The Waterways Wanderings of Narrowboat “Just Heaven”
We left Worcester after breakfast and arrived at Stourport about midday.
After a bit of shopping and a light lunch we walked to Bewdley along the riverside path. It’s a lovely walk of about four miles. The weather was perfect, so warm in fact that we needed an ice cream when we arrived in Bewdley. We felt too lazy to walk back so we caught a bus. I havent been on a bus for years and was surprised by how pleasant an experience it was.
Just after eight o’clock we left Pratts wharf and headed for Stourport. As we approached York St lock two boats pulled out in front of us. One of them then proceded to wind just above the lock. We had to wait while he winded, then wait to go down the lock behind him. It would have been more polite to let us pass before trying to wind, or at least to say ‘thank you’ to us for waiting. It later turned out that they were only going down into the basin to enter the dry dock anyway.
When we got to the top of the first staircase there were two boats waiting and one coming up. There is very limited space there so we breasted up with one on the pontoon. A young family on a Viking Afloat boat were next down and we helped work them through. By this time another hire boat (Countrywide Cruisers) had arrived to go down. A Canaltime boat started coming up the lower staircase without checking the situation further up. So by the time we came out of the bottom chamber of the top staircase there were two boats waiting in the short basin to come up. With quite a lot of manouvering it was all sorted out and we headed off down river.
During all the above Heddi chatted to the crew of another boat in the dry dock. We need to have our bottom blacked next autumn and havent quite decided whether to do it ourselves or have it done professionally.
We had planned to top up with water at Holt lock, but the watr point seems to have been removed. By the time we discovered this the bacon & sausages were already cooked, so we moored up on the pontoon anyway and had breakfast. I knew that there was a water point just before Diglis locks so we decided to go there, get the water then come back up river to moor by the racecource. However as we were passing the trip boat moorings I spotted a water point tuck away round a corner so we topped up there instead.
In the afternoon we we went for a wander round the shops looking for inspirations for Christmas presents !
Just up for the day with friends David & Veronica. They live in South Africa and are over in the UK for the summer. David is interested in narrowboats and is considering one for their UK base, so we thought that a little taster by way of a day trip would be a good idea.
We arrived at Kidderminster just after 10:00. The owners of NB Tetty, which is also moored at Roundhill Wharf, also live in South Africa and happened to be onboard. So David & Veronica had a natter to them while we got the boat ready to depart. We then winded by Tesco and headed down to Stourport. The weather wasnt too good and it started to rain.
The narrow lock staircase was out of action as BW were replacing a cill on the lowest lock into the river, so we had to use the wide locks. This was a BW supervised operation requiring two boats to breast up in order to negotiate the tight turn in the lower basin. We went down with a Countrywide Cruisers hire boat. It took quite a while and it was just gone one o’clock when we got out onto the river. We had planned to go down to the Hampstall Inn for lunch, that was nearly an hour away and we were getting hungry. When we got to the pub we discovered that they dont serve food on Mondays!
So we headed off back up to Stourport again, by this time it was raining much harder. As it would take quite while to get back up through the two wide locks we moored up on the pontoons and went in search of lunch. The newly opened Windlass Cafe looked good so we decided on that. While we were in the cafe the rain suddenly started to pour even harder!. BW were only allowing boats through the wide locks in pairs so we had to wait for another boat to arrive before we could go up. After about 20mins an Anglo Welsh hire boat came up the river and we went up with them. They were novices and had done nothing like this before, but were willing to learn and did very well. As we left the top lock the heavens opened for the most amazing downpour. Veronica and I had gone ahead to set York St lock and had sheltered under the bridge, but Heddi & David got drenched.
We had noticed two Canaltime (or Canal Bost Club as they are called now) boats going up from the river just before us. When I got to the lock one was just leaving and the other was moored by the services block. I started to prepare the lock but a woman said that it wasnt our turn and we had to wait for their second boat as they were traveling together. I replied that as there wasnt a boat waiting on the lock moorings we assumed that the lock was available for use, and that their other boat was getting water or whatever. She then started complaining that no one told them they were supposed to wait on the lock moorings and that no one told them where they had to go after coming up off the river. I asked if they had a book (Nicholsons or Pearsons) but she complained that they hadn’t been given one. I then tried to politely give her some information about waterway operation & etiquette etc but she then remonstrated that they knew what to do as they had “been boating for years”.
