The ups and downs

Right now we're moored next to Nelson's column.

 

Ok not quite but there is a huge steel column up which the floating pontoon here at Diglis (Worcester) can rise as the river rises. In fact there are a row of these columns along the pontoon. From my seat here on the boat I can see marks on the column by us showing that it is eleven metres high, (from its base?)

 

 

Surely, you say, the river can't reach that high can it? Oh yes it can. Today we were walking in through the watergate to Worcester cathedral and I noticed on the wall a series of markers showing flood levels in previous years. Modelled here by my lovely assistant Kath.

 

Now the cathedral stands very high up above the river. I estimated a good twenty feet to where we were standing, possibly more. So the river can rise well above that. Looking across the river to the much lower banks opposite you can only marvel to think how far under water the land over there must be in times of flood.

Scary eh.

 

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No trouser barges on the Severn

Bear with me dear reader. Tonight you are a guinea pig. I am typing this using a new blog writing app for the iPad. If it works we should now get photos in amongst the text. If not, I may have wasted £2.99 on you. Here goes . .

 

Cor they don't half make you work to get into the Severn. One normal lock, a twisty turny wiggle through two basins and then two sets of staircase locks.

 

Not only that, the lock paddle gear was heavy. I was cream crackered by the time we emerged onto the mighty river.

There being no discernable current and loads of space we set off at a giddying 1800 revs achieving the velocity of 5.2 mph. For Herbie that's practically warp factor 9.

The Severn is nice if you like looking at trees and water. Otherwise there is little else to look at except for the occasional rock formation.

It feels very much like the middle Thames except the locks are bigger.

You have to enter on a traffic light system and then pass ropes around rising wires to hold the boat steady. Actually because we were going down hill the locks were extremely gentle. The lock keepers are so far above your head that you don't get to talk to them except for a hello when you arrive and. Thank you when to leave. Not very sociable is it?

Anyway that's enough about the Severn for now, you wouldn't want me to be a Severn bore. They already have one of them.

We arrived in Worcester by early afternoon and opted to moor on a pontoon just past the Diglis basin entrance. We could stay here for 14 days for free whereas up by the races course it costs £4 a day. Here is the view from Herbie as I write

 

This afternoon we strolled into the city for a mooch, starting at the cathedral, which once inside, is a cracker. Pride of place just before the high altar is the tomb of King John of Magna Carta fame. Strange really when the plaque along side goes into some detail about what a nasty murdering piece of work he was.

We're going back to the cathedral tomorrow as they have a lunchtime organ concert.

After the cathedral we continued in culture vulture vein and visited the Commandery museum which is alongside the canal. A fascinating building but largely unfurnished. We got a bit tired of the bloke on the audio guide telling us to imagine things. I would rather he talked about what I could see than what I couldn't.

Walking back along the canal we stumbled up on the Anchor pub at the back of Diglis basin and as it was hot we thought we needed a sit down and a small libation. It turned out to be a good little pub. Friendly, good beer and Andy Murray was playing tennis on the telly. It's a good job he won in three sets or we may have had to drink rather too much beer.

Message for Rick: we have not seen any trouser barges (when having a tour of Bridgenorth, Rick couldn't figure out why the man kept referring to trouser barges on the Severn. It turns out he was saying 'Trows or barges'.)

Tee hee

 

 

 

 

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Oak tree falls in lock -elderly couple not dismayed

We've been in the best bits of the Staffs and Worcs canal these last two days, and I suppose the weather has helped too. This is the bit of the canal where they had to cut through red sandstone hillsides to make a level for the canal, so you get all the lovely rocky outcrops, and the rather ridiculous little Cookley tunnel which passes deep below the houses on top. You would have to be hard hearted indeed not to be wooed by the prettiness of the S&W at this end.

Last night we moored at Caunsall Bridge and walked up to the Anchor which was so amazing that I shall make it the subject of a special post all of its own when I have fewer other things to tell you.

While we were getting ready to walk to the pub, a couple came by on bicycles and said that the lock below, Debdale lock (the one with the rock cave along side) had a large oak tree in it and would be impassable. We assured them that if was that bad then someone will have informed CRT and they will send out the lads to clear it. They didn't seem to believe us, but we have faith.

Sure enough this morning we approached the lock to the sound of the buzzing of chainsaws, and the lads from Fountains who do this work under contract were hard at it. The man in the adjacent cottage said he saw the big chunk of oak tree fall as if in slow motion after hearing a very loud crack.

