the image overlooking the canal.
View from “River Lock” and through the waiting canal “basin”.
View from the walkway over the “River Lock” and a beautiful representation of the rowing club beneath the “Big Wheel”.
View from the footbridge that connects the Recreation Ground to your left and the canal “basin” we’ve just left.
A final image of the “Big Wheel”, rowing club and footbridge all combined.
I love the juxtaposition between the ancient and the modern (and the supposed modern is part hidden!).
The modern in the glare of the incredibly ancient.
Not a bad backdrop for a wee while on the river!
An image so representative of the day as a whole. Bliss.
The swans of Stratford — Part 1
The swans of Stratford — Part 2
The swans of Stratford — Part 3
(1) Five beautiful images that were deemed surplus to the requirements of Part 5 of this mini-series subtitled “Messing About On The River”. Surplus to requirements? I’d go and read Part 5 now if I were you!
(2) Five beautiful images that were deemed surplus to the requirements of Part 5 of this mini-series subtitled “Messing About On The River”. Surplus to requirements? I’d go and read Part 5 now if I were you!
(3) Five beautiful images that were deemed surplus to the requirements of Part 5 of this mini-series subtitled “Messing About On The River”. Surplus to requirements? I’d go and read Part 5 now if I were you!
(4) Five beautiful images that were deemed surplus to the requirements of Part 5 of this mini-series subtitled “Messing About On The River”. Surplus to requirements? I’d go and read Part 5 now if I were you!
(5) Five beautiful images that were deemed surplus to the requirements of Part 5 of this mini-series subtitled “Messing About On The River”. Surplus to requirements? I’d go and read Part 5 now if I were you!
A shot from the furthest away vantage point thus giving scale to the huge public park that runs along the banks of the river.
The swans of Stratford return to enhance yet another beautiful sun kissed image.
Adjacent to the right of the pleasure cruiser is the last working chain ferry in England. I feature this quaint ferry in a future article.
With the “Big Wheel” just visible and closer as we walk toward the edge of the Recreation Ground and back toward the canal, please say hello to “Kippin Three” from Hereford, and a swan, probably from Stratford!
A final shot of the Royal Shakespeare (RSC) building and obligatory swan.
The Bandstand in the Recreation Ground brilliantly camouflaging the “Big Wheel”.
2/3rds of my day of rambling around Stratford-upon-Avon is complete. Please see Part 8 for the third volume of these unused “deleted scenes” and Part 7 for the exploration of Stratford, Shakespeare’s birthplace and so much more, as well as the final Part 9 and a final meander through the streets and via the canal and river, and back to where the day started many hours before.
Your humble narrator at Acton Burnell Castle, Shropshire, early August 2022 (Author’s Collection).
Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this edition then please do return when the further and overly indulgent number of articles follow!
It was a precious day to me and of making memories that I’ll cherish for a long time to come.
Part 3 of my ridiculously titled “Deleted Scenes” concludes with a bumper crop from the streets of Stratford-upon-Avon and a final end of day farewell to the river and canal.
In the meantime, please see these links to my three most recently published articles from my Summer travel series so far:
