Queens Head Pub to Below Tardebigge Top Lock (Worcester & Birmingham Canal)

We are off up the mighty Tardebigge locks today, we have 29 to do, there are 30 in this flight but we will moor below the last one and save that for another day.  The sun was shining but the wind was cold, it felt more like November than April but at least its dry so no complaining.

And off we go, only 28 more to go!

Working up the flight

It's hard work, this locking lark!

We set off early, just after 8am, well that is early for us, maybe not for others!  Smuggler and I walked to the first lock, got it ready as unfortunately two boats had already gone in front of us so the locks were against us, but didn’t take long to empty and in Kev came and we started off on our journey.

Come on Kev, not too far now

Smugs and I walked to each lock and got it ready while Kev finished off the last lock then brought the boat into the one I had got ready and we worked our way up the flight.

Great Crested Grebe

Passing the Reservoir

In the middle section we met two boats coming down so some of the locks were set for us which made life easier.  In one of the pounds there was a Great Crested Grebe which was nice to see as you don’t see them that often.

Our last lock for today

Hurray, we made it!

We worked our way up and then we got to Tardebigge Reservoir, when we see this we know we are not too far from the top.

Up we went and eventually we were at the top of the flight, not the very top as there is one more lock but it is a little way from all the other locks and we are mooring before that lock.  Smugs and I cheered as we went through the last lock, it took us about 4½ hours to get up the flight so we moored up just under the bridge and we all had some lunch and a well earned rest. The flight is hard work but really nice to do as they are set in lovely countryside and the locks are easy to work.

A bit later in the afternoon we went for a walk along the canal and up to the last lock.  We are now chilling out and staying here for a couple of days. 

Moored below Tardebigge Top Lock

A couple of days at Stoke Pound (Worcester & Birmingham Canal)

Monday 24^th and Tuesday 25^th April

Monday - We are off to do some food shopping today so we left Smuggler in the boat and walked to Morrisons and Aldi.  It is about a 20 minute walk from the canal so not too bad.

Our lovely pizzas

Our Gins!

I had a bit of an altercation in Morrisons as we bought some peppers which were priced up at one price but when we got to the till we were charged a higher price.  We went to customer service and told them and the chap came to the peppers to have a look and said they were priced correctly as there were two boxes of peppers the top box was the cheaper peppers and the bottom box was the dearer peppers, but obviously they had run out of the cheaper peppers and put a box of the dearer peppers there so people including us were being duped into thinking they were getting the cheaper ones when in fact they were paying the higher price so I told this chap that he was duping people but he wouldn’t have it.  I said to him that if they had no cheaper peppers they should take the sign down and he said Head Office wouldn’t allow that or I said that they should leave that space empty and he again said oh no we can’t do that Head Office wouldn’t allow that!  Aweful makes me so cross and he knew I was!

Gin menu

Inside the Queens Head pub

But we did get our money back and he gave us the peppers as well so I suppose that is something, I expect I am on their blacklist now!

We then went back to the boat, got Smuggler and went to the Queens Head pub for lunch.  In the week they do 2-4-1 pizzas and they are really good so we had them with the salad bar.

The Queens Head pub

They also had a gin menu so we tried a couple on there as there were some that we had not tried before and they serve them with lemonade and different garnishes so really nice.

We then just chilled out for the rest of the day. 

Tuesday – We are staying here again today.  The weather has turned cold and we are running low on coal so we walked back up to Morrisons and Aldi but they didn’t have any, so we walked to Home Base and luckily they had a bag so we popped it on the sack truck and wheeled it back to the boat.

Smugs enjoying the morning sun

It was a lovely sunny morning but it turned really wintry early afternoon and we had rain, sleet and hail, but only for a short period and then the sun came out again.  We are chilling out here for the rest of the day then an early start tomorrow as up Tardebigge we go!

