Splendid Isolation Cruise - Week 1

 Wednesday 7th October - Diglis Basin to Oddingley

Today we begin our autumn cruise, the weather has settled for us and all is ready for the off!  Originally our plan was to head down onto the river Severn and turn right towards Stourport. However because of the persistent heavy rain over the last few days the river has been closed due to strong currents making cruising too dangerous, so we moved to plan b - use the canals!  Having said that, this morning the river between Worcester and Stourport was opened, but we decided to stick with plan b and head up the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.

Gill Hellings is the Lead Volunteer Lock Keeper at the Diglis Locks, Dave works with her when he is volunteering as a Lock Keeper. She very kindly opened and closed the swing bridge out of the Basin for us as we left this morning. 

Ella looking very smart with her hull newly blacked and all the rust spots touched up, we are very proud of her!  

After about 3 hours we came to a stretch of water between two locks which had a very low level of water, it was down by about 2.5 ft and the boats coming towards us were reporting getting stuck on the mud banks.  It was reported to Canal and River Trust and quickly Joe was on the scene assessing the problem and requesting water to be sent down from further up the canal. We were then asked to moor up for about an hour until the water levels had recovered and then we could proceed.  How ironic that we had decided against using the river due to too much water only to get stuck on the canal with not enough water!!  

Beautiful autumnal colours from our mix of deciduous trees, the best time of year before the leaves begin to fall into the canal.  Once that happens it tends to slow the cruising down as the propeller drags the leaves along with it, and we spend ages going between forward and reverse gears to shake the leaves off. 

We moored up at Oddingley opposite the church, we were the only boat there this time and spent a very pleasant evening in splendid isolation!

7 miles, 14 locks, 5 hours 42 minutes   

Thursday 8th October - Oddingley to Stoke Prior Lock 27

We set off this morning from our mooring, Toby and I walked until we got to Dunhamstead Tunnel, then got back on the boat.  We stopped at Bridge 35 Chandlers for diesel and to replace the stern rope which looked as though someone had tried to cut through it with a blunt knife!!

As we come into Stoke Prior there is a new development being built on the site of the long passed Stoke Prior Salt Works.  They produced salt from spring water, underground springs passed through a salt bed which gave the water a 38.4% salt content, higher than that of the Dead Sea.  The works finally closed in 1972 due to cheaper imports from abroad.

We moored for the night below The Queens Head, last time we came through they piped music through to the garden which played all evening, so this time we moored further away to avoid the disturbance.  We went for a walk up the Tardebigge Locks and met NbGalene, who we met on our last cruise.  It was lovely to see them again!  

A beautiful sunset at a delightful isolated mooring, we are doing really well so far with self isolation.

6.5 miles, 11 locks, 1 tunnel, 4 hours 30 minutes.

Friday 9th October - Stoke Prior Bridge 27 to Tardebigge Top Lock

A beautiful start to the day, a gorgeous view from the boat before we set off for the day to tackle the Tardebigge locks.

A short sharp shower as we begin our ascent, also modelling the latest in wet weather gear, can’t miss me wearing this can you?  

We were really lucky meeting Keith, a volunteer lock keeper, he worked with us from the bottom to the top.  Dave and I worked 5 locks in turns and we flew up the locks in just under 3 hours, a record for us!  

This was quite interesting, this was at one of the locks alongside the reservoir, I expected the boat to come out of the lock and pass me on my left as normal, but instead he stayed on the right.  There were about 5 crew with him who had gone ahead to the lock we had left ready for them, and then he couldn’t get off the side, most odd!!  

Before he left us, Keith gave us comprehensive directions to the Tardebigge Inn where we could have lunch, I didn’t have the heart to tell him we rarely visit pubs these days!  It was very kind of him and we really appreciated all his hard work. 

We moored up in the pound of water before the Top Lock and spent the rest of the day relaxing and going for a walk.

2.75 miles, 30 locks, 3 hours 30 minutes 👍👏

Saturday 10th October - Tardebigge Top Lock to King’s Norton

We climbed up through the top lock and pulled over at Tardebigge Wharf to get rid of rubbish and top up with water.  Then it was lock free cruising with three tunnels, Tardebigge, Shortwood and Wast Hill, 2.25 miles cruising underground! 

Poor Toby is a little bemused by the sudden darkness and can barely keep his eyes open, he is safely tethered to the boat whilst we go through Wast Hill Tunnel.  The Wast Hills Tunnel was built in 1796 and is 2726 yards long, making it one of the longest in the country.  There are several ventilation shafts along its length which were initially used for the tunnel's construction.  The central airshaft once had a steam driven fan for smoke clearance. It is wide enough to accommodate two narrowboats but there is no towpath.

Dave was in the bow whilst we passed this boat, you can see the headlight and the bow as we draw level with it.  Very pleased to say no contact was made and once it was past it is surprising how much space there is between the two boats, still doesn’t stop me hugging the wall of the tunnel to make sure we are clear of the other boat.

We moored up for the night at Kings Norton Visitor Moorings and walked in to the village.

 In 1878 The Village Board School was opened, it had been built by William Hale, and the children from the Old Grammar School moved here.  In 1882 the school changed into a Boys and Girls Mixed School with a separate Infants school.  The photos show the separate entrances for the girls and boys.  The irony was the modern signage showing the separate entrances for each of the year groups due to COVID situation.  

8.75 miles (2.25 miles underground), 1 lock, 3 tunnels, 4 hours 6 minutes.

Sunday 11th October - King’s Norton to Waring’s Green Wharf

A lovely sunny morning, a glorious day to cruise, we left our mooring, Dave drove the boat and Toby and I walked over the bridge and along the Stratford Canal.  Here is Ella turning right onto the Stratford Canal.

Lock 1 is the now defunct guillotine lock, a good view of Ella coming through the lock with the guillotine raised.

We then come to these disused works beside a non existent swing bridge over the canal.  It was originally a lift bridge which was damaged by a lorry during WW2 and the owners Great Western Railway clamped the bridge shut.  Eventually the GWR agreed to jack the bridge up to allow passage by boats and following several campaign cruises it was agreed to fully repair the bridge.  However it wasn’t until Nationalisation that a fully operable swing bridge was installed.  All that is left today is the narrowing of the canal.  

Shirley Drawbridge is out of action again, it was working last time, but not the time before.  It was badly damaged by a lorry a year ago and it has been temperamental ever since.  However, it does mean that we don’t have to get off the boat to get through! 

We moored up for the night at Waring Green Wharf, walked to Wedges Bakery for supplies, then a walk along the canal, a very pleasant day and a delightful mooring. 

This is the end of our first short week on board Ella, we have been fortunate with the weather and we have met some pleasant people.  We have lit the fire most evenings and the boat gets nice and warm all the way through, so far we are warm and relatively dry, and remain in splendid isolation!  

7.75 miles, 1 tunnel, 1 moveable bridge, 3 hours 6 minutes.