Celebration Cruise Week 7

 Monday 22nd August - The Bratch to Greensforge

Leaving the Bratch Locks, we started the locks just before 9am and made it down in good time.  A drop of 30ft in a very short space means that the locks gates from this angle are extremely impressive! 

The toll house spans the height of the top lock and used to house a little shop where you could buy maps and canal memorabilia. However ever since Canal and River Trust dispensed with permanent lock keepers, the shop has gone as well.  

However, we did have the helping hands of Volunteer Lock Keeper Mark who saw us through the locks safely.  So long as you remember to work blue paddles before red paddles you will be absolutely fine, and the side pounds keep the lock chambers topped up with water.  

A very pretty view back towards the locks, in my mind I think the Bratch Locks are some of the prettiest locks on the network.

Whilst we were waiting to use the next lock we met Harvey, he is 5 years old, can you tell which one is Toby?  Harvey comes from Bridgenorth whilst Toby comes from Whitchurch but the resemblance between them is remarkable!  

Toby after a warm shower, a much cleaner boy after rolling in numerous dusty footpaths for the last few weeks! 

3.75 miles, 9 locks, 3hrs 54mins

Tuesday 23rd August - Greensforge to Kinver.

We set off for a gentle cruise down to Kinver.  We have arranged to meet someone from Kinver Canopies to come and measure up for the replacement side.  This photo shows the beautiful rural aspect of this canal, so green and peaceful. 

This is the site of Gothersley Round House, built as part of the ironworks here and lived in until the 1930’s.  

As we are approaching the part of the canal known as Devil’s Den, the canal passes over the River Stour and I spotted a wooden door built into the rock face on the offside.  Most intriguing!  I wonder what that is all about and where does the door go? 

This is a part of the canal which broadens out into what appears to be space to moor a small boat, it’s on the offside and is hewn into the rock face, again what would the purpose of it be? 

This is Stourton Junction where we meet the Stourbridge Canal.  The Stourbridge Canal has a unique association with the glassmaking industry. There were once more than 20 glassworks in this area, which was world-famous for cameo glass and cut crystal.

The next lock was Stewponey Lock and once you have finished working the lock you have to walk through a bridge hole to get back to the boat, looks as though you are appearing out of nowhere! 

We then went through Dursley Tunnel, it was one of the earliest built on any British canal (about 1772). It is only 23 yards long and unusually for a tunnel of this age it has a towing path.  Part of the tunnel, is brick and part is rough rock, it is quite different to look at.  

We moored up for the evening and walked into Kinver, on the way we passed these lovely flower and herb beds, looked after by Canal and River Trust and we were invited to help ourselves to a selection of the herbs planted there.  We also had a representative from Kinver Canopies to come to the boat and measure up for the replacement side panel we lost at Fenny Compton in the high winds.  He seemed hopeful we shall have it tomorrow, very impressive!  

5 miles, 6 locks, 3hrs 18mins.

Wednesday 24th August - Kinver

Today we have had a lazy morning and then a walk along the canal and into Kinver and a drink at the pub beside the lock.  

Whilst we were there we recognised this boat as nbMoonbase V from Audlem.  When we first took our boat to Overwater Marina we moored on the same jetty as this boat and got to know Carol and Trevor quite well.  We haven’t seen them since we left Overwater and moved to Worcester, several years now. 

Later in the afternoon, Tom arrived from Kinver Canopies and fitted our replacement side window, we are now water tight once again!  Excellent service! 

Thursday 25th August - Kinver to Wolverley

We made another early start this morning, and passed this attractive house on the way out of Kinver.  A lovely garden with the most unusual things hiding in the bushes…

a family of monkeys…and a parrot!  

This is Whittington Bridge, another picturesque canalside village, you can cross over the bridge and walk up to the The Manor House of Whittington where we have met friends Anne and Steve on many of an occasion!  Unfortunately it started to rain, a very heavy downpour which continued on and off until we reached Wolverley.

At Debdale Lock the rock has been excavated to form a chamber, used as a stable during the canal age.  It is quite useful during rainy times and you are waiting for the lock to either fill or empty! 

We moored up at Wolverley and waited for the rain to stop before visiting the canalside cafe for a bacon and sausage butty, and most welcome it was too.  This photo shows part of the rock face that has collapsed into the canal taking the road wall with it.

