Worcester.

Hi,

This week we are moored about 3 Miles North of Worcester on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal at Blackpole as we make our way to the Droitwich canal,before heading back to the Severn and up to Stourport.We left the River Severn this morning and made our way through 4 Locks to Bridge 5A where we moored for an hour or so to do some shopping in Asda’s.Bridge 5A is a footbridge that takes you up to a Wickes DIY Store or over the canal from where it’s just a short walk to Asda’s.

 

In the Avon Lock at the end of the River Avon in Tewkesbury last Tuesday,this lock takes us down to the River Severn.Bob the Lockie helped us through and warned us of the shoal as we enter the Severn,that’s shallow water if you want to know.Before we left,Bob showed us some pictures of the flooding in July 2007.The water would have been above his knees where he is standing by the side of the lock and his cottage was cut off from anything but a boat for 60 days.NB Morgana exits the lock behind us,another quarter of a mile and we’ll be on the River Severn.

 

Looking back at the junction of the Severn and the Avon,it’s very shallow on the side nearest the bank.when exiting the Avon you have to wait till Mythe Bridge,that’s bridge we are just approaching,is visible for it’s entire span before turning upstream.It’s not difficult because,as you can see,the river has plenty of width.

 

Heading towards the M50 Bridge that takes motorists from the M5 to South Wales,it’s been many years since I drove across that bridge.Notice we’re all ready with the Tea Cups,Lisa always keeps me well supplied on our voyages.One of the Boats that travel up and down the Severn carrying sand and gravel,operated by TR Transport.There are four of them,all named after a type of fish,this one’s Perch,they cruise the two miles back and forth from Ripple Wharf to Ryall Wharf,just a bit below Upton on Severn.

 

Two more of the Sand Boats,notice how low in the water Elver sits with approximately 350 tonnes of sand on board.Upton Bridge that carries the A4104 over the Severn and into the town of Upton on Severn,a town that I’ve wanted to visit since we first got Chyandour.It’s a great little place with plenty of amenities and a host of pubs,I lost count of just how many there were when we stopped on Tuesday night.

 

The “Pepperpot Tower” on the old Church in Upton,it’s an Ancient Monument now,having ceased to be a church when the nave was dismantled in 1937.There we are moored at the bottom of “The Steps”,second boat from the right,mooring breasted up like this is just about the only way to get a mooring on the river.That’s a different NB Morgana from the one we shared Avon Lock with,by the way.There are at least four pubs in this picture and the one we used,The Plough,is just out of shot on the right.We left Upton on Wednesday morning to make our way the 10 Miles to Worcester where we moored on the pontoon above Diglis Lock on the Severn.

 

The approach to Diglis Lock below Worcester,we had to go into the one on the left of the picture,not the little one on the right that I expected.Inside the lock,a bit lonely but not bad,there’s not a lot of turbulence when it’s being filled,we did put our fore and aft lines through the wires on the lock walls though.

 

The view upriver from our pontoon mooring,it’s a bit of a walk into Worcester but I felt it was the best of the moorings available,being out of the town.The towpath moorings on the Worcester & Birmingham canal were shaded and I do like to give my Solar Panels an airing.You can walk into town either along the canal towpath or on the riverside,the riverside being nicer.There’s Chyandour,as you can see it’s open and people only walk by on the embankment,not on the pontoon.We were moored with some people that we first met as we were approaching the Stratford River Festival and we had quite an enjoyable time with them again.Thankyou NB Tambourine (yes,it’s green) and NB Water Mist,enjoy your travels.We also got a surprise phone call from Val and Pete,the crew of NB Tadpole 2,who we haven’t seen since last August.They’re heading our way and it would be lovely to meet up with them again.

 

Diglis Bottom Lock this morning when we left the river,there’s another like this and they’re heavy to work but Lisa made short work of them both,though she admits to getting a bit of a hand on the next one.An unusual designed railway bridge,it carries the Cotswold Line,between Worcester and Birmingham,over the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.The little arch on the left is the entrance to Lowesmoor Basin,where there’s a hire boat base.

Well that’s the lot again for this week folks.Since last week we have done 10 Locks and 20 Miles,giving us a Grand Total of 875 Locks and 1464 Miles since we set off on our travels in October 2012.Take care everyone.