Reed cutting in Worcester

Friday 27th October; Blackpole to Diglis Basin

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky but no sun for us until we got away from the shade of the trees.  Even at ten o’clock it was pretty chilly in spite of the sun and we needed woolly hats for a while.  As we got nearer to the city centre we were cruising directly into the sun and it was difficult to see what was up ahead.  Bridge 12 has artwork commemorating Worcester City FC’s famous victory over Liverpool, two goals to one, in the third round of the FA Cup – in 1959.  As they have spent most of their history playing non-league football, this appears to be the pinnacle of their achievement (so far anyway).  They moved from the St George's Lane ground in 2013.

Half-obscured in the vegetation was this strange figure.  Waving, or signalling his intention to leap into the water?

As we approached the high railway bridge we espied the first of the reed-cutters in the dazzle ahead.  It was difficult to see what was happening as the low sun was reflecting off his little boat as it moved in and out of the reeds on the offside.  it was impossible to get a picture until we had passed him, because of the sun, and of course he didn’t start working again until we were well past.

He didn’t seem to have anywhere to put the cut reeds, and neither did the second boat.  This one was bigger and was driven by paddles on either side.  Judging by his grin he gets photographed a lot.

The paddles seem to be involved with steering too.

If they have been merrily chopping reeds up but not collecting them, that would explain the floating debris we have been picking up.  At Blockhouse Lock we met a chap who had been reading up on the history of the canal.  When the Act of Parliament was passed to enable the building of the canal, the whole of the first year after that was spent sourcing the pick-axes, barrows, shovels, horses and carts before any digging could start.

The Commandery moorings were empty so we stopped for lunch before moving down to stop for water just before the basin.  Dave got a gas bottle at the little shop next to the Elsan point and discovered we were allowed to moor just in the basin against the towpath.  So we did, right in the sun and it was lovely.

Dave had to go up into town for some shopping so I took Meg for her walk along beside the river as far as the racecourse.  According to the electronic indicator board at Hanbury Junction the day before yesterday, the Severn was on amber but the level was decreasing.  The racecourse moorings weren’t flooded but the river seemed to be flowing quite fast.

We had a good meal in the Anchor this evening.  The sky is clear and it is getting very cold so we were glad it was only a short walk back!

6 locks 4 miles

Blackpole

Thursday 26th October; Dunhampstead to Blackpole

We weren’t intending to go very far so didn’t slip our moorings till nearly 10.  The morning was very dull and overcast with damp in the air, though for a little while the sun almost managed to get through the cloud.  Some of the bridges along here have netting covering some kind of rough-cast over the brickwork, we assume to stop bits dropping on boats and walkers.  The white spots are the attachment points.

We stopped in Tibberton to get the paper from the little shop.  It takes me about 15 minutes there and back, so Dave started cleaning the brasses.  But the cloud had thickened and it started to drizzle so that didn’t last long! but by the time the tea was made it was dry once more, so we carried on towards Offerton locks. 

At the top lock a boat was just leaving but the elderly gentleman we assumed was waiting to come up was just there to help!  I think he must live in the cottage by the second lock.  He said when the volunteers aren’t there he liked to help with the top two locks and had seen four or five boats already this morning.  We met a hire boat near the bottom of the flight who confirmed there are lots of boats about - they had arrived in Worcester from the river after 5 o’clock yesterday and been unable to moor until they got to Asda at bridge 5.

We stopped for lunch below Offerton bottom lock.  There are some bits of cut reed floating around, not apparently very much but every time we stopped there was a clump of the stuff on the bow. Yesterday Dave had to pull a load off the prop when we stopped for the day.  The chap at Offerton locks said a gang had been clearing reeds and were currently down nearer to Worcester.  But we didn’t see many places that showed signs of work.

We moored for the night a couple of locks further on at Blackpole (bridge 17) at about 2.30.  We went through Blackpole lock, which is being prepared for work; the stoppage isn’t till 6th November but they have already removed most of the coping stones on the towpath side.

It seems a bit premature as the earth is exposed; wouldn’t lock operation cause erosion?  There is bound to be some turbulence when the lock fills, and then some earth would doubtless be carried away as the level falls when it is emptied.

They are also repairing the bits where your feet go when you are opening or closing gates.  I’m sure there is a proper name for this bit of a lock but I don’t know it.  The bricks are laid, and cut to shape where necessary, but not yet mortared into place.

We are moored by the access point to the lovely Perdiswell Park.  By the time we had got onto the bridge Meg was waiting in the park entrance for us to catch up.  She remembers all the good walking places even though she’s only been there once or twice.  It’s a beautiful park especially with the autumn colours.

Then it was back to the boat to finish the brasses and have a cosy evening in.

Just over 4 miles, 8 locks.

