Tibberton to Dunhampstead(Worcester & Birmingham Canal)

Passing Oddingly Church

We are on the move today and the sun was shining as we set off.  We are only going a couple of miles to Dunhampstead.  The main Bristol to Birmingham railway line runs right by the canal in places.  We passed Oddingly which has a lovely little church by the canal and chugged on.  The canal was very quiet this morning.

My Rhubarb Gin

Soon we were mooring up in the visitor moorings at Dunhampstead.  We had the pick of the spaces as we were the only boat there.

Fir Tree Inn

We chilled out for a bit, then walked up the road to the pub The Firtree Inn.  It is a really nice pub and we had a lovely lunch.  They also have a gin menu with about 12 gins so plenty to choose from.  I had Tiger gin and then Warner Edwards Victoria  Rhubarb Gin and very nice they were too.

We then walked back to the boat in glorious sunshine and in time to watch the qualifying for the GP and will just chill out for the rest of the day.

Moored at Dunhampstead

Worcester Marina to Tibberton (Worcester & Birmingham Canal)

Leaving the marina behind

In the first lock for today

Cache we found at the lock

We are off today after going back to Weston for a couple of days.  We filled up with water then chugged out of the marina and along the canal to the first lock for today as we have twelve to do before we moor up.  We had a bit of rain early in the morning but by the time we were ready to leave it had stopped and was dry although very cloudy.

On to the next lock we go

Sitting Around!

We were soon through there and on our way to the next one.  The canal was quite quiet at first, just a boat behind us and one in front so unfortunately a lot of the locks were against us but they are not very deep so they don’t take long to do.  The first few were close together and then a few spaced apart then the last six were in a flight so nice and close to each other.  At the top of the first two locks there was a cache so we quickly had a look around and found it quite easily.

One more to go

Tibberton Church

We worked our way through the locks and soon were at the bottom of the last six.  A couple of boats came down so it didn’t take us too long to get to the top.  We chugged on along the canal under the M5 motorway, around the corner and moored up at Tibberton.

We had lunch, then went for a walk up to the church in the village as there was a cache nearby and we haven’t been there before.  We found the cache easily then had a look in the church which is only small but really nice then we walked back through the village back to the boat.

We are staying here tonight then chugging on tomorrow.

Moored at Tibberton

Worcester Pontoon (River Severn) to Worcester Marina (Worcester & Birmingham Canal)

Chugging to the lock

We are moving on today.  We set off about 10am and I walked up to the two big locks which take us into the basin.  The first lock was set for us so I opened the gates, telephoned  Kev and he brought the boat around and into the lock he came.  I shut the gate and opened the paddle and up we came. 

In Diglis bottom lock

In Diglis top lock

There was a boat coming down the other lock so we came out and they went in and we went into the other lock and up we went and after a bit we were out into Diglis basin and onto the Worcester & Birmingham canal, back on the narrow canals, hurray!

We stopped at the water point then went onto the first lock.  It was empty so in we went and we were soon through there.  We chugged onto the next one, Blockhouse lock, unfortunately this one was full, so I emptied it and then we came in and soon we were up and out.

Onto the narrows we go!

In Sidbury Lock

Reversing into the Marina

We chugged on along the canal.  We are mooring at Worcester marina for a couple of nights as tomorrow we have to go back to Weston-Super-Mare as I have my annual mammogram.  Last year we moored in here as well and Kev drove in but then we had to turn around in the marina and reverse into the space, so this time Kev reversed in and very good he was too. 

We saw the chap from the marina and he showed us our space and said it would be better if we drove in so guess what Kev had to turn the boat around and drive into the space.  We had to laugh as he made such an effort to reverse in, then had to turn around anyway!

We are staying here until Friday,  having a walk around the shops this afternoon, then getting the train tomorrow morning to Weston, staying overnight with Davina then coming back to Worcester on Thursday.  On Friday we will be on our way again.

Moored in Worcester Marina

Upton-Upon-Severn to Worcester (River Severn)

We set off this morning to Worcester and it was another beautiful sunny and warm day with a lovely blue sky.  It will take us 2 to 3 hours to get to Worcester but a lovely day for a chug.

Leaving Upton on a sunny morning

Coming to the footbridge

We passed a couple of boats coming down the river but you never see many boats and there is not much to see as you are chugging along as the banks are high and mainly lots of trees, but the river is really calm and low so can’t ask for much more!

Coming to Diglis Lock

Nearly Up!

We chugged on and then we were going under the foot bridge at Worcester and going into Diglis lock.  There are two locks here, a big one and a smaller one, today we went into the smaller one.  We hooked onto the cables and up we went.  It didn’t take very long and soon we were going out the other side.  We stopped at the water point to get water and then chugged on to the visitor pontoon outside the locks which take you onto the Worcester & Birmingham Canal.  It looked full so we weren’t hopeful that we would get a space but there was one so in we went.

We tied up, had some lunch then went for a walk along the river and up to the shops, we had a walk through there then out onto the canal and into Diglis basin where we stopped at the café boat and had a coffee sitting in the sun as it was such a lovely day again.  We then walked back to the boat.

We are staying here on the pontoon for a couple of days, then heading up the two locks and into Diglis basin and onto the Worcester & Birmingham canal, we are looking forward to getting on the narrow canals again.

