NB Triskaideka: Worcester - Stourport

Wednesday, 10 August 2011

Worcester - Stourport - Stewponey

As planned we spent a few days in Worcester. We had the engine serviced (250 hours), spent time sightseeing, didn't manage to do some of the jobs on the boat, mainly washing it, as we were moored stern in with no pontoons, so we couldn't get around it! We did do a good clean inside though. On Tuesday we left Worcester with very low water levels, the marina staff said that in 16 years it had never been so low. We locked down onto the River Severn with another boat and set off for Stourport, the locks onto the Severn are big and heavy but once on the river they are manned so nothing for us to do. We reached Stourport in about four hours, we did plan to moor on the river and look for moorings in the basin but the river ones were full so we went up the two staircase locks and found a mooring in the basin, moored behind Fruit of the Vine, a previous Beacon Boat. The basin has been improved since we were last here, the buildings have been renovated and it looks really good.

On Tuesday evening Alison & her fiancé Mark visited us, Alison worked with Ali in Nottingham, and her and Mark have recently moved to Stourport on Severn. It was great to see you both and catch up and meet Mark, next time we will come and see your new home and hopefully you will have finished all your alternations and Alison will have emptied her boxes!!

Today we set off from Stourport up the Staffs & Worcester Canal, its very twisty in places and narrow, with Sandstone cuttings as the edge of the canal in some places. We have moored at Stewpony just beyond where the Stourbridge Canal branches off the Staffs & Worcester. Water levels on this canal seem much better and just to add to it as I write this it is throwing it down, but it has stayed fine all day.

Sidbury Lock Worcester & Birmingham Canal