Monday 7th October - Alvechurch Visitor Moorings
Today we have decided to stay in Alvechurch opposite Withybed Moorings of Alvechurch as there is rain forecast for most of the day. So a quiet day catching up with chores around the boat.
Tuesday 8th October - Alvechurch Visitor Moorings to Tardebigge Bottom Lock
An early start this morning as we intend to complete the Tardebigge locks by the end of the day. This is Alvechurch Marina with a lot of the hire boats back in for the end of the season.
The conditions were perfect for todays cruising, calm and dry and the bridge showing a perfect reflection in the very still canal.
The weather is looking really good for our descent of the Tardegigge Locks, blue sky, light breeze and feeling quite warm.
We met up with Tom, the lead volunteer lock keeper on the flight. He assessed Dave for his Lock Keeping Certificate at the beginning of our cruise, and today he presented Dave with his Certificate of Competence.
At this stage the sky became very threatening and with three locks to go, the heavens opened and we completed the flight in torrential rain, I don't think I have ever got so wet in such a short space of time!
5.4 miles, 30 locks, 2 tunnels, 5 hrs 12 mins cruising time.
Wednesday 9th October - Tardebigge Bottom Lock to Oddingley
An early morning shot of our mooring below the Tardebigge Bottom Lock. The days cruising was pleasant and we stayed dry, but not many photos taken.
We moored up for the evening at Oddingley opposite this picturesque farmhouse with the church behind it. The weather was beginning to turn wet and windy again, so we called it a day.
7 miles, 13 locks, 1 tunnel, 4 hrs 30 mins cruising time.
Thursday 10th October - Oddingley to Diglis Basin
A better shot of Oddingley where you can see the farmhouse and the church clearly. Another early start to complete our tour and get back to Diglis before the rain forecasted for this afternoon.
Hurrah, we are getting close to Worcester now, not much further to go!
Passing Perdiswell Leisure Centre, where Dave goes swimming when we are living in the apartment.
The autumn colours are beginning to show through now, but unfortunately as we went through this bridge we managed to pick up a zip up jacket around the propeller so we had to pull over and Dave went down the weed hatch to cut it off. This is the first time in the whole of this cruise that we had fouled the propeller, quite pleased about that!
We arrived back at Diglis Basin by 1pm, moored up on our pontoon and had lunch before gathering essentials to take back with us to our apartment.
6.5 miles, 14 locks, 4 hrs 42 mins cruising time.
Some thoughts and statistics to finish off with.
Highlights
- the exploration of new canals to us, the Grand Union, the Paddington Arm, the Regents Canal, the River Wey and the Kennet and Avon Canal.
- the Aylesbury Arm and the delightful mooring in Aylesbury at the end of the arm.
- the Wendover Arm and the secluded mooring at the end.
- Stoke Bruerne, the busy canalside village.
- London - so pleased we did this and didn't listen to other people telling us it is impossible to moor and meeting Fraser and Di on nbAnge de L'Eau.
- River Wey - a beautiful river with some super towns and villages to visit.
- River Thames - especially Goring eating at the Miller of Mansfield and meeting Professor Alan Brookes and taking the opportunity to buy the painting he did of our boat!
- Newbury - reliving past memories and meeting Mark and Di on nbEnbilulu.
- revisiting the Oxford Canal and meeting up with Clare and Pete on nbBilly.
- visiting Birmingham and discovering the Birmingham Rep Theatre.
- the time and effort friends and family have taken to come and find us on the boat, a big thank you goes out to all of you, we have loved seeing you all.
- the successful BSS assessment at Aynho of nbElla which also affirmed the outstanding craftsmanship of Bourne Boat Builders.
- the poor state of some of the locks especially on the Grand Union and Kennet and Avon Canals.
- the Olympic Park
- the unfortunate incident concerning our river licence at Teddington Lock.
Cruise duration - 18 weeks or 126 days
Total miles - 582.4
Total locks - 656
Total tunnels - 14
Total moveable bridges - 32
Total cruising time - 352 hours
Total number of cruising days - 85
Average cruising time per day - 4 hrs 6 mins.
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