Sorry folks no blog for a few days.  My only excuse is a touch of lethargy and internet failure yesterday when I had almost completed but not saved my post.  Not a happy bunny!

Well to try and catch up:

The weather forecast for Saturday was a bit grim so we decided to have a short day and moved from the mooring and up Stoke Locks, a flight of six.  This took us about an hour and a half and we moored up at the bottom of Tardebigge Flight ready to go up on Sunday, weather permitting.  Took the dogs for a walk up the locks and watched several boats going through. It was still dry but we could hear a lot of thunder rumbling around and by the time we got back to the boat the first drops were beginning to fall.  It threw it down for the rest of the afternoon and all evening.

Row of cottages at Stoke Locks

Sunday morning it had stopped raining so after walking the dog we set out to tackle the fearsome Tardebigge Flight.  A good day, although we met no boats coming down the flight most of the locks were empty which meant we could open the gates and go straight in.  Did 29 locks in less than four hours and then stopped for lunch before completing the top lock, where we stopped for water.  Then carried on and moored up for the evening in Hopwood.  Went to the Hopwood House Inn for a meal, very enjoyable.

Tardebigge Flight

The forecast for Monday was not good but as it wasn't raining we decided to set out and see how it went.  Stayed mainly fine with a few drops of rain but not enough to stop play.  A nice easy day with no locks, but three lift bridges once we had turned onto the Stratford Canal at King's Norton Junction.  The first of these at Shirley is electronically operated and when we arrived a boat was coming through in the opposite direction.  When I got to the control panel the guy there was struggling to remove his key.  Although he had lowered the bridge he hadn't completed the operation and the barriers were still down.  He was so concerned with getting his key out that he hadn't noticed all the irate car drivers still waiting to cross the bridge.  Moored for the evening at the top of Lapworth Locks.

Toll House at Kings Norton Junction

Guillotine stop lock at Kings Norton Junction (not operational now)

 Tuesday morning overslept and so had a late start.  No point rushing though as loads of boats going down the flight so likely to be a long day.  Took 41/2 hours to descend 20 locks.  Although we are eventually going to join the Grand Union Canal here at Kingswood Junction, we have come down a couple of extra locks and moored on the Stratford Canal and will go back up when we are ready to move.  Tomorrow is going to be a day spent moored up and taking it easy.

There are some lovely properties around here!

The bridges on this part of the Stratford Canal are split to allow the towing rope to pass through

Plenty of boats around on Lapworth Flight

Wednesday spent walking the dogs and doing some jobs.  Also sorted out the yarn and needles at last and am now sock knitting.  Also stayed still on Thursday as we had visitors.  Good to catch up with Colin and Jill and Emily and have a lovely lunch at the Navigation together!

Thursday morning and a change of plan.  Having come up four lock on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal on Wednesday evening, on Thursday morning we decided to go back down onto the River Severn and go up to the junction with the newly (last year) opened Droitwich Canals.  It took us nearly two hours to descend the four lock, including the two large Diglis Canal Locks.  Having got back onto the Severn Graham attempted tp pick me up on the lock landing, which proved a bit difficult as a Black Prince Boat was moored there unloading a film crew, who had been making a short educational programme for Children's BBC.  Eventually managed to get back on the boat and whizzed along to the Droitwich Canal Junction.

Being overtaken by the trip boat on the R Severn

Went through the two wide Hawford Locks onto the Droitwich Canal and cruised along to the next lock.  The water is very green with algae and the sides are full of reeds.  Saw a boat going through ahead of us but not close enough for them to spot us and wait to share locks.  Eventually caught up enough for them to see us at the third lock and they waited in the fourth.  We then shared the rest of the eight lock the Netherwich Basin where we moored for the evening.  Lovely moorings at Netherwich Basin.  All pontoons in a locked enclosure, but just outside is Vines Park, which was a good place to walk the dogs and seems to be well used by the people of Droitwich.  There was a bit of a community feeling going on at the moorings as there is really nowhere else to m oor at present.  Therefore everyone was gathered at the same place.  Met a lovely group of people on a fibreglass cruiser, Bill and Reg and their wives who set of from Saul Junction on Wednesday for a three week holiday.

