Splatt Bridge

Returning to Frampton there were a couple of things on the list that we wanted to do. I wanted a look around End Of The Line Fabrics on the Industrial Estate and we wanted to have another look round the village and decided to see what the Narles Walk was like that we’d seen mentioned on a gateway.

Late morning I walked up the towpath, Mick wasn’t interested in fabric so I was on my own. End of Line Fabrics had a lot of stock, however Fabworks in Dewsbury has getting on for five times as much. I had made myself a promise not to buy anything unless I could think of a project it would be good for. I tried and tried but no light bulb moment. There was some fabric that I could make into locker cushions, but that would involve getting the sewing machine out and foam. I really want to crochet mats for these so that they can easily be rolled back out of the way as we don’t often sit in there and all that is needed is something to insulate your bum from the cold of the metal. Sadly any fabrics I liked the look off were too thick to do this with so I left empty handed. But should you be wanting to do any upholstery or soft furnishings I’d say it would be worth a visit. Some fabrics there was plenty of but others enough to make curtains for a narrowboat but not a house, all were reduced greatly.

Back at the boat we had some lunch before starting the Narles Walk, we planned to follow the route in the direction shown on a map we’d found on line, but take a slight detour near the end to visit The Three Horseshoes for a refreshing pint.

We followed the towpath to Fretherne Bridge and then turned west along the road before joining a footpath that crossed through fields under an avenue of chestnut trees.

The path led us past a private lake and into the village of Saul. Here we came out alongside the old School House which alarmingly had a post with a handcuff attached to it on the front lawn.

Across the road next to St James Church was a modern house being built. I quite like white boxy houses like this with lots of glass, but I really hope they do some nice landscaping to soften it’s edges.

Meeting up with a stream we then followed it up to the canal at Saul Junction where rowers were preparing to go out. Here we crossed over the small bridge and did a dog leg around the cottage.

The path brings you to St Andrew’s Whitminster a pretty church bordered on one side by huge Yew trees. These are so huge that many of their branches have supports. They hide what looked like (from the glimpses we got) a very large house, Whitminster House.

The instructions from our map became a little bit confusing at this point and luckily a sign put us off going the wrong direction, no right was needed. Crossing the road we followed a track along the side of numerous fields.

We then were brought down to cross the Stroudwater Canal. This week they have just been awarded a grant to go towards restoration works to connect the Stroudwater back to the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.

From here we walked along the River Frome for a while and ended up crossing muddy fields before edging our way around more. Some paths were hard to see yet others very obvious indeed.

We were now faced with very large gates and the entrance to Frampton Court Estate. Frampton Court and it’s Grade 2 *listed park are at the heart of the estate, together with the Green and Manor they are designated Heritage property. Fair Rosamund Clifford, Henry 2nd’s mistress was born at the Manor in the 12th Century. It has been the family home of the Cliffords for 900 years. Sadly their website doesn’t seem to want to work at the moment, but here is a link to wiki for more information.

Behind the house the grounds stretch out, a large lawn (with stripes) is surrounded by slightly longer grass with pathways for the public to enjoy. The garden pond is vast too. Sheep graze, Geese peck a wonderful place to be.

Once we’d walked across the back lawn we deviated from the route and headed into the village. Our feet were tired and we were a touch parched. Our arrival at The Three Horseshoes was almost perfectly timed, we had a two minute sit outside before they opened.

First a well deserved pint and my Dad’s favourite was on so we both chose Landlord (T) Mick did later try a local brew. The menu on the wall shouted out to us. We’d heard of the 3 Shu Pies and decided to sample them.

A Shu pie (invented by Eileen) is split into three sections, cauliflower broccoli cheese, creamy mash with vegetables and then the last third is down to yourself. There is a huge choice of fillings, at least three veggie options and nine meat and one fish. Mick had Liver and Onions and I had Steak and Kidney. Each pie is topped with a puff pastry lid, not one that you get in your average pub levitating above your food, but a thin crust moulded onto the top of the pie dish sealing everything in with a letter to indicate what is inside to the server.

