Almost the end of summer

Yesterday I took a trip into Birmingham. The city center is much like any other city with the exception that it has an excellent market, or rather markets. If I hadn't had to carry stuff on the train I could have stocked up on food very cheaply. I did find a really good herb stall that sold both cooking and medicinal herbs so I spent a bit there. The Birmingham Bead Shop has a good selection at reasonable prices too.

I didn't manage to make it to the Jewellery Quarter, which is probably just as well as money is a bit tight at the moment. I had a good day and Ray enjoyed a lazy day on board.

Today we did the long haul from Bournville to Wolverhampton, slow going as there are a lot of moored boats in the centre of Birmingham. There are also a lot of places where the canal narrows as if you are going through a lock but with no change of level. I will have to do some investigating, they might have been toll houses or loading places in the past.

We took a slight detour at Wolverhampton to moor at the disused Bentley Arm so that we weren't right in the center. Tomorrow we will head down the twenty-one and that will be our real travelling over for this year. Kathy, Scott and Kaia are going to walk up to meet us in the morning and help us down through the locks.

Today's journey 18.7 miles, 3 locks and 3 tunnels


So far we have travelled 717.6 miles, 620 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 24 tunnels.

So many locks!

We were up early and started up the Tardebigge flight at ten to eight. We fairly flew through the first twenty locks, averaging about eight minutes per lock. After that things slowed down a bit as we started to meet boats coming down. At one lock the water level in the pound had dropped so much that by the time we had filled the lock to go up they were aground, so I walked up to the next lock and let water down until they were afloat before we went up the next one. The entire flight took us four hours and twenty two minutes, an average of less than nine minutes per lock which is pretty good. At least I can say "been there, done that" if anyone mentions Tardebigge.

As it was only lunchtime and no more locks to face, we carried on the Bournville and moored up opposite Cadburys. The weather forecast for tomorrow is very windy and I fancy a break so I am going to investigate Birmingham while Ray has a lazy day.

Today's journey 12.4 miles, 30 locks and 3 tunnels

So far we have travelled 699.9 miles, 617 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 21 tunnels

Carrying on upwards

Today's promised sunshine never really appeared, although it was quite warm.

We spent the morning following about half an hour behind the hotel boat "Periwinkle" up through the six Astwood Locks. With no traffic coming down it meant all the locks were against us. However, they stopped for lunch at Stoke Prior and we passed them before the six Stoke Prior locks. We managed the six in excellent time, partly because they were so close behind they were happy for me to go ahead and prepare the next lock while one of them closed up behind Ray. I discovered at the top lock that they had a taxi booked for their guests to go to the Avoncroft museum so they were anxious to make good time.

We are faced with the Tardebigge flight tomorrow, thirty locks spread over about two and a half miles. At the moment the locks are with us, so I reckon an early start is called for so we are the first boat through.

Today's journey 7.8 miles, 12 locks and 1 tunnel.


So far we have travelled 687.5 miles, 587 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 18 tunnels.

Lots of locks

There are eighty locks between where we moored at Worcester last night and the junction with the Shroppie Union. today I worked through fourteen of them, only sixty-six to go!

The route out of Worcester is relatively inoffensive, although it is mostly through housing and industry the canal is mostly screened by trees so feels quite rural. Today was a good day for foraging, while we were travelling we picked up two largish branches and a pallet, to be chopped up for firewood and also about a pound of blackberries. Once we had moored at Tibberton we went for a walk and collected another couple of pounds of blackberries, a pound of sloes, half a pound of rosehips and about a pound of elderberries. The rosehips and elderberries will need adding to before we turn them into wine or syrup but we have enough blackberries for crumble and blackberry vodka and enough sloes for sloe gin. I could have had about a pound of mushrooms as well but as I already had over half a pound left from some a bought in Tewkesbury it seemed wasteful so I left them.

Tonight we are moored at Tibberton with the prospect of another twelve locks tomorrow and the thirty locks of the Tardebigge flight to look forward to on Thursday.

Today's journey 5.5 miles and 14 locks

So far we have travelled 679.7 miles, 575 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 17 tunnels

Long haul upstream

Today we did an about turn to head back to the canal system. Luckily what wind there was, was mainly from behind us and the current was not running too fast. It was still a long haul from Chaceley up to Worcester, we managed about three miles an hour upstream compared to the six we were doing downstream. We were a little concerned about how well Morgana's engine would cope with the hard work against the current but she behaved beautifully.

We enjoyed a pleasant, warm day cruising up the Severn, with very little traffic on the river. At Worcester we turned onto the Worcester and Birmingham Canal which we will follow northwards to join the Birmingham Canal Network. After that it will be back to Wolverhampton and then the Shroppie Union for the winter. Nearly time to rescue my car from Mandy's drive and look for work. Summer has gone far too quickly.

Today's journey 19.3 miles and 4 locks


So far we have travelled 674.2 miles, 561 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 17 tunnels

Only a little way

We were planning to meet Keith and Leesa at Haw Bridge, but when we went through Upper Lode Lock the lock keeper warned us that about five cruisers had gone down ahead of us all bound for Haw Bridge. As we did not fancy going all the way into Gloucester and moorings are few and far between we decided to stop at the Yew Tree Inn.

We were glad we did, the people were very friendly and the food was tasty and not overly expensive. The only problem was that mobile phone signal was virtually non-existent so trying to contact Keith to let him know we were a couple of miles further north on the Severn than originally planned meant me going for a half mile walk.

It was really nice to see Keith and Leesa again, hopefully now Ray is retired we may get to see more of them. Anyway we all enjoyed a nice Sunday lunch and a good chat.

On Saturday we travelled 2.8 miles and 1 lock


So far we have travelled 654.9 miles, 557 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 17 tunnels

Avon Calling

This morning the river level had gone down enough for the locks to be reopened so we set off for Upton-on Severn. Only a short run, of twelve miles and one lock. It was a bit chilly when the sun hid behind clouds but apart from that a pleasant morning. I spotted another two kingfishers and several herons as we travelled. However, our plans to stop at Upton were scuppered by the fact that the mooring pontoon was already full with boats breasted up. As we were not desperate to stop we decided to carry on to the River Avon junction at Tewkesbury, which is where we are now moored below the lock.

The lock keeper's hut has a line on the wall, above head height for me, which shows the level of the flood water in 2007. When you remember that this is on the lockside and the lock is about 8ft deep, that makes the flood water about 14ft above the river where we are now! I had a look online at some of the photos of the 2007 floods, as I can now identify places.

We took a stroll through town and had a wander around the Abbey. We only have about an hour's journey tomorrow to reach where we plan to meet Keith and Leesa.

Today's journey 17.8 miles and 1 lock.


So far we have travelled 652.1 miles, 556 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 17 tunnels.