Stoke Prior (Sonic Rock Solstice)



We’ve not done a lot for the last couple of days, just a bit of walking and a few odd jobs.  On Monday, we walked back down towards Droitwich and it was nice to see a Shelduck and her family at the spot we had been moored in when Judith and Nigel came.

Shelduck and her black and white young - a bit fuzzy as she wouldn't et me get clsoe

We don’t often see Shelduck on the canal so it was a pleasant to sit and watch them for a while.  She was incredibly protective and constantly kept her brood on the far side and called them as soon as she thought Buddy or I were getting too inquisitive.

Talking about ducks, Buddy is still very good at not chasing them as the picture below shows yet again.  If I forget to warn him he will still run up to them though.  There is a particularly protective female mallard by the boat and she will have a standoff with Buddy.  Her brood will jump into the water but she will stand her ground which Buddy finds quite perturbing and he keeps his distance.  I must get a picture one day.

Buddy showing off again

Whilst out on Tuesday I met a couple of walkers, a lady in her 80s and her daughter who was about my age.  They told me that the older lady had lived in a village between Scafell Pike and the sea all her life but has just moved down to the Midlands as all her remaining family in the Lake District had died.  I asked her how she was managing moving away from such a beautiful area and she told me it was easy as it was so warm in the Midlands.  To be fair we now find it warm in the south compared with here.

When we got back from a walk on Tuesday I noticed that a row of toilets had appeared in the field next to where we are moored; obviously something is happening this weekend so I went to do some investigating.

From the back of the boat

Whilst we had been out walking another boat had joined the line moored by us and as the couple were on board I had a chat with them.  It transpires that we have moored in the prime location for a music festival this weekend which is why a line of boats is building up behind us.

We are right at the front, almost out of sight

It’s a small event held twice a year in June and September and the June event is called the Sonic Rock Solstice.  There is quite a line-up of bands for the weekend and they are from a mixture of my old favourites – space, acid, prog and punk rock.

We have Matthew and Marie visiting on Friday and we are off to Peter’s party in London on Sunday so it looks like our Saturday is also planned for us now!

Whilst putting the tomato and chilli plants back in the cratch for the evening I noticed our first tomatoes have started appearing – always a welcome sight.

Our first boat tomatoes of 2017



















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