Narrowboat Just Heaven

A late start around nine o’clock as we didnt have far to go. We stopped at Wolverley for breakfast and then went for a walk from Wolverley Forge bridge, across the river and some fields & woods to come out on “The Shortyard”. From there down through the village and out along the footpath that follows part of the river Stour to emerge near Wolverley Court lock and then back along the towpath, stopping for an ice cream from the lockside tea rooms.

A short stop in Kidderminster to pop in to Halfords to buy son in law Paul’s birthday present then on to just above Falling Sands lock where we winded and headed back to the mooring.

As we hadn’t gone to Limekiln we hadn’t topped up with diesel or gas. There wasnt much I could do about the diesel, but I knew of a caravan dealers in Stourport that does Calor gas, so we went there by car. I bought a bottle of gas and Lindsay bought a caravan !

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The original idea for today was to cruise up to Aldersley junction, turn and then call in at Limekiln Chandlery in Compton for diesel, a bottle of gas and a pumpout. First thing in the morning the red light for the holding tank came on to indicate that it was full. This meant we definately needed a pumpout today. A check on Limekiln’s website confirmed what I had thought - they dont open on Sundays! So a quick change of plan. We winded just below Dimmingsdale lock and headed back towards Kinver where there is a DIY pumpout machine.

When we got to Bratch there were two boats coming up. Neither of the two crews seemed to be very confident so we helped them up and then went down ourselves. As we left the bottom of the flight it started to rain, not a good omen for our (delayed) barbeque! The weather stayed grey and drizzly until late afternoon and then started to brighten up. After a breakfast stop below Botterham staircase we plodded onto Kinver where we did the pumpout then moored up on the visitor’s mooring below the lock.

A visit to Kinver high street for a bit of shopping then we sat out on the towpath with Pimms and Gin & Tonic for a while before lighting the barbecue (at last). By the time the steaks were ready it was chilling off a bit so we ate inside. This is supposed to be June, but the weather is more like March!

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A lazy start today, we had a cup of tea in bed at eight and didnt get going until just gone nine. The weather was grey and overcast with occasional drizzle on and off all day. We were hoping for a barbeque tonight and had planned on stopping at the picnic site at the bottom of Bratch, but it was obvious by the afternoon that is wasnt going to be barbeque weather.

There was a noticable lack of water in the canal. The levels were down and with the need for dredging in places it was very shallow making progress slow and steering difficult at times. On the very sharp bend just before Debdale lock we met an oncoming boat. I slammed in to reverse, there was a load clunk and the engine stalled. I restarted, into gear, nothing. Obviously something round the prop. The crew from the other boat took our rope and got us to the side. I went down the weed hatch to find a large log about 4 foot long and 3-4″ diameter. It came out fairly easily and were were off on our way again. A ‘full english’ was taken just above Whittington lock.

We got to the bottom of Bratch at about five o’clock and decided to carry on up as it wasn’t really barbeque weather. There was aready a boat in the bottom chamber and the lockie said to follow them up. We moored up on the vistor’s mooring by the cricket club shortly after 5:30.

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Here for the weekend with friends Teresa & Lindsay. We arrived in Kidderminster about fiveish, unloaded, topped up the water and chugged for an hour or so to Wolverley.

The plan was to have a meal and then go for a walk around the village, but by the time we had eaten it was getting rather chilly so we gave up on the walk idea!