Later that afternoon the rain stopped and it became a pleasant afternoon so we took a walk into Wolverley along the canal and across the fields.  This house is below the zigzag path going up to the church and the back wall of the house is the rock face. It must make the house very dark 

inside!

5 miles, 3 locks, 2hrs 24mins

Friday 26th August - Wolverley to Stourport

A lovely morning as we left Wolveley and headed for Stourport, we passed many boats we had been leap frogging moored up above Kidderminster and this is the lock which goes under the roads in the centre of Kidderminster.  A super shot of the boat with the impressive St Mary’s and All Saints church on an incline behind it.

This is the site of the now closed Debenhams store, it is on the site of  Slingfield Mill. Built  150 years ago this mill contributed to the fame of the Kidderminster carpet makers by spinning very fine thread.  The finest yarns for the carpet industry were spun on machinery driven by a steam engine powered from boilers in the nearby boilerhouse with its square chimney. In 1920 Lea Ltd became part of Carpet Trades who sold it to Brintons in 1948. By the late 1980's yarn spinning had ceased and in 2003 the Mill became a retail outlet.

Here we are approaching the railway bridge of the Severn Valley Railway and only minutes before this was taken a train in full steam chugged across the bridge!  Dave was in the bow on a video call to Annie and her girls and they were able to watch the train go over the bridge!  Looking on the website it could possibly had been the Purple Locomotive No.70 ‘Elizabeth II’! The line runs for 16 miles between Bridgenorth and Kidderminster.

We got as far as the moorings outside The Bird in Hand and decided to moor up rather than carrying on into Stourport and not being able to find a quiet mooring.  We walked into Stourport and quickly realised that we wouldn’t have found anywhere so are very happy we decided to stop when we did! 

5.5 miles, 5 locks, 3 hours 36 mins.

Saturday 27th August - Bird in Hand Moorings

Today we have had a rest day and a lovely walk in the afternoon.  This is the line of boats moored up alongside the pub and we are the one right at the back!  

Sunday 28th August - Bird in Hand to Diglis Basin Worcester

An early start this morning, we arrived at the first lock by 8.30, and dropped down into the Stourport Basins where we stopped in order to use the facilities.  We then cruised slowly to the the two sets of staircase locks.

This is taken from the top of the first set of locks and you can see the pound between the sets of locks.  Stourport-on-Severn is unique as a town that was only built as a result of the coming of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal. It was nothing more than a rural village of around 200 people, until the canal made its mark on the place forever!

The pound between the two sets of locks provides a challenge as the exit and entrance are offset and it is difficult to line the boat up. From here I had to reverse and have another shot at turning the boat into the lock!  Fortunately it was still early and there was no one around to watch! 

A successful locking down on to the river and we turned left and headed down river to Worcester.  Moored on the river pontoon is nbGet Knotted, a hire boat belonging to Noel from Diglis Basin and we heard when we got back that they had left their mooring soon after we saw them and continued upstream to Bewdley!  Noel has a tracker on the boat and realised that they were heading in the wrong direction and was able to phone them and tell them to turn round!  The river beyond Stourport is not navigable for powered craft as plans to make the river navigable have always come up against opposition and no one has responsibility for keeping the channel free from silting up.

The route in to Worcester along the Severn has to be the most perfect, with a stunning view of the Cathedral towering over the river, and swans on the water and people enjoying the scenery.  We arrived at Diglis Locks, turned the boat and were met by Simon who helped Dave work the boat up into the Basin.  Many thanks to Simon for turning out to help us, much appreciated! Once safely back in our mooring we treated ourselves to bacon and sausage butties from Cafe Afloat, all very welcome indeed. 

Well, that is the end of our 7 week Celebration Cruise, and what a celebration it has been!  It has been a fantastic opportunity for Dave to continue his recovery and recuperation, and he has returned feeling so much fitter and stronger than 7 weeks ago.  It was the delayed start to celebrating our Ruby Wedding Anniversary and Dave’s 70th birthday, a year of celebrations that had been put on hold but now continue with lots of things being planned.  We celebrated the christening of grandchildren Alba and Nina, and the chance for the whole family to gather together and celebrate the fact that life goes on and we have 

One Life…Live It

14 miles, 10 locks, 5hrs 36mins