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

River Severn Worcester

Swan Sanctuary River Severn Worcester

River Severn Lock

Stourport Basin

Fruit of the Vine

 Leaving Stourport - Staffs & Worcester Canal

Staffs & Worcester Canal

Staffs & Worcester - Kidderminster

Circular Weir

A very small tunnel (we have been under longer bridges!)

Tuesday 14.5 miles 10 locks

Wednesday 12.5 miles 9 locks

Its a new record - are we mad?

Friday, we set off down the Tardebigge flight, 3 1/2 hours not bad going for 29 locks, most of which we against us, because there was a boat a few locks in front, as we got nearer the bottom a few boats were coming up.  Tardebigge has to be one of the prettiest flights, lovely views all around.  We moored opposite the Queens and as we thoroughly deserved it, went in for lunch and a couple of pints.  Then the madness set in, it was only lunchtime so lets do some more locks and go a bit further!  We continued to Hanbury Wharf so undertook another 12 locks, a total of 41 for the day, beating out previous 35, again on Tardebigge, which three years ago we did twice in two weeks as we hired a boat from Stoke Wharf.

Once moored as if we hadn't had enough, we took a walk up the newly opened Driotwich Canal, what did we look at? - locks!  We then retired to the pub!

Saturday - today we had a leisurely cruise, the canal is surprisingly narrow due to reeds and shallow, the further towards Worcester we got the less water there was.  We have moored at Lowesmoor Basin for a few days, to enable us to visit Worcester, do some jobs on the boat and get the engine serviced as we have done 250 hours now, and to have a rest!

Start of the Tardebigge Flight

Tardebigge Bottom Lock 

Moored by the pub

Don't think we were the only ones tired

this young blackbird hitched a ride for about a mile

 Entrance to the Droitchwich

Lots of reeds

Worcester Cathederal

Our next task - the River Severn

and Diglis Locks (although Ali helped someone going out onto the Severn today)

Friday - 7 miles 41 locks
Saturday - 8 miles 11 locks

What a difference a day makes

The heavy rain woke me up this morning, the weather forecast was for showers, well we didn't get any, it just never stopped for hours.  We decided to move on despite the weather.  We continued up the Stratford Canal to Kings Norton and then turned onto the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, passing through Brandwood Tunnel (352 yds), Wast Hills Tunnel (2726 yds), Shortwood Tunnel (613 yds) and finally Tardebigge Tunnel (580 yds), we descended Tardebigge top lock and then moored, ready for the Tardebigge flight, a mere 30 locks tomorrow.  Just before mooring the rain did finally stop and we have had a walk this evening, although it still looks like we might get more.  We are planning to go to Worcester and stay a few days.

Its raining!

Brandwood Tunnel

Guillotine Lock

Pity about the graffiti

Kings Norton Junction

High on the wall of the Worcester and Birmingham toll house is a 1993 reproduction of the scale of toll fees in 1793. Fees varied from ½dper ton per mile for lime, to 1 ³/₄d for food or finished products.

Lower Bittel Reservoir Worcester & Birmingham Canal

Tradebigge Top Lock  Worcester & Birmingham Canal

Ang's Mooring Pin cover (thank you)

Our Moorings today

the view from the moorings

16 miles 1 lock (4 tunnels)