Moored at Worcester

Day in Upton

Church of St Peter & St Paul

We are staying put today so had breakfast and the sun was shining again.  We decided to do a nice walk this morning and fit in some geocaches on the way.  We set off through the town and soon came to the Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul and there was a cache there which we found quite easily.  It is a lovely church.  We then went on to our next one which was off would you believe it Minge Lane!  That made Kev chuckle!  

Minge Lane!

We found that one as well, then crossed the road and went down a lane and found our third cache of the morning. We don’t usually find all of them so we were quite chuffed. 

  

River Severn

We then went down a bridleway and walked along there for a bit and I somehow fell over a branch and hit the deck, I went down like a sack of spuds!  I didn’t hurt myself only my pride so on we went and got our fourth cache of the day.  We then followed a path through the fields and after a while we came to the River Severn and the Severn Way.  There was another cache there and believe it or not we got that one as well.

Walking the Severn Way

It was such a beautiful morning and very warm, so we ambled along by the river and soon came to the last cache we were doing today, but unfortunately even though we searched high and low, no luck for this one, but never mind we did well today.

Upton Ham

We then came to Upton Ham which is an area of special scientific interest and walked all through there and eventually it brought us back to Upton and the boat.

We had lunch then went for another walk over to the marina as it was too nice a day to sit indoors.  We sat outside at the marina and had a coffee and a lime and soda then wandered back to the riverside and did our usual Derby and Joan sitting on a bench for a while.

We are just chilling out tonight then off up to Worcester tomorrow morning.

Tewkesbury to Upton-Upon-Severn (River Severn)

Leaving Tewkesbury

We are heading off today, so had breakfast then headed back onto the River Severn and up towards Upton.

Approaching Mythe Bridge

We chugged under Mythe Bridge, it is a lovely looking bridge and very old and on we went.  No sunshine this morning but at least it is dry and the river is so very calm, like a mill pond.

Good day for drying your wings!

Clive's Fruit Farm

After a couple of hours, we were at Upton-Upon-Severn where there was a space on the pontoon so we moored up there.

Farm Shop

Pigs at Farm

Last night when we met Callum and Sue, they said that last time they were here, they had walked to a farm shop so we thought we would have a look and see if we could find it.  We had lunch, then set off down the road and after about a 15 minute walk, we came to Clive’s Fruit Farm and what a great place it was.  There was chickens, duck and guinea fowl running around and a couple of pigs in a pen.  There was also a really good farm shop selling fresh bread, home-made apple juice, scotch eggs, pork pies and meat along with lots of other goodies.  We bought a few things then headed to the café and had a coffee sat out in the sunshine which had eventually come out.

Pepperpot Tower in Upton

We then walked back to Upton and did one geocache, then had a walk around the shops and saw a leaflet for The Pudding Shop selling home-made sweet and savoury puddings so obviously we set off to find it which we did and so tonight for our dessert guess what we have got!  Hope they taste as good as they look!

The Pudding Shop

We then sat by the river for a bit watching the world go by, although only two boats came and both moored here at Upton, but it was lovely sitting in the sun.

We are staying here tonight and also tomorrow, then heading up to Worcester on Sunday.

Moored at Upton-Upon-Severn

Off we go! - Gloucester Docks to Tewkesbury (River Severn)

Thursday 6th April

We are setting off on our travels today and the sun was shining.  Another boat was going in the lock as well and we had to have an escort through the basin to the lock as they are dredging there and there is lots of cables going across.  We followed our escort and then into the lock we went, we latched onto the poles and the gates shut and down we went.

Our Escort

Out onto the partings

Before not too long, the gates opened and off we went onto the River Severn saying bye bye Gloucester as we went off up the partings, this is the narrow bit that takes you from the lock up onto the main River Severn.  It takes about 30 to 40 minutes to get up this bit and then we turned onto the main river.

The other boat went out first and said he hoped this boat was faster than their other one, and as they haven’t had this boat long, I think he wanted to see how fast it would go! 

The river is very low at the moment and really calm so a great day to go out on it.

Cormorant in Tree

Up the River we go

In Upper Lode Lock

We chugged along and it was a lovely sunny morning and on up the river we went and after a few hours we were at Upper Lode lock.  The other boat went in first and then we went in and up we went.   It was Mike on the lock, the lock keeper from Gloucester.  The gates opened and they were going out first.  For some reason they had turned their engine off in the lock, maybe to save diesel!

Towing Vark out of the lock

He turned the key and nothing, kept trying but it wouldn’t start, something to do with fuses apparently, so we had to tow them out and put them on the pontoon outside the lock.  Mike helped as well.  Our good deed for the day!

We left them on the pontoon and chugged on to Tewkesbury.  They must have got it going because as we were turning onto the Avon they chugged by.

We moored on the pontoon outside Avon lock and had our lunch.  The lock keeper came down and we said we wanted to stay the night and he said that was fine.  We went up to the lock and paid for the night, it is £3.  We had a walk around the town and did some geocaching as it was such a lovely sunny afternoon.

In the evening, our friends Sue and Callum came up from Nailsworth and we went for a meal in an Italian restaurant in the town and very good it was too.  We had a lovely evening and it was great to see them.

We are off up to Upton Upon Seven tomorrow and so the journey begins!

Moored at Tewkesbury