Worcester and Birmingham canal.
We left Droitwich Tuesday, after a day of real nasty rain and wind. We decided to stay in on Monday, to catch up on some reading, cards, food, and all. The excursion from Droitwich was ‘interesting’. This is one of the most recently restored canals, and the exit from Droitwich provided us with some challenges. There are a number of swing footbridges that were very stiff to operate, then a tunnel under the main road that was by far the lowest I’ve encountered anywhere. We should have filled the water tank to act as extra ballast, as the grab handle and anchor, (the highest things on the roof of the boat) both rubbed along the underside of the tunnel roof. No damage- just no room for a hat on my head, either!
red sandstone cliffs and excavations along the Severn River
street scene in Worcester
on the Tardebigge flight of locks
hawthorn berries
Shortwood tunnel, racing along with Pat at the helm
portal of Shortwood tunnel
autumn on the Worcs and Birmingham canal
the Cathedral, and a lonely church tower (the church collapsed years ago), at night from the Severn River moorings
We joined the Worcester and Birmingham, and complete the day of some 17 locks and three swing bridges just as it began to rain. We moored just before the major challenge of the flight of 30 locks at Tardebigge. Today, we set out at 0900h up these locks, which we completed, fully, by 1208h. We were amazed at how smoothly our team was able to do the longest flight of locks on the English canal system. Each of us steered for 1/3 of the flight, and Pat also completed her first tunnel transit in command, before we moored for the night at Alvechurch. Lots of pics today, some from a few days ago, but I couldn’t include them then. I hope you enjoy some of the sights we have been treated to.
