Monday 10th July - Diglis to Upton Upon Severn
A short trip this time along the river and on to Sharpness along the Gloucester and Sharpness canal. We made an early start and worked our way down the locks with the help of Jason on the bottom lock. Straight through Diglis River Lock and out onto the River all the way to Upton Upon Severn.
We saw plenty of grey heron and a couple of these Little Egrets, paddling in the shallows. They first appeared in the UK in 1989 but are very common now.
A pleasant view of the Malvern Hills in the distance. Unfortunately the weather is drizzly and quite windy, the grey clouds say it all!
This was fascinating, the river floods during the autumn and winter months and I think this must have been the result of the water rising, the boat loose on its moorings and being deposited on the landing as the river went down again!
There are two wide beam barges here, the one in the foreground is being loaded with aggregates and consequently is sitting very low in the water. The one behind is empty and is sitting high out of the water. These are the only working boats on this stretch of the River Severn.
We got to Upton and the floating pontoon was full so we moored on the stone steps, a little muddy but perfectly ok and not difficult for Toby. This is the Pepperpot, originally part of a church, the main body of the tower is believed to be 14th century, although its base is thought to date back to the 13th century. It has undergone a renovation to strip the paint to reveal the original brickwork beneath and reflect the feel of the original tower.
Ella moored by the stone pontoon and the steps up to the street. Toby and I did a short walk through the village on the Severn Way to Upper Ham. The 60 hectares of flood plain next to Upton, called “The Ham”, are one of the oldest Lammas meadows in the country. No fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides are used and it has been granted the title of Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The Grasslands Trust explains that the Lammas meadows are a special kind of flood meadow managed under a common system, whereby strips of meadow are randomly allotted (by drawing lots) to commoners to take hay, but grazing is shared by all commoners. The Lammas meadow system is very ancient, possibly over a thousand years old.
3 locks, 1 swing bridge, 10.25 miles, 3 hrs
Tuesday 11th July - Upton upon Severn
As the weather is a trifle damp and the dock at Gloucester is closed on a Tuesday, we decided to stay another day in Upton. A mooring became free on the floating pontoon so we turned and moored on there for the day.
We had visitors, a pair of swans with their cygnets, 5 little ones all making a lot of noise, which unfortunately upsets Toby so we had to shoo them away.
The view from our mooring. We went for a walk around The Ham and Toby was doing very well until he found a large amount of fox poo to roll around in! Hence sitting on the mooring so Toby can dry off after a rinse down and shower.
Sunset over Worcester at 9 o’clock, delightful.
Wednesday 12th July - Upton upon Severn to Gloucester Docks
A long cruise today to get to Gloucester before the heavy rain sets in this afternoon.
This is a disused aggregates wharf, but the size gives you some idea of the size of the boats that used it in the past.
We are approaching Mythe Bridge, built by Thomas Telford completed in 1826, the total cost of the bridge including masonry approaches was £14,500. It was originally a toll bridge, but tolls were removed in 1850. Telford wrote 'I reckon this the most handsomest bridge which has been built under my direction.'
A turning to the left would take you on to the River Avon, we had passed 7 boats which may well have come from here doing the Avon Ring.
Just poking over the tops of the trees is Tewkesbury Abbey, the Abbey boasts the largest Norman church tower in existence measuring 14 metres square and 45 metres high and has towered over Tewkesbury for over 900 years.
Here we are leaving Upper Lode Lock, another enormous lock, reminding us of the size of the sea going vessels that used to come up the Severn to Diglis.
This is the remains of the Coombe Hill Canal where it joined the River Severn. The Coombe Hill Canal runs two and three quarter miles from Coombe Hill Basin to the River Severn near Wainlode Hill. Authorised in 1792, the Coombe Hill Canal opened in 1796 to allow Staffordshire and Forest of Dean coal to be moved as near to Cheltenham as possible, thus minimising cartage on the rough roads of the time. It was abandoned in 1876 and is now a linear nature reserve run by Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.
The view back along the river to Wainlode Hill.
Rising up Gloucester Lock, we contacted the lock keeper as we passed Upper Parting to let him know we were on our way and he assured us the lock was ready and waiting for us, so straight in and a long way up the lock to meet the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.
We were lucky to get a mooring on the side of the docks with a lovely view of the whole area.
The Mariners Church was built in 1849 to meet the needs of visiting seamen from around the world and is still used as a place of worship today.
Llanthony Warehouse is the largest warehouse in Gloucester Docks and was the last great corn store to be opened in Gloucester Docks in 1873. It now houses the National Waterways Museum.
