Autumn Cruise: Day 13

After publishing the blog yesterday, I walked up the lane from the moorings and had a look at Great Comberton — a village with several thatched houses, and a book swap in an old telephone kiosk.  I also picked a good quantity on blackberries, far more than we managed at the moorings in Wilmcote. Later on there was some excitement when a couple arrived waiting for members of their family whose boat had broken down.  Sure enough, after a while a cabin cruiser arrived, being rowed with oars.  I think if I bought a boat and there were oars supplied I’d be worried.  In the gathering gloom and with bats flitting around our heads, we moved along a post and so did the other narrow boat, so the stricken cabin cruiser had space to moor.

The Comberton Quay moorings were incredibly quiet, with the old sound being an owl.  This morning was another bright sunny morning (although apparently it’ll be the last).  We started a wash load as it might be the last decent drying day we get, then set off around 9.  Nafford Lock was first, with a swing bright over it, and the wreck of a narrowboat on the weir.  A little boat was just coming out.

There are some very sharp bends, the sharpest being Swan’s Neck, where you completely double back on yourself.

We successfully negotiated Eckington Bridge, with its very worn stone.

At Strensham Lock, a little Sea Otter boat that we’ve seen several times was on the lock landing, and someone appeared to be coming up, so we had to linger mid-stream.  It took an absolute age for a big Sheffield Keel to come up the lock; even after the gates were open, it took an inordinate amount of time for everyone to get on and get moving.  Below the lock, there’s lots of sailing and canoeing, and eventually you pass under the M5.  King John’s Bridge in Tewkesbury is next, then we moored on the water point just before the lock.

This turned out to be an incredibly slow tap; it must have taken over an hour to fill the tank, and we don’t think it was particularly empty.  We’d considered stopping in Tewkesbury, but it was still early and a lovely sunny warm day, so had decided to carry on, but ended up waiting until after the lock keeper had had his lunch break.  In that time I walked into the town to get postcards and some milk.  There were a couple of amusing signs too.

At 2pm we went into Avon Lock, which is at right angles to the river, and we were let down.  As we were about the leave the lock, the keeper signalled to wait, as there was a cruiser reversing past the lock.  It turned out to be a quarter of a million pound Fairline, which turn turned and sped off, never to be seen again.

We turned right, north, onto the River Severn, headed under Mythe Bridge.

There’s not a huge amount to see.  We went under the M50, then at the northernmost aggregates Wharf all the barges were tied up.  One was fully loaded but tied up to an empty one, showing how much they go down into the water.

Soon the skyline of Upton-upon-Severn appeared on the skyline.  The moorings here are always busy, but just like last time we were here, the inside of the pontoon was free so we slotted in and moored up.  We went for a riverside pint at one of the pubs here.  The glass flood wall has been decorated with facts about climate change.

It would have been my mother’s 86th birthday today, so we’ve been thinking about her today.  Being here has also brought back happy memories of the last time we moored here, when we had one of the best chance meetings ever.

16 miles, 3 locks.  (134 miles, 124 locks)

Going West: Day 6

By far the sunniest day of the trip, starting from first thing. We set off at 8.30, heading down the Barge Canal. In parts, it's very narrow and reedy.

There are eight wide locks down to the River Severn. The first is overlooked by a nice little cottage, and the last by an impressive large house.

We had to turn every lock. After about six locks, we caught up with two boats in front which explained why. Once at the Severn, we turned left, heading south. Almost immediately comes Bevere Lock; I checked with the lock keeper, and it's pronounced Bev-er-ay, not, B-vere.

After that's it's the run through Worcester. The waterfront is great, with views of spires, the Cathedral, and lovely old buildings -- and a modern boathouse.

We'd caught up with the two boats from earlier, who both turned off onto the Worcester and Birmingham Canal at Diglis lock.

We carried on to Diglis River Locks, and then onwards down the river. With no bridges and few landmarks, it's a job to know when to turn the page of the map. Still, there can hardly have been a better day to have been on the water. We passed a great variety of boats -- from cruisers, to canoes, to the biggest trip boat on the Severn.

At about 3pm we arrived at Upton-upon-Severn. There were two boats moored on the outside of the pontoon, so we turned and moored on the inside. Of course one of the boats moved off about 15 minutes later.

We had a walk round Upton, famous for the Pepperpot, the tower or a former church. We also had an ice cream, and a drink at one of the many riverside pubs. The whole place is a bit like a seaside town, but without the sea. The potential of the river to flood is also shown by the relatively new defence wall.

We hadn't been back at the boat long when we saw what looked like a pair of narrowboats heading up river. But we were a bit confused, because one looked like a working boat, while the other looked more modern. Then Adrian noticed that one had a sign on the front mentioning jam and chutney -- it could only be Andy and Helen of Wand'ring Bark and the Jam Butty. They moored up on the pontoon, and forced us to drink gin.

We were just starting to roast a chicken, so Andy and Helen are coming round for dinner later (and providing some of the accompaniments). It's one of those chance waterways meetings that is really rather special.

20 miles, 10 locks. (70 miles, 122 locks)