Came round a very sharp bend to be faced straight away with this bridge.  The boat in front got it wrong and had to reverse, which gave Graham a bit of a clue and we manged it without incident!

It's very reedy so limited places to moor!

Day two on the Droitwich Canal and the map we have is not accurate as the course of the canal was changed during the restoration due to parts of it having been built on.  There are several more locks than the original canal many of them newly built.  We followed Bill and Reg this morning sharing the barge lock, which is the last wide lock and then following them through.  They got a bit stuck in the first lock because of their fenders and also lost one so had to stop and fish it out.  Made for slow progress but we all got through eventually.

 Locks 1-3 up to Hanbury Junction are the only locks on this section that are original.

Hanbury Junction and back onto the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.

We are now back on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal moored above Astwood Locks.  Tomorrow weather permitting we have Stoke Locks, flight of six and possibly Tardebigge flight (30 locks).

This evening we are moored up in Worcester on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal after a very long days boating (8.5 hours) travelling up the River Severn from Gloucester.  We did stop to get water  so the dogs got to stretch their legs etc after 6 hours on the boat.  They were very good!

We left Sharpness on Monday morning after a very relaxing couple of days just walking, watching boats and sitting looking at the sea.  On Monday evening we moored up at Frampton on Severn and took the dogs for a walk through the village.  It was a bit posh there, with some lovely old houses and a village green with ponds and trees and seats where you could just sit and watch the world go by.  Tuesday we moored back at Gloucester Docks and this time I went and looked round the very smart quayside shops.  Bought some shorts for me and even managed to get Graham a new pair of shorts.

Permanent moorings at Sharpness

Bridge Keepers cottage

Most of the swing bridges on the Gloucester Sharpness Canal have a cottage where the Bridge Keeper used to live.  I think they have mostly been sold off now though.

A selection of the many varied boats seen on the Gloucester Sharpness Canal!

 Including this rowing boat which according to its flag was part of the Queen's Jubilee Flotilla!

The Church at Frampton on Severn

Yesterday evening we went to watch a ship, the 'Arklow Fortune' leaving Sharpness Docks to begin its journey to Liverpool with a load of scrap metal.  We looked it up on the internet and the ship was scheduled to depart at 7:30, so we had an early(ish) dinner and took a stroll down to the docks.

When we arrived the tide was still fairly low so we were unsure whether we had the right times, but just before 7:30 there was activity round the ship and C&RT people began to appear to open/close lock gates.  At 7:30 she cast off her ropes and made her way to the lock area!  All the water you can see is part of the gigantic sea lock!  We reckon it is as big as a football field (at least).  

Arklow Fortune in the lock

Even a ship has to be secured with a bow and stern line in a lock!

The lock keeper opened the paddles to lower the water in the dock to sea level so that the gates could be opened.  It took almost an hour for the lock to drain and the gates open.

The lock at Sharpness emptying!

Looking across the estuary while waiting for the lock to empty

At about 8:40 (pm) Arklow Fortune cleared the lockand set sail for Liverpool!

Coming through the lock gates

And so off into the sunset!

We are now sitting taking it easy in Sharpness, where we are moored with a good view over the Severn Estuary.  This morning we walked the dogs to the picnic area which overlooks the entrance to the docks as there is a boat due out this evening at about 7:30 and we were checking out the route to go and watch.  It is very peaceful here, sort of like a holiday resort without all the people.  From the picnic area you can view the  two road bridges across the Severn.

View from the mooring across the Severn Estuary

Entrance to Sharpness Docks

Entrance to Sharpness Docks, narrow boats do use this to get across to Bristol!