In the evening we went for a walk around the dock area. This is the dry dock, owned and run by T. Nielsen and Company. There are two dry docks, the smaller one constructed in 1818 and the larger one in 1853.
This boat beneath the tarpaulin is ‘Kathleen and May’, the UK’s last working wooden hulled three-masted topsail schooner and the only one of this construction still in operation. She is currently undergoing minor repairs and the hope is that she may well be returned to where she was originally built.
2 locks, 19 mile, 4hrs 18mins
Thursday 13th July - Gloucester Docks to Saul Junction
After a leisurely start we moved out of Gloucester Dock and out to Sainsbury for some shopping. Getting off the mooring was difficult as the wind was pinning us against the pontoon, but eventually we managed it and set off.
Many of the bridges have these ornately classical keeper’s cottages with their Doric-columned porticos, the cottages were designed by William Clegram and built in the mid-19th century. There are eight of them along the canal.
We came under this bridge and passed nbRuncorn from Diglis. We met them originally at the bottom of the Bosley Locks on our last cruise, we were heading home and they were heading onto the Macclesfield canal.
We have passed a couple of barges moored along the banks with masses of greenery growing out of them, they look very attractive.
We moored before Saul Junction and later in the afternoon we went for a walk along the Stroudwater Navigation. We came across ‘Sabrina’ under this canopy. The steam launch Sabrina was built in 1870 for the use of the Canal Company's engineer and directors. She continued in service on the canal until 1942, since when she has been looked after by a number of private owners and been given a new steam engine. She is a member of the National Historic Fleet and she is now based at Saul Junction.
8 moveable bridges, 7.5 miles, 3hrs 18mins
Friday 14th July - Saul Junction to Sharpness
We have been keeping a close eye on the weather forecast and today is meant to be a day of persistent rain. However as we are hoping to get to Sharpness on this trip we decided to continue on our way.
There are no locks on this canal and all the bridges are swing bridges which are worked for you, this means we can travel with the pram hood up and stay relatively dry!
All the milestones on this canal are triangular with G on one side and S on the other, this one says 8 miles on both sides so it is the midpoint between Gloucester and Sharpness.
Cadbury's opened a factory adjacent to the Gloucester & Sharpness canal near Fretherne Bridge in 1916. The factory produced chocolate crumb from ground cocoa beans, sugar, and milk from local farms before being transported to the Bournville factory in Birmingham by narrowboat. The silo in the centre of the picture was added later to provide additional storage. The factory is now occupied by several businesses including Shipton Mill.
Frampton’s isolated parish church overlooks another Swingbridge, Splatt Bridge.
Splatt Bridge is one of several bridges still hand operated, the bridge keeper appeared in full wet weather gear in order to operate the bridge for us.
Approaching Sharpness, we pass through the remains of a bridge over the River Severn. The Severn Railway Bridge disaster, involved two tankers, Arkendale H and Wastdale H, in 1960. They were approaching the lock at Sharpness, but the bad weather caused them to miss it and they ended crashing into each other and two of the bridge columns making them collapse onto the barges. A fierce fire ensued and 5 crew lost their lives. The two barges remain in the mud of the river Severn to this day and their remains can be seen at low tide. The bridge was never rebuilt and was finally demolished in 1967.
We decided to turn the boat today so that we are facing towards Gloucester as the forecast is for very strong winds tomorrow, and could make it difficult to complete a turn safely.
Once the rain had stopped for a short while we decided to go for a walk. At the end of the canal is a good view of the Rivern Severn and the Severn Bridge in the distance.
We continued walking as far as we could go and came across this burnt out shell of a boat moored in the dock area. It looked a real mess, it makes you wonder what happened.
Love this little engine, it looks like a relation of Thomas the Tank Engine.
As we walked back we could see one of the Purton Hulks. Known as the Purton Ships Graveyard or Purton Hulks the area has a large number of purposely abandoned boats and ships that were beached on this area of the River Severn with the aim of reinforcing the river bank. A riverbank collapse in 1909 led to concerns about the strong currents of the River and its erosive power putting at risk the Gloucester and Sharpness canal so a quick resolution was required. Between 1909 and 1970’s at regular intervals barges, trows and schooners were taken out on the tide, towed by a tug towards the shore and then charged up the bank. Holes were then made in the hull to allow the tides to deposit the silt inside. Most vessels were beached in the 1950’s and now as a result the ground level has built up meaning you can now see a few barges lying on top of earlier ones.