We all had a jolly time milling round the lock while the lads did the final bit of clearing up, then they bow hauled us through the lock in case the prop got fouled and we were on our way. About half an hour lost I suppose.

There is now a big Sainsbury's nearly opposite the church almost adjacent to Kidderminster lock, so we stopped for provisions and decided to set up the aerial and watch the Grand Prix. The posh boat behind us at Kidderminster chugged off to the gorgeous sound of its Gardner 2L2. I want one.

All please note this is not a good spot for TV reception. In the end we gave up and continued on our way with the race on the radio. We are not sorry that Vettel suffered a breakdown, or at least his car did. He is getting a bit too big for his boots.


So here we are at last in Stourport, ready to tackle the mighty river Severn in the morning. However I note that we have a single lock and two staircases to negotiate first. Such fun.

Now the photos which as Eric Morecambe might say are not necessarily in the right order.

A narrow escape

I nearly got into deep trouble today. We arrived at Bratch locks in plenty of time to watch the Andy Murray tennis match. as we had a bit of time to spare I persuaded Kath that we should go down the locks and moor up at the bottom. It was only when we arrived at the moorings below the locks that I looked up into the gardens of the nearby houses and realised that all of their TV aerials were on 20 ft poles, Probably 30 ft above Herbie. I was, I feared, in deep doo doo. Perhaps I should have realised that when you descend through a 30ft depth of locks, you might end up behind a bit of a hill.

As you might expect, the Tv signal was inadequate when I erected our log periodic aerial. Then I remembered an extra length of aluminium pole we carry and managed to extend the aerial enough to save my skin. Phew.

Today we started to get into some of the bits that make this canal a bit special. The first was Pendeford Rockin where we squeezed through a narrow rocky gorge for a few hundred yards, then of course the unique Bratch locks. Unlike staircase locks like Foxton where the paddles are colour coded red and white, "red before white and you'll be alright", here you have red paddles on bottom gates and blue ones on the top gates. The Lockie said they like to be different, and at Bratch they have "blue before red, nothing said."

I love all the brickwork around these locks, curves and alcoves all over the place. A work of art.

The middle of my three Bratch photos today shows the outflow from the middle lock smashing into the gate of the bottom lock only a few feet away. The bottom lock of the three is thirteen feet deep which makes it one of the deepest narrow locks on the system.

We're now watching the weather reports in mid Wales to see what water the Severn will be bringing down when we hope to go out on it on Monday.

Now to the (not very good, must try harder) photos, first Pendeford Rockin and then Bratch.

More Penkridge food

Sarah was right. The little bakery in Penkridge is a cracker and well worth the walk into the village. All kind of cakes, buns, scones baked fresh that morning and all looking magnificent. We of course weakened and bought several naughty items.

Across the road the butcher was just as good. A proper traditional butcher using locally sourced meat and making his own pies and dry curing his own bacon. We bought quite a lot of fresh meat, sausages, old spot bacon, and pies. Someone else had tipped us off that he will vacuum pack the fresh meat on request, so that it will keep in the fridge for up to three weeks. Ideal for the travelling boater. Not only did he round our bill down to the nearest pound, but he gave us an extra half a large pork pie for free. We have one of his steak pies in the oven as I write.

We managed to do all our locks before the rain set in today, the last being Gailey lock where we popped into the little round toll house, for many years a shop selling canal ware, books, pictures, gifts and all that stuff. The last time we were there was in 1991 but I don't think it has changed. Neither has the lady behind the till. Alright, like us she is 22 years older but it is the same lady.

Right now we are out in the sticks about three miles above Wolverhampton. Tomorrow we hope to get ourselves past the amazing Bratch locks and we are on course to get to Stourport by Sunday evening. We're watching the Internet reports on river levels on the Severn and the Avon. As long as we don't get a lot more rain, it's all systems go for our river adventure.

Ignore what I said earlier

Despite several emails between us and Sarah concerning the better pubs in Penkridge ( see my previous post of a few hours ago) we have totally ignored her advice and found ourselves a treat. We were heading off for the delights of downtown Penkridge when we had to pass the window of the Boat inn next to the canal. Glancing through the window I noticed a hand pump bearing the Timothy Taylor logo so we thought it churlish not to go in. Then we noticed that Roger Federer was playing tennis on the telly. Then we noticed that the pub had a special offer on steaks with a peppercorn sauce.

So in the event, we had a pint or three of excellent beer, a very tasty meal, and watched a great tennis match. Boat Inn 1, rest of Penkridge 0.

