Tewkesbury to Worcester Basin

Barge filling up at Ripple Wharf

It was dry and bright when we left Tewkesbury this morning.  We had just left the pontoon and started back to the River Severn when around the corner came Edward Elgar the big cruise boat from Gloucester so we had to reverse back and get into the side to let him past, then on out onto the River Severn we went, it was very calm and wasn’t running too fast.  This stretch of the river is pretty boring as the banks are high and you can’t really see very much.  On the river past Ripple Wharf where a barge was filling up with soil.  When it is full, it will take it two miles up stream to Ryall Wharf, not sure what it is used for.  We went a little further and met the other barge coming back down, under the M50 bridge and past Upton On Severn where a few boats were moored.

Going under the M50 Bridge

The flow of the river seemed to be getting faster and we were fighting against it abit, at times we seemed to be going backwards!  It took quite a while but eventually we were at Diglis Lock and in we went.  There was a hire boat following us and so we waited in the lock for them. 

In Worcester Basin Lock

We were going to moor on the pontoon at Diglis but as the lock keeper said the river was rising, it had risen 2 and a half inches since this morning, so we decided to go into the basin and also the hire boat was going in, so we could share the lock and make it easier for me.

Nearly in Worcester Basin

Kev dropped me off on the lock pontoon and I went up and helped with the lock, Kev and hire boat came in and we filled the lock.  The gates are really heavy and big on these two locks into the basin, so hard work.  Out of that lock and into the next one and soon we were in Worcester basin.

We stopped for water then we moored up.  It had started raining so we got a bit wet, that’s not good, we don’t do rain anymore!

We are going to chill out here now for the next few days and have a walk around Worcester, its such a nice place and after all that chugging on the river and doing two locks we need a rest!!

Moored in Worcester Basin