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The rain had stopped for part of the night, but then started again heavily around 6:00. I was a little conerned that the river levels would come up too much and we wouldnt be able to get back. This part of the severn often becomes un-navigable after several days of heavy rain around the headwaters in Wales. I logged on to Metcheck and it didnt look good. They were forcasting another day of heavy rain and giving out a “severe weather warning” with “risks of localised flooding in the Midlands & Wales”. We decided that the best thing was to leave straight away and get off of the river as soon as possible.
Heddi and I donned the wet weather gear and started off up river. Jan & Mike stayed in bed! The flow on the river was stronger than usual and the level had come up about a foot and was still rising. But we made good progress and got to Stourport in three hours. We were kept supplied with cups of tea, but this time no sausage sandwiches.
We were going to stop on the pontoons for lunch and wait for the rain to stop, but there was no room. So we started up the staircases. The first one went OK. Heddi & Mike were working the second one and had already emptied the bottom chamber and I had brought the boat in. When they went up to the top chamber there was a boat waiting to come in. The woman who was crewing had opened the gate paddle (even though the lock was already full) and then berated Heddi & Mike for trying to steal ‘her’ lock. Luckily a BW guy was on hand and quickly put her in her place and told her to let us through. She obviously thought that it was a ordinary lock, which demonstrates either her incompetance or stupidity (probably both). Up through York St lock and on to the safety of the canal for bacon & egg sandwiches.

Back to the home mooring for strawberries, clotted cream & macaroons (seems to be a lot of eating this trip!) then packed up and headed home.

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We woke up early, around fiveish. It had been raining most of the night and was getting harder. We decided to make an early start and be at Lincomb lock at 8:00 when it opened. Anyone in Stourport that morning could have witnessed a succession of four people, only partially clad in an assortment of dressing gowns, pyjamas and towels, dashing to and from Just Heaven and the shower block at 6:00 in the morning!
Down through the staircase locks and out onto the river. The level was more or less normal and well in the “green”. It was still pouring with rain and fairly chilly. We arrived at Lincomb lock just before 8:00 but the lockie let us through. It took us about two and a half hours to get to Worcester, during which time it didnt stop raining. The cold and wet was only relieved by a succession of cups of tea, and at one point some sausage sandwiches. Have you ever tried eating a soggy sausage sandwich, clad head to toe in wet weather gear, with one freezing cold hand (the other being used to steer the boat) before the plate fills up with water?
When we arrived we moored up just upstream of the boat clubs as this is the nearest mooring to the race course. I lit the fire and put the central heating on so that we could warm up and dry out our clothes. Teresa & Lindsay arrived, but we abandoned the pre-race Pimms in favour of a cup of tea!
We went across to the race course and met the rest of the group that had driven up from Tytherington. By now the weather had improved a little, now just drizzly rain. The afternoon started with us all drinking a toast to Kay and Andy’s recently arrived twin grand daughters. Then Andy tried to educate us in the complexities of betting and race horse form, but in general the bets were placed according to the age old formula of how nice the name sounds, or the pretty colour of the jockey’s hat.

The picnic was taken huddled under umberellas, we were supposed to have had a gazebo, but didn’t. Can you remember why that was Lins? The second part of the picnic (a cream tea with scones, clotted cream etc) was had onboard Just Heaven in the warm. What a difference the weather makes. On a lovely warm summer’s day it would have been great sipping Pimms or champagne and watching the horses. In the cold and wet it was rather different. The ladies had all wanted to wear their posh frocks and hats, but in the end most settled for raincoats and wellie boots.

In the evening six of us went for a meal at Pizza Express, then four stayed on board and Teresa & Lindsay drove home.

Weatherwise the evening was the best part of the day.
photos © Mike Tyres

Next day ->

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Arrived in Kidderminster at about 13:30 with friends Jan & Mike after being stuck in traffic on the A449 for quite a while. The plan for the weekend was to go down to Worcester for Ladies Day at the races. We were due to meet various other friends there who would be coming by car.
A fairly uneventful cruise down to Stourport. We had thought of mooring overnight on the river, but the traffic had made us late and anyway there wasnt room on the pontoons, so we stayed in the basin by the services.
We had a wonderful Lamb casserole that Mike had made earlier and went to bed.
Photo © Mike Tyres

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It took just two hours to get back to our home mooring. Another super day weatherwise, but unfortunately it’s time to go home. Back in 4 days though.

The wretched ducks had been active and made a mess all over the pontoon again. We had to spend 20min cleaning it all off before we could begin unloading.

I left the troughs with the plants on the pontoon in the shade of the boat. I watered them well and hope that they last until Friday.

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