We were given instructions on how to eat our pies. Cut down the middle and peel back the crust to let plenty of steam out, the contents were very very hot and tasty. Definitely worth a visit.

Just to the end of the village and back across the fields to Splatt Bridge nicely refuelled closely being followed by a heard of young cows who certainly weren’t giving up.

0 locks, 0 miles, 6 miles walk, 2.4 miles for fabric, 0 purchased, 2 bridges, 1 stream, 3 churches, 1 river, 2 canals, 1 estate, 9 kissing gates, 1 amazing village, 3 fillings, 2.5 pints, 6 bells,23 cows on our heels, still more to see, 1 river on the way up!

Severn River level at 9am today (at Bewdley a mile upstream from Stourport) 0.756m,
level at Diglis, Worcester at 9am today 0.75m,
level at Gloucester Docks at 9am today 0.98m.

Patch Bridge to Splatt Swing Bridge

Not the best nights sleep, I woke at 2pm listening to the howling gale outside, this was then accompanied with down pours of rain hitting us sideways for hours. The local forecast had suggested the wind and rain would stop at around 9am, the National that it was more likely to be midday. So despite there being no rush to get up we were still awake early, an extended cuppa in bed before starting the day with a bacon butty. Outside was filthy, we even put Tilly off wanting to go out as we were worried she’d get blown away!

11am things were looking up outside, there were patches of blue sky appearing. Platt Bridge was opened up for us and as soon as we were through we pulled up in front of The Black Shed. A chap busy digging a trench asked what we were after, diesel, then suggested that we should turn round as the hose wouldn’t reach! So with help from the wind we winded Oleanna, pulling the bow round, getting the diesel filler as close to the pump as possible. The pump, hose and tank all looked quite new and the hose was on a retractable drum, there seemed to be plenty left to unravel, but we’d turned quite easily only slightly holding up the bridge from being swung for more boats.

With the forecast now warming up, we decided to assist with the rising temperatures and bought a bag of coal! Heat, not sure we’ve had this brand before, we’ll be glad when we can buy Excel again, less ash easier to light and keep in than Taybright.

The Black Shed is a cafe with a gift shop at the back. Along with typical canal ware and crafts they stock some basic provisions. So at least if you were stuck at this end of the canal you’d be able to survive on more than tinned potatoes and pot noodles from Sharpness. Along with coal and diesel they also do pumpouts and at £12 are a bargain.

We winded again and continued on our journey northwards. After Splatt Swing Bridge we pulled up on the off side to fill with water and set the washing machine going. There was a hose attached to the tap which then disappeared into the friendly cover along the permanent moorings to a boat somewhere in the distance. So we decided to have some lunch and give it an hour before deciding what to do.

An hour and half later we’d eaten, a load of washing was complete and there was still no sign of anyone. Mick walked down the path to see if he could work out which boat was filling their tank, or by now filling the canal, but had no luck. So we decided to disconnect them and start filling our tank, that would flush them out from their cabin. It took about half an hour before a lady showed her face, all very amicable, but she still needed about another twenty minutes until her tank would be full. What a huge tank she must have for it to take around two hours to fill with good pressure. But then who knows what state the hose is in all the way to her boat. She asked if we could give her twenty more minutes and then we could disconnect her, which of course we did. Our tank took a further twenty minutes to fill. We’d been there for getting on for 2 hours 45 minutes.

Pushing over we found our mooring from a few days ago and managed to line the side hatch up with where Mick had trimmed the nettles. The sun was out but the strong breeze made it a touch hard to moor up, Oleanna really wanted to go and say hello to the boats on the other side. Too windy for the whirligig so our airer was put on the stern with washing to dry.

I took the opportunity to do some gardening. Our herb pots although the plants are growing needed some tidying up. The new Thyme plant has doubled in size since we bought it a month or so ago and was in need of repotting then. So the herbs each got a new pot each, even my old Thyme plant is doing it’s best to make a come back. With these looking tidier and easier to have around the bits and bobs in the well deck I then filled one of the tree troughs with compost and popped eight seedballs on top.