Fear not though, we have strict instructions from Sarah not to miss the bakers in town who apparently do great buns, so in the morning we will venture down there and acquire a sample of same.

Fame at Last

Three times today a passing boater has called that they were readers of this blog. Thank you folks. I shall not let it go to my head. Peel me a grape Kath.

Last night at our splendid overnight mooring at the beautiful Tixall Wide we met a man who claimed to have had a drinking session with Keith Moon and Oliver Reed. Whether you believe him or not it's a good tale and miraculously he is alive to tell it which is more than you can say for his claimed drinking companions. Actually this fellow was a passably good guitar player. He heard me and Kath playing music on the bank and we of course got chatting about music. He brought along his acoustic bass guitar and a battery powered electric solid guitar (with built in speaker!). So we all had a good look at and a go at each other's instruments. I think we should stick to our own, we were all rubbish at each other's.


We dined exceptionally well on fare bought from the farm shop at Gt Haywood, recommended to us by a number of other bloggers. Thanks folks, you were right.


Tonight we rest at Penkridge and may well follow Sarah Chertsey's advice and try the Cross Keys.

As to the canal, thus far the Staffs and Worcester(Tixall Wide excepted) is less pretty than the Trent and Mersey, although the heron count is extraordinarily high, but we know there are a lot of very good bits to come.

And so to some photos from the last two days.

A few surprises on the T&M

A last we're on unfamiliar water. The stretch of the Trent and Mersey canal betwixt Fradley and Gt Heywood is something we have never done before. I suppose people who don't know canals might imagine that the T&M is an industrial waterway. Well it ain't that down here, it's just about as lush and green as anywhere in the country. Yellow flags and rhododendrons line the banks virtually all the way and there are loads of places where you could pull over and stop for a picnic.

I always think that the maps in Nicholson's guides, accurate though they are, can't show what a place is really like. Take Rugeley for example which as Nicholson's shows is an urban area. On the canal though it doesn't feel it at all except that you do get to peek into a number of well kept domestic gardens.

One thing Nicholson's didn't warn us about was the rocky narrows just south of Rugeley. I spotted a yellow sign advising boaters to send a crew member ahead through the 'narrow tunnel' to stop anyone coming the other way. Kath was duly sent ahead and I took Herbie forward and I was really taken by surprise the the narrow rocky cutting we had to pass through. The boat only just fitted the gap for quite a long distance. Take a look at the photos below.

One bit of industry we did see was a large factory in Armitage. We were trying to guess what it was. Kath thought it might be making plasterboard. Certainly the windows were clouded with some sort of white dust. The we got to the other end of the building and saw the hundreds and hundreds of pallets carrying toilet seats and wash basins. Aah, Armitage Shanks!

Tonight we're moored near a country bridge with a pub just down the road. A few yards to our left and some fifteen feet below is the river Trent, already about 30 yards wide although only a couple of feet deep.

One last thing I want to put down for the record. Last night, June 23rd we needed to light the coal stove to keep warm!!

Now for today's photos.

First the flags are out for us
Then the rhododendrons

Then that rocky cutting

Don't know why there's no sun up in the sky,

Stormy weather. Blimey, it's breezy.

Last night we cruised up to Hopwas where we had a meal at the frantically busy Tame Otter pub. No that's not an otter that is tame, Tame is the river nearby.

I'm a bit peed off be.cause after a week of not moving , I forgot to tighten the stern greaser and no,w we have 20mm of water in my previously dry bilges. Not enough for the bilge pump to get at. Must tighten up the gland .

Today the forecast was for strong winds and heavy showers, so we whimped out of cruising and instead we took the bus into Lichfield, mainly to see the famous three spired cathedral. And very good it was too.

The building itself is pretty unique and the contents even more so. They have the St Chad Gospel which is the oldest book in England still in regular use. About AD 670 if memory serves me right, and in pretty good nick too. The pages are of course vellum and we were told that a very large number of animals did the decent thing and donated their skins for the purpose.

Then there is a sample of bits from the Staffordshire Hoard which I am sure you know all about, and some very old wall paintings and loads and loads of wood and stone carvings and filigree metalwork to marvel at. What made it even better was that the organist was having a practice and really giving it some welly. I think the lady said that the organ had over 2000 pipes. Anyway it sounded fab.

Lichfield is only a short bus ride from the moorings at Hopwas and worth the trip, even on a cold wet day like today. Lots of nice old buildings.

