nb Bridge Street

Wednesday 29 th May 2019 We explored Stourport-on-Severn today. This is the location at which the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal joins the River Severn and the town owes its very existence to the canal. The Staffs and Worcs Canal was built immediately after the Trent and Mersey and, in effect, joined the Rivers Trent, Mersey and Severn. After this, only the line down to the Thames was necessary to complete the skeleton outline of Britain’s canal network as James Brindley, the engineer, envisioned. The canal was an immediate success and Stourport grew rapidly as an inland port, said to be the prettiest and most interesting. It would have been a bustling place with cargoes coming down from the Potteries and Birmingham for transhipment onto Severn Trows for carriage down to the ports of Gloucester and Bristol. The port itself consists of two big, adjoining basins with two sets of locks down to the river, one narrow gauge, formed of two sets of staircase locks, ...

Tuesday 28 th May 2019 After a cooked breakfast Johnathon brought us back to the boat. We had had a lovely time with Johnathon and Carrie-Ann. It was great to catch up, see their home and for Brenda to soak in a bath. The afternoon was pretty miserable, fine drizzle when it wasn’t raining and so we largely stayed put with a short walk later when the rain had cleared.

Monday 27 th May 2019 We went up into town for a look around and a bit of shopping before returning to the boat and awaiting Johnathon who arrived just after noon to take us for an overnight visit to their home in Shifnal. It was quite a distance, further than I had anticipated. After a cuppa and a chat, we all went to the Wrekin, one of the Shropshire Hills that rises 1,335 feet above the Shropshire Plain. The 360 ˚ views from the top are amazing and we had clear views all around. There were a few heavy rain showers in the distance, but luckily none touched us. Back at the house, Brenda had her obligatory bath and, after making ready, we went into town. Harvey was left in the house in a crate with two cats roaming the house. He did look funny when we left with his chicken treat hanging from his mouth. As though he couldn’t quite believe he was being left alone with two cats. We had a pint in a local fi...

Sunday 26 th May 2019 After watering up, we left the moorings and retraced out steps upstream. The run up to Bevere Lock was interesting, there were many skiffs from Worcester Rowing Club with it being Bank Holiday, all to be negotiated. At the lock itself there were four skiffs between us and the lock, the lock was not ready and, with a broken down boat on the lock landing, we had to hold ourselves in the river. We passed through three locks that day, Bevere, Holt and Lincomb. Bevere was easily passed through once passed the rowing skiffs, the lock keeper at Holt, an Irishman, was full of chat, interesting but with the gates unopened, we were a captive audience. The keeper at Lincomb was, unusually, a young guy but dour and completely disinterested.  There was nothing much of interest apart from the locks, the entrance to the Droitwich Canal and the River Salwarpe just upriver. Holt Lock is particularly attractive with the nearby Holt Fleet Bridge, a lovely almost...

Friday 24 th May – Saturday 25 th May 2019 We spent the Friday and Saturday on the river moorings in Worcester. The trains above were frequent and noisy, we could have moved but just couldn’t be bothered and they didn’t really disturb us much anyway. There were signs on the river walls requesting boats to pay to moor. Most didn’t but at just £4 per day I would rather pay than have the moorings removed. It did feel funny queuing at the pay and display machine at the adjacent car park though. We further explored Worcester visiting St. Pauls Church where there is a stained glass window dedicated to Geoffrey Anketell Studdert-Kennedy. The church now belongs to the Assembly of God and is an obviously busy place serving the local community. We walked up New Street and Friars Streets with their mainly medieval shop fronts. Really interesting looking places. The National Trust property of Greyfriars will have to be left for another time as we had the dog. We called into th...

Thursday 23 rd May 2019 We spoke this morning, with the owners of the boat next to us. He had been chairman of the Droitwch Canal Restoration Trust for 18 years and told us of some of the many hurdles and problems they encountered. Many thanks to him and all his colleagues for their work and perseverance that has resulted in us being able to enjoy such a lovely canal. After breakfast we made ready and left the marina having thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Droitwich. A very narrow section of canal followed passing under two railway bridges and a road bridge in quick succession, all of the approaches being blind so having to take it very slowly. We then left Droitwch behind us.                                                 ...

Wednesday 22 nd May 2019 Today we had another walk exploring Droitwich. Of all the towns we have visited Droitwich has to be up there with places we would most like to live. Apparently there is a section of the town that does not have a good reputation, but it is also supposed to be one of the safest places in the UK. Certainly the place has a lovely feel to it and all the people we have encountered, apart from the guy in the Post Office, have been friendly and enthusiastic about their town. Droitwich has always been a salt town. The salt is produced from naturally occurring brine springs of an exceptionally high concentration, 2½lbs of salt in each gallon of brine. The salt concentration of the brine is ten times that of the Mediterranean Sea, second only to the Dead Sea which is thirteen times more concentrated. Salt has been produced for millennia with evidence of Stone Age salt producing activity. The Romans built upon this and there are many Roman roads leading from...

Tuesday 21 st May 2019 After breakfast we had a very quick look around Droitwich, it looks and feels a lovely place. Aaron ran back to Hanbury to fetch his car and then returned with me back to Hanbury to empty the toilet cassette. Another £3 for the privilege. Aaron then left us at 2pm. We then went for a slower look around the town. The centre is not big but is a really nice place with friendly people. Having said this, Brenda did have trouble in the Post Office attempting to get our mail. It had been sent but the guy on the desk reckoned it had not been received. A phone call to Brody at ExPost who maintained it had been sent. Back to the Post Office who told us we would have to visit the delivery office 2 miles away and not open until the following day. Brody then rang us back, he had been in touch with the Post Office who had the mail all the time. Droitwich Heritage Centre formerly a Victorian Spa Ba...