Top of Astwood Locks to The Queen's Head pub, Stoke Pound (Worcester & Birmingham Canal)

Beautiful night sky at Astwood

Into the lock they go

Sunny morning on the canal

After a couple of days at Astwood chilling out and doing some really nice walks we are on the move today and the sun was shining.  We set off along the canal and stopped at the water point to fill up.  We then carried on along the canal and soon came to our first lock for today, we have six to do, the Stoke flight of locks. 

Smugs in charge again!

The lock was empty so I went and opened the gates and Kev and Smugs brought the boat in.  We were soon at the top and on our way again. The next five are quite close together so when we got to the next one, Smugs and I got out and he stayed with me up the flight.

Luckily today all of them were set for us, so it didn’t take that long to do the flight although there was a lot of water coming down and running over the lock gates in places.  We only met a couple of boats, the canal is very quiet now after the Easter rush.

Working up the flight

We came out the last lock, went under the bridge and moored up opposite The Queen’s Head pub at Stoke pound, it is at the bottom of the Tardebigge locks which is 30 locks but we are saving those for another day!

Not many more to go thank goodness!

Nearly at the top

Coming back from our walk

We had lunch then went out for a walk.  We walked back to the last lock as there was a cache there but no luck finding it today. We then walked down the lane to find another cache and we were lucky with that one.  We walked across a field but then turned back as there was young cows in the next field where the path went and they all came to the fence they were interested in Smuggler so we went back the way we came and then took a footpath to take us to the canal.  Unfortunately the stiles were not at all dog friendly and the first one Smugs managed to jump over with a bit of help from us, the next one he squeezed through the bars but the last one which took us to the canal was really high so Kev and I lifted him over with a bit of help from him, mind you it was like lifting a small horse or donkey!  We then walked down about five locks back to the boat.

We then just chilled out and Smugs was soon fast asleep outside at first but then made it to the chair where he stayed until his tea was ready!

We are now staying here for a couple of days then Tardebigge beckons!

Moored at The Queen's Head 

Hanbury Wharf to Top of Astwood Locks (Worcester & Birmingham Canal)

We are on the move today and we have six locks to do, but they are a flight and quite close together so should be fine.

In first of the six locks

Nearly up another lock

It was another dry day again.  We went over to the boatyard first to get some diesel and gas then off we went.

Smuggler likes to be outside so he went out the back with Kev and we chugged on to the first lock. 

  

Is he coming?

The first lock was set for us so we didn’t take long to get through.  Smugs walked with me to the next lock and a boat was coming down so we waited for them to come out and then in we went.

Me and my helper

Can you see me!

This set of locks aren’t very deep so they don’t take long to get through.  Smugs stayed out with me for the rest of the locks and Kev finished the lock we were in and Smugs and I went on to the next one.  Unfortunately the rest of the locks were against us, but they didn’t take that long to get through and soon we were at the top of the flight.

Hanbury Church

We chugged under the bridge and moored up just past there.

Lovely window in the church

Very apt cache container

We had some lunch then went off for a walk, hopefully it would be a circular one if we went the right way.  We walked down the lane and uphill and after a while we were at Hanbury Church, St Mary the Virgin. There was two caches there and we were lucky today as we found both of them.

Lovely views from the church yard

The church is an Anglian parish church in the village of Hanbury, its earliest parts date from about 1210 and it is a Grade I listed building.  It is a really lovely church and the views from the church yard are absolutely stunning, it’s a fantastic place.  We then went inside the church and there are some lovely windows and also there is a little self-service café in the church where you can make a hot or cold drink and have a biscuit or chocolate bar and put the money in the box by the door, what a great idea.

We then walked down the other way and did one more cache and found that one too so we had a hat trick today! We then walked through Piper’s Hill Nature Reserve and eventually back to the boat.  It was a really great walk, just under 4 miles.

We are staying here for a couple of nights now.

Moored at the top of Astwood Locks

A Couple of Days at Hanbury Wharf

Wednesday 19^th April

In Vines Park

We are off down to Droitwich today, so we had breakfast then walked down the canal.  We did a couple of caches on the way, one we found and one we didn’t.  We got to Vines park and Kev and Smuggs stayed in the park and I went to the shops for a few supplies then when I got back we had a picnic in the park as it is another dry sunny day.