Summer’s last gasp?

Wednesday 25th October; Droitwich Spa marina to Dunhampstead

After perusing the medium range forecast for the Midlands we decided to grab a few days away while the weather looked reasonable.  We even had sunshine as we unpacked the car and set off up Hanbury locks to join the Worcester and Birmingham towards Worcester.  Someone had just come out of the bottom lock, and by the time I was closing the bottom gates again the volunteer had arrived.  We were up shortly before 4, when he clocks off, so it was good timing!  The paddles for the side ponds are nicely set in sandstone with a firm non-slip surface to stand on.

We left the flight munching some flapjack – as was the volunteer, as he waited for his last boat of the day to approach.

The tea was brewed as we passed the permanent moorings and we enjoyed the last of the sunshine, accompanied by a kingfisher shooting along just ahead of us.  Along the way to Dunhampstead is a little boathouse – the tarp is kind of cruiser-shaped but it doesn’t look as though whatever it is has been out for a while!

It would seem to be owned by the big house in the distance.

The sun had gone as we moored at Dunhampstead and it started to get cold.  Dave fitted the new controller for the heating – on our last trip the Mikuni failed and he found that the batteries had split and damaged the terminals.  Thank goodness that’s all that needed doing and it is working again!

2 miles, 3 locks, Dunhampstead tunnel

I got a little damp ….

Thursday and Friday 28th and 29th September; Dunhampstead to Droitwich Spa Marina

After all that rain on Wednesday night it was a beautiful morning.  We had failed to notice any noise from the railway during the night, so everything was good apart from the rush-hour M5 grumbling away in the background.

We only have to go the short distance to the marina today, so Dave took the opportunity to touch up the blacking on the starboard side.  I pottered around inside cleaning and deciding what to leave in the galley cupboards and what to take home, as we will probably only be back for a short cruise before we winterise.

It was well after 10.30 before we tootled up to Hanbury junction, enjoying the sunshine and the start of the autumn colours.  Kingfishers were flashing up and down the canal too.

We turned at the junction and reversed back to moor for lunch.  Now with the port side by the towpath Dave could finish touching up the blacking.  Strangely the port side always seems to need less work than the starboard side.  I got the bike out and cycled into Droitwich for some shopping in Waitrose.  Then we waited a while with a cup of tea – there were volunteers on the Hanbury locks but a boat had been coming up the staircase locks when I cycled by, so we judged when they should be coming into the top lock before we rounded the junction.

We had judged it well!  They were half-way up the lock as we arrived.  We were soon on our way down.  The top two locks have side ponds in operation, which are used to conserve water.  You start by emptying the lock into the side pond, and when that is full you close those paddles and then finish emptying the lock as normal.  The half lock-full that is sent into the side pond is used to start filling the lock for the next boat up, rather than being lost to the lower level.

The volunteer operated the top side paddles; when the side pond was full he closed the paddles, then we opened the gate paddles to finish emptying the lock.  I did the side paddles for the second lock while the other volunteer did the gates.  At the bottom lock, the volunteers always suggest the crew gets on board so the steerer doesn’t need to pull in to pick them up.

We pulled into the wharf at the marina to refuel and settle up for the winter mooring fees.  As it was already late afternoon they suggested we moor next to the wharf for the night; there is an electric hook-up, the elsan point is conveniently close, and you can bring your car almost alongside to load up your bags – a real bonus as the forecast is poor for the morning.  The view from the side hatch is better than on the pontoons too.

I switched on the Mikuni for some hot water, but it failed.  Dave discovered that one of the batteries in the controller had leaked, but after replacing them it still didn’t work; it is likely that the leakage caused damage.  We walked up to the Eagle and Sun for a carvery.  The man in front of me made a bit of a scene because the Yorkshire puds were cold, but that didn’t stop me having one.  It was tepid, but gravy soon sorted that out.  The meal was OK, but nothing special.  2 miles and 3 locks today.

The following morning we loaded the car – luckily the rain had stopped – and sorted the cassette, rubbish and recycling before moving to our pontoon.  Oh yes, about the title for this post; it was not the rain that got me wet.  With the slight breeze pushing us towards the wharf, and us needing to get out past moored boats, I elected to get off and use my short pole to push the bow out.  There is a nice little spot below the gunwale where the pole fits snugly. But …. in the micro-second I started to step back the pole slipped and in I went.  Right down – my feet didn’t touch bottom.  There was no danger of being crushed by the boat and I got to the side unaided but by golly wet clothes are heavy!  Now I know why we always use lifejackets on rivers.  Within seconds Dave and the chap from the office were there to haul me out so we didn’t need to find an alternative rescue method.  Luckily the water was almost warm and I didn’t get at all cold – though I would have done if I’d gone all the way up to the marina showers.  So it was tepid water in our shower for me!  After a sit down and a cup of tea I was fine but still I did the sensible thing and let Dave move the boat on his own.