The forecast for tomorrow is better so we'll be on our way, and when we turn left at Fradley, we'll be on water new to us for the first time on this trip.

And so to the photos, starting with one of Kath pointing to the weather report.

Moorer's guide to Fazeley

Having now been at Fazeley junction for six days, I thought it might be useful to report on what the mooring here is like. At first glance you might hesitate to choose this spot to moor up overnight. Would it be inhabited by chavs? Would my boat get broken into or otherwise assaulted?

Herbie nestles underneath the huge old mill building with its broken and boarded up windows, on the other bank houses and gardens. From the front of the boat I look through the road bridge and see the junction pool, Fradley to the right, Coventry to the left. The bank here has been newly restored with brick paviours and mooring rings.

Fazeley has a strong flavour of industrial decline. During the canal age it was of course an important and thriving place. Despite its appearance the mill is actually a busy small business centre with a wide variety of firms working away. Apparently one small part of the old mill business still survives on the top floor now making cloth tape for labels for Doc Marten boots. Over the road from that is a sawmill where if you look through the gates, you can see huge trees being sawn into planks. Next door to the mill is a garage selling 'Part Worn Tyres'! No one would call it a pretty spot, but it is in fact safe and quiet. The only people using the towpath are the daily procession of mum's taking kids to and from the Nursery School down the canal and the occasional dog walker or jogger.

Next to the bridge on the other bank there is a splendid old Methodist Church, which now appears to be inhabited by a plumbing company.

One minute's walk away is the only little row of shops. A Tesco Express, a chip shop, and a number of Indian and Chinese restaurants and takeaways. There are three pubs, the largest one of which I feared to enter. The Three Horsehoes is the one I would recommend, being quiet, well kept, friendly staff and locals, and well kept ales. Just down the canal towards Fradley is the Three Tuns claiming 'exceptional cask ales'. When I popped in they had only one ale and that was OK but certainly not exceptional. It does however have a small canal side garden.

Just round the corner, near the shops is the bus stop from where you can take the ten minute ride into Tamworth or the large Ventura shopping centre with ASDA,M&S, Boots, WHS, Homebase, etc etc

So all in all a lot better mooring that first appearances would imply. Fazeley junction is not a pretty place, but if you are looking for somewhere to rest your weary boat and crew, it's fine. No chavs, no break ins, cheery passers by. If like me you need to stop for longer (up to 7 days in my spot) it's also fine as long as the little Tesco can meet you needs or you don't mind a short bus ride. For painting the gunnels and other bits and pieces it has been ideal.


This afternoon Kath arrives back at Tamworth Station and we resume our travels.

Having fun wasting time (and doing some work)

Did a bit more painting today, then wasted time playing digital /analogue electronics, making a ridiculously over complicated thermometer. Fun though.

This little gadget called an Arduino is programmable from a laptop computer via USB. You can wire in all sorts of electronic sensors, and drive switches, motors, etc with it. Once I get the hang , it opens all manner of possibilities based on sensing sound, light, heat, time or whatever, and then making something happen such as switching something on, or sending a message, or as you see here, giving a readout. Good innit?

A history lesson and more painting.

Last night I wandered out to explore local pubs and found myself in the Three Horseshoes just round the corner from Tesco in Fazeley. A quiet little pub but well looked after, as was the beer.

I got chatting to the lady behind the bar about Tamworth, which she remembers from the 1950s onwards. She was lamenting the decisions of the planners in the 1960s knocking down many wonderful old buildings to put in 'modern' replacements. She showed me a book of old photos, and I have to say I fully agree with her. Most notable was the beautiful old Victorian railway station, now replaced by an anonymous brick lump. How sad. Gone is the large outdoor swimming pool, gone are the half timbered buildings. Such a shame. Tamworth it must be said is not a specially attractive place today, but it obviously was.

An old feller came into the bar and joined in the conversation. What a character. Now 75 years old and still training apprentice bricklayers AND still doing the odd bit of stand up comedy! He had been a soldier in the days of strife in Cyprus, and a fairly senior football referee. All in all a very entertaining hour and a nice pint of Bass.

I have not rested on my laurels today and now the front deck cants and gas locker have a fresh coat of paint, and I have started to put together a design for the bow flashes, too long plain white.

You can see phase one in the photo below. Panels of light and drag grey will eventually find their way fore and aft of the red diamond. Tomorrow we expect the rain to set in, so I don't expect to make any further progress.