Hanbury Wharf to Dunhampstead (Worcester & Birmingham Canal)

Smugs & I in Vine Park

Yesterday we stayed put, so we had breakfast then we walked down the Droitwich Canal to Vine Park in Droitwich.  It is a nice walk down the locks.  There is a nice little bakery near the Waitrose and so we went there to get some bread and tea cakes and a few little treats.  It is really good stuff and delicious.  Kev and Smuggler went back to the park and I had a wander around the shops.  We met back up, then walked back up the locks and back to the boat.  It was a nice sunny day so we sat in the pub garden and had some lunch, then just chilled out for the rest of the day.

We are moving on today, but just to Dunhampstead less than a couple of miles along the canal.  Before we left, we walked down to the house where they sell the eggs to get some more and to see if the lady had any jam.  The lady was in her garden so I chatted to her and she said that they hadn’t made any damson jam this year but she would look in her cupboard to see if she had any other pots and she came out with a pot of plum jam and charged me50p!  If its anything like her damson jam we are in for a treat.

Dunhampstead Tunnel

We went back to the boat and chugged off along the canal.  The canal is very quiet and we only met one boat and soon we were at Dunhampstead Tunnel which is only 230yds long.  There is no towpath in this tunnel so the horses used to walk over the hill while boatman pulled the boats through using the handrail along each side, luckily we have an engine so no pulling was required!

Smugs in Dunhampstead Tunnel

Soon through the tunnel and we were at Dumhampstead where there is a boat yard and a hire boat firm and we moored in the visitor moorings just beyond the bridge.

There is a small craft shop here and we went up to have a look, but unfortunately it was closed.  It was another nice sunny day so in the afternoon we put Smuggler on a lead tied around the metal piling and he sat outside for quite a while, he likes that.

We are staying here tonight and chugging on a bit further tomorrow to Tibberton.

Moored at Dunhampstead