Unfortunately all my clothes were packed apart from the trousers and top I intended to travel in.  So it was flying commando all the way home … or is that too much information?

Trip stats

95 miles 2¾ furlongs (82m 3½f narrow canals, 1¼ furlongs broad canal, 12m 6¼ f large river)

130 narrow locks, 2 broad locks, 3 large (river) locks

9 tunnels (Curdworth, Factory, Curzon St, Ashted, Summit, Netherton, Dunsley, Cookley, Dunhampstead).

1 swing bridge

20 nights on board

Waterways (new waters in bold); Coventry canal, Birmingham and Fazeley, B&F Digbeth branch, Grand Union (Birmingham and Warwick junction canal), BCN Main Line, Gower Branch, BCN Old Main line, Engine Arm, Tipton Canal, Dudley canal no 2, Stourbridge canals (main line), Staffs and Worcester, River Severn, Worcester and Birmingham, Droitwich Junction canal.

Runners, gardeners and greasers

Wednesday 27th September; Blackpole to Dunhampstead

We got up to a quiet, grey morning.  We weren’t planning to have a long day today, so took the opportunity for a good walk round Perdiswell Park.  It seems to be a continuation of the sports field at Bilford Top lock, and consists of tracks for walking through rough meadow ….

and mown areas with trees …

and you suddenly realise you are walking around and through a golf course.  At first glance I thought these golfers were parents with baby buggies.

We returned to Chuffed over the bridge.  We met the lady with the dogs as we came off the bridge.

She had five dogs with her, and it was her third walk of the morning.  She breeds pointers for show and runs a boarding kennel as well.  The one not on the lead is a retired stud dog – a beautiful boy with lovely manners.  The boat that tucked in behind us last night was crewed by a couple who don’t like mooring on their own, especially round towns.  We slipped our moorings at 10.15 and found the first few locks against us.  At Tolladine lock there were some late blackberries, enough to pick a good bowlful.  With them were some gleaming privet berries, good food for birds though they are poisonous to humans and dogs.

At Offerton bottom lock it was annoying to find a flat laden with something – didn’t notice what, as I was too busy grumbling to myself about CRT (or contractors) who plonk their boats right in the middle of lock moorings leaving just one bollard at either end.

If you look closely you will see a green flag attached to the post at the bottom of the footbridge.  At the next lock, where we met a boat coming down, there were more and then we met a chap with a high-vis waistcoat over  a Macmillan T-shirt.  We were about to witness the employees of Npower participating in a 5k run for the cancer charity.

The turning point was below the top lock.  The first to pass us were of course ‘real’ runners, as opposed to people who had not run before who came along later.  They clearly had the morning off and it sounded as though they were getting lunch provided when they got back.  I hope they had enough showers – some were very hot indeed.  Near the top of the flight we encountered a large band of volunteers, hard at work edging the grass and removing weeds from the lock surrounds, as well as greasing the paddle gear.  They didn’t have windlasses but helped with the gates.

The runners were still passing and there was a near-collision between volunteer and runner at one point.

The paddle gear on the top lock was nicely greased and very easy to operate.  We pottered on to Tibberton, where we stopped for lunch and I managed to catch the little shop before it closed – early closing on a Wednesday.  I got the paper but they only had 4-litre bottles of milk, which are too big for the fridge.  We should have enough milk to tide us over so I wasn’t too bothered. 

With the leaves beginning to fall, clumps of mistletoe were becoming obvious.  This tree looks as though it’s on the way out though.

We had hoped to stop at the little mooring opposite Oddingley church, but someone had nabbed it.  As we wondered whether to squeeze in behind him, a train blasted its siren and zoomed over the level crossing, and we changed our minds.  We don’t mind trains at close quarters, but not when they nee-naw for level crossings.

The Dunhampstead moorings were nearly empty.  We stopped right at the beginning, just past the permanent moorings, on a patch unshaded by trees.  There was a little sun to be enjoyed by now, but we wanted to be away from trees as it’s prime acorn-drop season and there is rain forecast.  In fact Dave was just about to start touching up the blacking when it started.  It was fairly light though, so I still went for my run.  I thought I’d go over Dunhampstead tunnel but somehow failed to find the path down to the far portal and found myself on the road to Shernal Green.  Meanwhile Dave took Meg out, to scope out the pub as well as for her walk.  He found the Fir Tree was closed till the weekend.  Boo! I used the last of the milk for a lasagne.

The rain turned heavy and we were glad we had stayed in after all.  We could hear the trains passing the Oddingley level crossing but the noise ceased to register after a while.

4½ miles, 8 locks