The rain had stopped now and everything was OK until just after Pratts Wharf . There were several boats stopped and we got closed it was obvious why. There was a tree down across the cut. A couple of other boats were waiting in our direction and one the other way. I asked the guy on the baot nearest the tree if BW had been called, he said that they had. David thought that we might be able to move it ourselves so, with the help of a passing cyclist, we had a go, but no luck. I called BW thinking that a second report might speed them up, but they knew nothing about it! A BW guy rang me back about 5 minutes later saying that they would have a team there in about 30mins.
Fortyfive mins later two guys turned up, but with no tools or anything. The message they got said that boats were just squeezing past but needed assistance! One of them went back and returned about 20mins later with a truck and chainsaws etc. It didnt take them long to clear a way through and we were on our way.
We packed up and David drove home, getting back at about 10 o’clock - 3 hours later than expected.
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.
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
Left about 8:00 and arrived in Worcester just after 12 for lunch. We moored up just above the rowing clubs at an ideal spot for next week, when we are coming back for Worcester races. We left agin to carry on up river at 12:55.
3 hours and 10 mins later arrived in Stourport and moored on the floating pontoons by the locks. It’s been very hot again, 26°C according to one of the lock keepers. Some teenagers were swimming in the river near the lock entrance.
Lots of wildlife today, another garaney (with chicks), greenshanks, cormorants, sand martins, an otter and a possibe weasel.
The evening sunshine made ideal conditions for some lovely reflections on the mirror-flat river.
We walked back into the docks in the morning and met Teresa (who was queueing to see Gok Wan !). We wandered round to the area by the lock and found Jim with his cannon. He was all dressed up in authentic clothing of the era.
We got a text from Nikki to say that they were coming to Gloucester as well and would be there in about 40mins so we decided to walk back to Hempstead, get the boat and come back up to Llanthony pontoons where we could have a pumpout and top up the water whilst waiting for them.
They arrived while we were still pumping out. After we had finished we arranged to moor breasted up with another boat across the other side of the channel. Meanwhile Jim had fired his gun with a tremendous bang, which frightened Izzy!
We wandered around a bit more with Nik & Paul, showed them where the Gloucester Quays was and then decided that we ought to start back up the river.
I checked with the Llanthony bridge keeper that it was OK to go through and he said he would clear it with the lock keeper and we set off. Coming through the docks with all the activity was very different! We hovered in the centre for a while waiting for the lock to open, but it didn’t. I called the keeper and he said to wait 20mins as there was a boat coming up. It was difficult to wait in the wind, so we moored up temporarily right by Jim’s cannon.
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We intended to overnight at Lower Lode but there was no room, or at any of the other mooring spots below upper lode lock. So we went through upper lode and up the Avon to below the lock. It was busy with both narrowboats & cruisers and by 8 o’clock there wasnt any room and some late comers had to moor up three abreast. The weather was still hot and after a meal we went for a longish walk along the Avon and back through the town of Tewkesbury.
Saw a Mandarin duck on the way up the river to Tewkesbury.
Left home in two cars, left one at Slimbridge and then on up to Kidderminster. Unloaded and went to start the engine, turned over OK, but wouldn’t fire. I suspected that the cylinder glow plugs were not coming on. A poke about in the engine to tighten up some wiring and bingo, we were off.
At Caldwall lock we were delayed as one of the bottom gates wouldn’t open. A while prodding around with the boat hook must have moved something, though I don’t know what. The original plan was to spend the night on the river moorings, but by now it was getting late so we settled for the Upper basin instead.
Ate & went to bed!
Yet another trip to the shops in the morning, then up the river to Stourport.
We stopped on the pontoons between the wide & narrow locks. The only space available was right by the outflow from the basins. There was a lot of water coming down and I thought that the noise might keep Nikki & Paul awake at night, but no these youngsters sleep like logs !
We moved down to the moorings by the Commandery. I say ‘we’, but actually the others did all the work as I was down below working on my laptop trying to solve a problem with a customer’s server.
The rest of the morning and part of the afternoon was spent wandering round the shops. Then we moved round to the visitor’s moorings on the river by the rowing clubs.
Heddi & I then walked across the footbridge to Homebase where we bought a sheet of perspex which I intend to fit into the hatch opening so that we can have the light without the cold and rain. Nik & Paul went back into town to recce likely eating places. They found a really nice Singaporean restaurant where we had an excellent evening meal later.