We had an easy trip down to Sharpness leaving Gloucester Docks on Thursday morning and stopping off at the Sainsburys, canal side, on the other side of Llanthony Bridge.  Sadly though we had some rain so did not get as far on Thursday as we had planned.  Moored up and once the rain had stopped set off to walk the dogs to Saul Junction (which is where we had planned on mooring), on the way we spotted nb Acen and had a chat with John and Jo, who are heading to Gloucester.

This light ship is moored just outside Gloucester Docks and is now a Holistic Therapy centre.

Llanthony Lift Bridge guards the entrance/exit to the Docks from the Gloucester Sharpness Canal!

Friday morning dawned cloudy and wet so we stayed put until later when it appeared to clear a bit.  We set off, but the rain soon came down again so we moored up until late afternoon, when we tried again.  Made it to Sharpness with the sun shining and found a good mooring just along from the original Severn Bridge, a railway bridge that spanned the canal and the estuary.  Now long demolished but must have been impressive in it's day.  The link below is to a You Tube video of it being demolished.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJcddsFIDPA

The Gloucester and Sharpness Canal features a number of swing bridges all operated by bridge keeper's.  Some are automatic and some are still manually worked.  The poor bridge keeper had to come out in the pouring rain to open this one for us.  You can just see him hiding under his umbrella!

After mooring up on Friday evening we sorted out the dogs and went for a stroll around the old docks before heading to the Docker's Club for a drink and meal to celebrate Graham's birthday.  The Docker's Club is a proper working men's type club with banquette type seating round the edges and tables at intervals along this, also pool tables and a games area.  We were unsure of what to expect from the meal however my steak was excellent and very good value at £8:00 for a big plate of steak, chips, mushrooms, salad, peas and onion rings.  Graham had the faggots, which he enjoyed, but I think on reflection he would have preferred the steak.

On Monday morning we left the mooring at Stourport and went through the lock into the basin.  Filled up with water and had to empty both toilet cassettes.  First time both had been full.  Then took a slow trip round the basin to the two narrow staircase locks to descend onto the River Severn.  Went through the first lock of the first staircase ok but then had to wait as there was a boat turning in the pound below.  When they had finished we continued.  However they were a bit unhappy to find a boat in the top lock behind us as they were going up having come out of the dry dock.  Completed the next set of two with no problems and ready to whizz down the Severn to Worcester where we planned to moor overnight. 

The clock tower Stourport Basin

Stourport Basin

  The speed limit on the river is 8mph, wahoo speed demons, so we made good time arriving in Worcester in time for lunch.  After a chat with the lock keeper at Diglis Lock about the best place to moor, he said it would be ok for us to moor at the lock landing as the visitor moorings were unsuitable as the dogs haven't learned to climb a ladder yet.

Had a walk round Worcester and a look around Diglis Basin, which has been developed since we were last here.  A quiet evening was briefly interrupted by a guy who came along and fed the swans and then grabbed one out of the water with a hook.  It put up a mighty struggle but he got a good grip on it and then ringed it.  Bit of a relief as unsure what I would have done if he had stuck it in a bag and taken it off to cook for dinner (haha). 

Bridges over the River Severn Worcester

Worcester

Worcester Cathedral

Back on the river and big locks!!

Plenty of space on the River Severn

Upton upon Severn

We set out early on Tuesday morning as it takes 5-6 hours to Gloucester from here, going down Diglis Lock soon after the lock keeper arrived at 8:00.  A good trip to Gloucester although being on the river can be a bit boring at times as there is not a lot to see.  We arrived at Gloucester Lock and had to wait for a boat to come out before we could go up with two other narrow boats.  There is loads of room in these locks and you could probably get at least nine of us in them.  Moored up in Gloucester Docks at about 2:00pm and had lunch then time to take the dogs for a short walk before sitting out in the sun on the front deck.  We will moor here until Thursday morning when we will carry on to Sharpness via the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.

Moored in Gloucester Docks

They have big mooring rings here!

Moored in Gloucester Docks

View from the side doors

Gloucester Docks looks very smart and has some good shops.  Much to Graham's distress there is also a designer outlet from which I have been banned!