Christine, Mick’s sister, had given me a tin of seedballs for Christmas. They should grow a variety of salad plants. All you do is lay them on compost, or scatter of earth, water and wait. We’ll see what happens, if they sprout successfully I’ll do another trough in a few weeks to keep the crop going. These may have to live on the roof, but we’ll see how they do in the cratch for now.

This really is a lovely mooring. On tip toe this evening we watched the sun go down over the hills in Wales.

A comment from Ade reminded me that I’d forgotten something in my post on Sharpness. As we stood looking southwards towards Bristol I’d wondered how long it would take to get there. Then I wondered how long that long way round would take us to get back to Droitwich. So a quick route plan on canalplan and adding in that we love Tidal Rivers and Seaways it did the calculation for me.

Returning the way we’ve come, but carrying on up the River Severn to Droitwich would take us just over 23 hours, it being 54.5 miles and there being 12 locks.

But heading south to Bristol, the whole K&A, Thames, up the Oxford, Hatton, Lapworth, Tardebigge and then limboing under the M5 would take us around 148.5 hours, it being 262.5 miles and there being 276 locks. The fact that there are more locks than miles to do this route put us off.

0 locks, 2.42 miles, 2 winds, 3 swung bridges, 55.91 litres diesel (how much will this drop with new batteries?), 1 bag Heat, 2:45 on a water point, 1 load washing, 1 careful cat, 8 balls, 4 plants repotted, 0 contest, 2 many locks!

Severn River level at 9am today (at Bewdley a mile upstream from Stourport) 0.706m,
level at Diglis, Worcester at 9am today 0.706m,
level at Gloucester Docks at 9am today 0.8m.

https://goo.gl/maps/MGLARt2AMcz

The Wildfowl and Wetland Trust at Slimbridge was set up by Sir Peter Scott at the end of 1946 as a centre of research and conservation. He was a keen ornithologist, painter, naval officer, figure skater, sailor and broadcaster. The son of Robert Falcon Scott  who died when Peter was only two years old. Roberts last letter to his wife advised her to ‘make the boy interested in natural history if you can, it is better than games’. She obviously succeeded.  Peter first came to Slimbridge to shoot ducks and realised what a fantastic place it would be to study wildfowl. The centre was set up and opened to the public.

It is now one of eight such centres across the country. Slimbridge covers 2,000 acres of reserve of which part has been landscaped and is open to the public. It houses the largest collection of wildfowl species in the world and doesn’t just concentrate on British birds. Through captive breeding programmes Sir Peter saved the Nene or Hawaiian goose from extinction in the 1950’s and the centre has been involved in trying to increase the numbers of Common Crane, helping them to forage and avoid danger.

We timed our arrival with a talk and tour of the sight at 10.30am. Our guide was a volunteer at the centre, she said she wouldn’t know everything but was very informative about the centre and told us what quite a few of the birds were. Swan Lake is where you come to first, with Bewick’s, Mute and Trumpeter swans all interested in seed that you may have bought on your way in. They share their space with may free loaders, Mallards, Crested Ducks, Shelducks and Pigeons.

Areas have been landscaped and planted to resemble certain parts of the world, Asia, South and North America etc. Here collections of birds from those continents are kept their wings having been clipped to stop them from flying away. Over 100 different sorts of wetland birds live here along with the local freeloaders. Out on the reserve wild birds come and go with the changing seasons and numerous hides face out to the wetlands that surround the centre.

Our tour ended at the Otters pool just in time for a very informative talk about them. The three ladies were showing off to the crowd before their keeper arrived with a silver bowl of fish for them. They simply loved being in the spot light and eating their breakfast.

We were then left to our own devices to wonder around at will, from area to area, spotting the first few babies that have hatched at the centre, including some Nene chicks. These birds are very polite and simply walk up to you to see if you will give them some seed, other geese are far less subtle and give your legs a peck!