8 moveable bridges, 7.5 miles, 2hrs 24mins
Saturday 15th July - Sharpness
Well, the forecast for today is fairly persistent rain and unusually high winds for this time of the year. So e decided to stay put and have a quiet day on the boat. Another of the Purton Hulks, visible from the remains of the railway bridge.
This is the view of the River Severn at very low tide. Right in the centre of the photo just above the edge of the grass level is part of the remains of one of the barges that perished in the Severn Railway Bridge disaster. For the rest of the day it rained heavily so a quiet day on the boat
Sunday 16th July - Sharpness to Gloucester Docks
Today the weather is a lot better than yesterday so we have decided to return all the way down the canal back to Gloucester. This pirate ship is moored at Saul Junction, once used for short trips along the canal and as a floating cafe, there is no up to date information available for it now.
As we approached Gloucester we came to the large swing bridge carrying the A430. The boat heading towards us has just come through the bridge which has been swung to allow it through. We had to wait a while for the bridge to be returned to normal and we could pass under it.
The Edward Elgar moored up outside Gloucester awaiting its next passengers for cruises along the River Severn. We felt quite dwarfed by its size! We continued on to Sainsbury's and moored up to do some shopping. By this time the wind had got up and it was a little tricky to moor but we did it eventually. We also stopped for water and rubbish disposal before passing under the last swing bridge and mooring in Gloucester Docks.
Today we found a mooring in the arm beside the Gloucester Waterways Museum and spent a very pleasant evening there.
0 locks, 16 moveable bridges, 15.25 miles, 4hrs 18mins
Monday 17th July - Gloucester Docks to Lower Lode Visitor Moorings
Today we are going down through Gloucester Lock and back onto the River Severn.
Our mooring overnight was opposite this vessel. SND No4 is a bucket dredger of steel construction built in 1925. The vessel would have been towed by a tug, an engine was installed to provide the power to drive the bucket chain and a number of winches. As dredging progressed, the vessel was moved forward and sideways by two steam winches on deck which controlled wire ropes attached to the canal banks. SND No4 was used to dredge Gloucester Docks and the Sharpness Canal. At times the dredger also worked in the entrance and tidal basin at Sharpness and was replaced in 1981 by a diesel electric bucket dredger. Following retirement, the vessel was stored until 1988 and after refurbishment by British Waterways, she became a working exhibit at Gloucester Waterways Museum. SND No4 is believed to be the only steam powered bucket dredger in working order in the UK.
Dave went to the lock to inform the lock keeper we were wanting to go down onto the river but we had to wait for 4 boats to come up first. This is another huge lock!
Then it was our turn and we were the only boat in the lock. We were quickly lowered to river level and were able to begin our cruise towards Lower Lode Visitor Moorings.
The moorings were very pleasant, especially as the pub was closed and it was very quiet. There is a caravan and camping site next to the pub so I should imagine it would be busy when the pub is open. Toby enjoyed a swim in the river from the slipway and we watched the Edward Elgar cruise past although we couldn't see anyone on board.
1 lock, 11.75 miles, 3hrs 36mins.
Tuesday 18th July - Lower Lode to Diglis Basin
We left the mooring reasonably early as we felt that it would be unlikely to get a mooring at Upton upon Severn as it is the Blues festival at the weekend.
We came up through Upper Lode Lock and saw this black mink boldly running up and down the steps and along the lock landing. Most unpleasant creatures!
This is the junction with the River Avon and way back in the gloom is a boat heading towards the River Severn. I naively thought it would slow down to let me pass before pulling in behind me…
… but no, he was obviously on a mission and overtook me on the inside going at quite a speed! We reckoned he was hoping to get a mooring at Upton and wanted to get ahead of us!
Back past the aggregates works with three boats lined up waiting to begin their journey up river.
And yes there it is, the boat from the River Avon breasted up alongside two other boats. We decided to keep going and headed on up to Diglis Locks.
There are two sets of locks at Diglis and for the first time ever we used the large lock. We were joined by a small 30ft narrowboat who was hoping to get a mooring at the visitor moorings below our flat. Unfortunately the rain had set in and we did the rest of our cruise up the two locks on to the canal in heavy rain.
This is the last time we moor the boat in Diglis Basin as we have decided to move Ella to a different mooring. Next time we go out we shall finish our cruise at Barby Moorings on the Oxford Canal just 5 miles north of Braunston, very exciting!
4 locks, 17.5 mile, 5hr 54mins
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