We walked back up the canal and back to the boat.

We are staying here tonight then on the move tomorrow.

Yesterday Tuesday 18th April

Today we are off to Hanbury Hall, it is less than a 2 mile walk from the canal and a National Trust property.

Cache hanging in tree

Hanbury Hall

We set off along the road and there was a cache on the way, we had a look but couldn't find it,so we carried on and went down a lane to Hanbury Park which takes you to Hanbury Hall.  Just before we entered the park, there was another cache and we had luck in finding this one, it was on a star hanging in a tree.

Dining Room

Lovely Staircase

We crossed the park and came to Hanbury Hall, it is really impressive.  Thomas Vernon, a highly successful London laywer, built Hanbury Hall in 1710 as a country retreat - a place for entertaining and an opportunity to express his wealth & his taste.

Having my lunch

There was a tour of the downstairs of the house shortly after we got there, so we joined that and had a look around.  After 1pm the house is open to anyone and so after then you can go back and have another look and also go upstairs.

Entrance to Ice House

We then went and had a look around the grounds, there are lots of separate gardens, fruit garden, vegetable garden, walled garden to name a few and a lovely formal garden called The Sunken Parterre which was designed by Royal Gardener George London.

Looking down on the formal garden

There is also an ice house in the grounds so we went and had a look at that then it was lunch time.  We brought a picnic so we sat on a bench by the Orangery and had that.

The Sunken Parterre

There was a tour of the gardens at 2pm so we joined that and it was really interesting and had a nice stroll around.

In Snobs Tunnel

There is a tunnel in the gardens called Snobs Tunnel, apparently it was so that Gardeners could go from one side of the garden to the other without being seen by guests.

We then had an ice-cream before we left.  Mine was Plum made from local Worcestershire plums and Kev had Rhubarb made from Rhubarb gown at Hanbury Hall and they were both delicious.

We then walked back to the boat and had another look for the cache in the lay-by and found it this time but sadly it was on the floor and broken, so we replaced it where it should have been the best we could and carried on.

It was a great day out at Hanbury Hall, really worth visiting.

We chilled out for a bit then John and Sharon turned up with Smuggler.   Smugs is staying with us for a couple of weeks.  We left Smugs in our boat and we went up to the pub where we are moored.  It does a great carvery and we weren’t disappointed, it was really good.  We had a nice meal then went back to the boat for coffee.  John & Sharon then said bye to Smuggs and went home.

Dunhampstead to Hanbury Wharf (Worcester & Birmingham Canal)

Carpet in the Woods!

Coming to the Tunnel

We stayed put yesterday and went for a lovely 4 mile circular walk to Trench Wood and Nature Reserve and did some caches.  Out of the seven we did, we found five, so not bad.  It was a lovely walk through the fields then up into the woods which were covered in bluebells, they looked like a carpet.

In the Tunnel

And out we come

We are on the move today, it’s dry but overcast and quite chilly.  We are only going less than two miles again today to Hanbury Wharf as tomorrow we have a visitor coming for two weeks, Smuggler, John & Sharon’s dog and this is a good place for us to pick him up.  We left the mooring at Dunhampstead and then went through Dunhampstead Tunnel, it is only 230yds so a nice short tunnel to ease us in gently as we have lots more to do on our trip and much longer than this one!

Droitwich

We chugged on and soon we were at Hanbury Wharf where we moored up.

Vines Park

We had some lunch, then walked down to Droitwich via the Driotwich Canal. It had been raining while we had our lunch but cleared up, so we walked down in the dry.  We had a wander around the shops and did two caches, went for a coffee then headed back through Vines Park and backup the canal.

We just got back to the boat and guess what, it started raining again, that was lucky!  We are just chilling out now by the fire as it is a tad chilly.

Moored at Hanbury Wharf