Too many beautiful birds to mention. Our favourites were the Eider males all sporting their mating plumage and calling to each other in a rather rasping purr.

Several Teals caught my eye with their incredible plumage but no bird could ever upstage the Mandarin Ducks, even the female in her grey plumage is beautiful.

Slimbridge is the only reserve in Europe to have all six species of Flamingos. Andean, James’, Chilean, Greater, Lesser and Caribbean with their incredible orange pink colour (they must eat a lot of Haribo to be that bright!). These chaps are all very noisy. Mick read that they can live in flocks of up to 1 million, we wondered what happened if the flock became 1 million and 1, we expect that they’d all just explode into bright pink sherbet.

One place we had to visit was the Kingfisher hide. Our visit was badly timed as they are currently sitting on their eggs. In a few weeks time Mums and Dads would be very busy trying to feed their off spring. A brood of around seven, each needing 12 to 18 fish a day will keep them coming and going. We sat patiently along with other hopefuls but gave up after a while.

A bite to eat and a drink at the Kingfisher Cafe. I don’t know how but we managed to refrain from the Flamingo chilled medication that was on offer.

The observatory sits high above the main centre and from here you can see for miles. It must be an amazing place when flocks of migrating birds are flying in from all over. We then walked round some of the hides, from one a Crane was at on her nest with one egg beneath her belly, a chap with a very large lensed camera said that she was expected to lay a second egg today or tomorrow. The place will soon be full of chicks. We’d already seen a Moorhen protecting it’s nest from some Nene Geese who were just politely walking by, it could get a bit fraught soon!

The sun gradually disappeared through the day and down pours started to happen towards the end of our visit, dodging between hides we managed to stay dry.

We thoroughly enjoyed our day out and it was well worth the money. Mick was a bit concerned that we’d be indoctrinated into becoming twitchers, but instead we left knowing the names of a few more ducks that we see. For instance the white duck at Norbury Junction that can be heard from miles away, isn’t just a white duck it is a Call Duck. Those huge Mallards that you see every now and then well they are actually Rouen Ducks.

Severn River level at 9am today (at Bewdley a mile upstream from Stourport) 0.736m,
level at Diglis, Worcester at 9am today 0.718m,
level at Gloucester Docks at 9am today 0.825m.

Sharpness to Patch Bridge

Once Tilly had come and gone a few times this morning we were allowed to go off and have an explore of Sharpness.

We followed the Old Arm down to the Old Tidal Basin and lock. Much of the Old Arm is now used for mooring and what was the lock down into the tidal basin has boats moored there too, the old lock gates still in position. Huge rings fixed by the wall are now far too big to moor a 35ft cruiser to, but are just a sign of the size of boats that once used to use the arm.

The original dock opened along with the canal in 1827. It was separated from the Severn by a lock gate and when open to the river the level in the dock varied depending on the tide. A lock brought ships up onto the canal and through the years was expanded to be used by the ever growing sized ships. By 1874 ships had out grown what could be accommodated here so a new dock was built to the South. A large lock and tidal basin meant that the docks above could be at the same level as the canal. Should bigger vessels want to dock the tidal basin could also be used as an extension to the lock.

The old lock and dock had only served to get the ships from the river and on their way to Gloucester, but now the constant level encouraged wharfs and warehouses to be built in Sharpness. With the arrival of the railway and swing bridges across the canal the dock became a port in it’s own right.

In 1908 the old lock and basin were abandoned the old dock was used for boat repairs and by 1990 the gates were fully removed and replaced by a weir enabling the whole of the basin to be at the same height as the canal. Above what had been the River gate is the old Harbour Masters House, now used by the Severn Area Rescue Association. A Land Rover with Lifeboat written on it’s bonnet and a slipway a distance away suggests that there is a lifeboat stored away next to the house.

