Worcester (Worcester & Birmingham Canal) to Diglis Moorings (Worcester) on the River Severn (River Severn)

Saturday 17^th October

Coming into Blockhouse Lock

Kev & Smugs in Sidbury Lock

We are going down two locks today and mooring in Diglis Basin so we had breakfast then set off to Blockhouse lock, there are no steps on these two locks so Smugs and Kev will stay on board and I will do the locks.  As we were approaching the first lock, a chap came up the towpath and said he would have opened the gate for us but the water had dropped down a bit, so I passed him my windlass and he went had got the lock ready for us.  There was another chap there and a girl, I think they sleep around the lock and they were having cans for breakfast!  They were friendly though and the other chap came and helped with the lock.  They said they love the canal and also help to keep it free of rubbish and one of them said he is sometimes a volunteer lock keeper for CRT but we did wonder!!  They said they would open the gates and then shut them behind Kev so I went on to Sidbury lock.

Kev & Smugs struggling to get to the Basin

It was empty so I had to fill it first then Kev came in the lock and down he went.  When you come out the lock you go under a road bridge and Kev got stuck under the bridge as the water was really low, so I let some through and he slowly got moving on along the canal and we moored at the water point in the basin but the water in the basin was about a foot down.  

While we were filling up with water, a chap on a boat opposite said that the water was low as they are working on Diglis lock and yesterday it had dropped about another foot.  Also there is a ledge along the moorings and some boats were stuck on the ledge yesterday, a bit disconcerting.  We filled up with water then moved back from the water point but didn’t really want to stay in the basin if the water was going to drop anymore.

Me & Smugs by the River at Worcester

As they are doing work on one of the locks leading to the River Severn, you have to have assisted passage by CRT.  We decided to walk up to the lock and see if we could go through and moor on the river. We couldn’t find anyone so we asked in the floating café and they rang the lock keeper for us and he said we could go through and he would come down and help.  Shortly after a volunteer  lock keeper and the resident lock keeper turned up and said they would get the lock ready for us, so Kev went and got the boat and we went through the two locks. The volunteer lock keeper was really friendly and a great help as they locks are big and the gates are really heavy.

Having lunch at The Anchor

Kev took the boat out onto the river and we moored on the floating pontoon opposite the weir.  The river is really low and you can see a line all along the bank where the water should be!

Smugs happy back with Mum & Dad

Three Cormorants going past the boat

Lovely view of the Cathedral from the River

John and Sharon got here around lunchtime and we all went to The Anchor pub in Diglis Basin for lunch.  Smuggler was really pleased to see his mum and dad.  We had a really nice lunch, the food is really good and they have a nice outside space to sit in.  We all then went back to the boat and had a coffee and then we packed up Smuggler’s things and walked up to their car with them and waved them off.  We will catch up with them again when we get back.   We were sad to see Smugs go, it has been really nice having him to stay and he was so good, the place is really quiet without him.

We are staying here until Tuesday then off down the river we go! 

Moored on River Severn at Worcester