Carrying the Torch

The Olympic torch came to Stratford today. It was due at just before 3 o'clock and was doing a fly through on its way to Warwick.

We went into town with no expectations of seeing the torch, it would just be nice to soak in the atmosphere and I planned to get some shots of the crowds.

So we went for coffee and strolled back out onto Henley Street, part of the route. It was busy, the barriers keeping back the crowds, but a lady in a mobility scooter was up against the fence, and she was not intending on standing up and waving madly as the parade went by. So we decided to stay.

I did take lots of photos of the crowd, just in case I missed the big one, and they'll go in the album (at least some of them will). We couldn't see down the road to check progress, just straight across, so had to rely on the cheering crowds to let us know when they were coming.

Luckily the rain stayed away, though the sun didn't shine, and I managed just one reasonable shot of Camilla Hadland carrying the torch down Henley Street!

(If you look in the window above the Henley Street Tea Rooms, you can see someone who had a very good vantage point.)

The crowds dispersed and we walked over to the river to see if the River Festival was still underway, which it was. We spent a pleasant hour sitting by the river watching the boats and the people.

All in all, a pretty reasonable day :)