The Harbour Masters House sits in a very exposed position, with views both up and down the Severn. Both Severn Road Bridges can be seen in the distance and we might even have spotted where Mick’s sister Kath once lived in Severn Beach. As soon as we walked out of the shelter of the house we had to cling onto our hats and the force of the wind was so strong it resonated the railings along the sea wall. It was very eerie, I tried to record the sound on my camera  but the wind just upstaged it. From our position today and with the tide low we could see the wrecks of both the tankers that had collided with the railway bridge. We could also see that maybe a few more beached vessels were needed to help with bank erosion.

We followed the track over to the newer docks, stopping to have a closer look at the wind turbine on the head land. They really are massive things, can you spot Mick at the base? Apparently it was really quite quiet stood next to the turbine as it swept round creating its 500 KW.

From here we walked down to Dock Road where we followed signs for a shop. A few houses with what had been a Post Office, we decided to go inside and see if they had any potatoes. The lady behind the counter told us that when they lost the Post Office their income had halved, it was a good job that they had a very big paper round which helped keep them going. The only potatoes she had were tinned, not what we were after so we came out with a midweek newspaper instead.

A string of houses look down to the dock and the old rail tracks, now mostly overgrown. The odd bit of old rolling stock sits idle, maybe waiting some TLC from some local enthusiasts. There were plenty of boats out on hard standing and more in the water. Planet the old Light Ship that used to be at Liverpool Docks has made it’s way here after being removed for not having kept up with it’s mooring fees (according to The Liverpool Echo). It is hemmed in by other large ships, one with a bladeless helicopter on it’s roof. A tall ship stands at the end looking in much better order.

We followed a track round to some gates near to the lock from the river. A big sign said that when ships were on the move then the gates may be locked, at other times we could enter. Not locked, so we followed the designated route towards the lock and Tidal basin. The basin is huge and looking down we could see where a small pontoon has been built to accommodate smaller boats, such as narrowboats that navigate the 18 or so miles to the mouth of the River Avon at Avonmouth and Portishead before heading up to Bristol. To do this you need to have a pilot with you. NB Chrysalis was booked to do the crossing at the end of last week but we’d wondered if it was too windy, but there was no sign of them in the docks, so they must have gone.

We crossed the lock top gates and walked up around the docks into Newtown, everywhere felt a bit like Keadby on the River Trent, desolate, accompanied by the loud crashing noises of scrap metal being moved around down by the docks. Our route brought us down to Sharpness High Level Swing Bridge where we could look down to the Lower Level Bridge, a crane storage site and have a view into the docks. Only one ship was in, Wilson Gadansk, with it’s cover wound back. It was strange to think Oleanna our little narrowboat was on the same pound of water not far away.

The weather forecast had been for a horrible day, but it had turned out considerably better than expected so we decided to move back along the canal to Patch Bridge. The approach to the first of the Purton Bridges is around a bend, but just by the weir there is a camera giving the Bridge Keeper a better view along the canal, the red light flashed as it came into view and the bridges opened up in turn for us. Not far to go  before we pulled in, mooring up with a better view than we’ve had for a while, just a touch short of Patch Bridge. Tilly had a new rule added to her list, ‘NO bringing rare species of friends home!’

0 locks, 3 walked over, 3.35 miles by boat, 3.5 miles by foot, 1 lying Land Rover, 2  7 bridges, 2 wrecks, 2 hats clung onto, 250 dish washers, 1 newspaper, 0 potatoes, 1 small pontoon, 1 vast tidal basin, 1 Post Office just missed, 2 lots of shore leave, 1 tyre fender deployed, 678,946,423,273,806,449 new colourful feathery friends, only one that squeaked!

Severn River level at 9am today (at Bewdley a mile upstream from Stourport) 0.815m,
level at Diglis, Worcester at 9am today 0.735m,
level at Gloucester Docks at 9am today 0.863m (the tides will start to affect the level again).

https://goo.gl/maps/xCsnQj1EXuo

Splatt Bridge to Sharpness Old Arm

Whilst we had breakfast Tilly was allowed out, when she returned would dictate what we did for the day. The water gauge was reading just under a quarter full so we decided that when she returned we would carry on towards Sharpness stopping for water at an available water point. It was cold and very windy, so I got my padded waterproof trousers out again ready for the off.

I came home knowing that they wanted to change the outside. First I tried getting in through one of the windows, but my calculations suggested that it would be a tighter fit than the bathroom door (the one that I can’t get under). She called for me from the back so I stopped my calculations and just used the normal way in. Then I remembered something that I’d meant to do before leaving this outside. I could just see it over the top of the green if I did my meerkat sit. Just in view, it wouldn’t take me long, I’d be back in a jiffy, no need to ask for the back door to be opened, I’d jump out through the side.

Except that didn’t work! She made a loud funny noise as my head hit the solid view of the outside. In slow motion I slid down to the floor where I quickly gathered myself and rushed to the sofa. My head hurt! How come the outside had turned so hard all of a sudden!

Tilly seemed to be nursing a headache for the rest of the morning. She once tried this on Lillian and to stop her from repeating the incident we put a post it note on the Perspex infill for the side hatch, at least that one had an amount of give to it. This opening is only allowed to be used in one direction and that is to come in from the cat walk, she knows this and that she can’t just walk through it.

We pushed off once we knew there was no lasting damage done, both to Tilly and Oleanna. Through Splatt Swing Bridge, on past the Cambridge Arm feeder where a new build sits at the junction. After the next two bridges we pulled in for water. Just before the bridge there is The Black Barn, a cafe, gift shop and they sell red diesel. The Slimbridge Wetland Centre is just  a short distance from here, we may stop and have a good look round on our way back, also have a top up of diesel.

At Purton there are two swing bridges in quick succession, both operated by the keeper at the Lower Bridge. Cameras mounted high up catch you arriving. As you pass through the Upper Bridge the Lower one starts to open.

The Keepers Cottage at the Upper Bridge has just been sold. Hunting round I managed to find it’s details. £250,000 doesn’t get you much really, in need of a lot of modernisation with a Grade 2 listed frontage and a toilet in your garden that is used by C&RT.

Around the next bend is a long straight, which looks like it is very close to the Severn on the maps. We hoped for a mooring with a better view this time, only to be thwarted by high trees and undergrowth blocking virtually all the view. No break came until we’d passed the old Severn Railway Bridge. Here a wall would shelter us from the prevailing wind but also block our view, another trampoline required. Almost at the end we winded and pulled up. Tilly used the back doors to go out this time, but wasn’t too impressed at what greeted her. A wall! A piddly little wall, no where near as good at the one in Marple. Well until you look over the other side, then it is really quite high. Calculations proved too complicated to risk ascending in such blowy conditions today, it was blowing right up my bum!!

In the afternoon we wrapped up warm again. Walking up the canal you pass what was the Severn Railway Bridge. A typical start to any bridge sits on one side of the canal and a round stone support on the other. This support was once the pivot point for a rail swing bridge and it housed the steam engine that opened it to enable tall ships to pass along the ship canal. But why is there no other signs of the bridge crossing the river? The bridge was used to carry coal across to Sharpness docks for export. Opened in 1879, it was 3/4 of a mile long with 21 spans supported by cast iron columns sunk into the river bed.

25th October 1960 disaster struck when in thick fog and on a strong tide two tanker barges missed the entrance to Sharpness Dock and were carried further upstream to the bridge. Wastdale H collided with the 17th column rupturing her petrol tank, Arkendale H was forced by the power of the tide on top of her. Two bridge spans collapsed rupturing a gas main and electric cable that passed along the bridge. All this led to a massive explosion. Three crew members survived and a train had missed the explosion by seven minutes. It was not economically viable to rebuild the bridge so the remainder was demolished, at low tide you can make out the wrecks of the tankers.

On the shoreline are numerous other wrecks, known as the Purton Hulks. These ships were however beached with the intention of strengthening the canal bank from erosion form the river. It started in 1909 with the beaching of a small fleet of semi-redundant timber lighters, more followed through the years up into the 70’s and now The Purton Ships Graveyard has 81 vessels on the shoreline. Each vessel was taken out from Sharpness Dock on a high Spring tide, towed towards the shore then released so that it would charge up the bank. Holes were then knocked through  the hull so that on subsequent tides the holds would fill with silt helping to reinforce the bank.

The vessels are of various construction wood, steel and concrete. The later two materials withstanding the elements better than the wooden hulls. Archaeological research has been done to identify each boat and plaques have been mounted wherever a hull lies, listing it’s name, size and dates. Some are easily identifiable, others have very little left to show.

A fascinating place to visit especially on a moody windy day. For far more information click on the link .

0 locks, 5.9 miles, 5 swing bridges, 1 wind, 1 flat nosed cat, 1 headache, 0 spans left, 81 plus holes, 81 dead boats, 1 piddly wall, 1 bum hole in need of a wind break.

Severn River level at 9am today (at Bewdley a mile upstream from Stourport) 0.91m,
level at Diglis, Worcester at 9am today 0.769m,
level at Gloucester Docks at 9am today 0.885m (the tides will start to affect the level again).

https://goo.gl/maps/kjfR5jYJ2jC2

Frampton to Splatt Swing Bridge

With very full tummies we all slept well last night. Once the dinette was swapped back from being a bed Mick started on cooking us breakfast. This had been requested by Duncan with some unsubtle hints before they arrived, so we’d shopped accordingly. A bigger and better spread than normal was brought out from the galley, we even had hash browns! This set us all up for the day especially Duncan.

Once the plates were empty we had one last Stripy Crew photo before they stepped ashore and we waved them goodbye. It was nice to have met you both, from my position high up in a tree I waved goodbye too, before dashing back to get warm again.

With Tilly home we could head off in search of our Saturday newspaper. In the village of Frampton there is a shop that we hoped would oblige so we set off, leaving it any later would risk them having run out.

Crossing over the swing bridge we passed an industrial area. Cadburys built a factory making chocolate crumb here in 1917 which remained open until 1982. Some of this is now a flour mill and other units have smaller businesses, one of which I’d like to visit on our way back End Of Line Fabrics. There’s a fairly standard approach to the village along the road, nothing out of the ordinary. But then as you come round the side of The Bell Inn you are faced with a huge village green, carrying on almost as far as the eye can see. Across on the other side are large grand houses surrounded by trees. Wow what a village.

The Green Shop looks a bit like a small cricket pavillion. A little dig through the newspapers and we found what we were looking for. They stock some veg and local produce, a bit like a farm shop, just not quite the stock. There has been a Post Office here, but the service has been suspended.

We decided to see what the rest of the village looked like along the green. A selection of large houses ranging in dates fills the village, all very pleasing to the eye.

One jumped out to me and said buy me! Even though it wasn’t for sale. With a large garden, fruit trees and a house which looked like it was seeping character it had to be mine. I’ll just have to start saving now!

The green carries on with not one but several ponds, swans sitting on nests, another pub boasting it’s Camera credentials. On a notice board I spotted a poster for a show by theatre company Bad Apple, run by an old colleague of mine, Kate Bramley from my early Hull Truck days. Amy Johnson will be on at the Village Hall on the 9th May. Very sadly we’ll need to be up river by then and we’ll miss it, but if you happen to be nearby I’m sure it will be worth a visit.

A small cottage is up for sale, 2 bedrooms and a modern kitchen could be yours for £350,000. It looks nice but I’m going to save up for the other one in the village .

A gateway opens out to a field with an avenue of Chestnut trees, this drew us along and back towards the canal away from the village. We’d seen enough to make us want to return to see more, a circular walk taking in all the highlights will be on the agenda when we return.

Back at the canal we waited for a boat to go through a bridge before we could cross to the towpath to walk back to Oleanna. Along the next stretch there was plenty of mooring possibilities with views over towards the Severn, so we decided to move up. Here would have been a perfect spot for a barbeque should the weather have been 15 degrees higher! We pushed off, came through one bridge , winded and then moored up right next to a big gap in the trees.

A mooring with a view, well if you had a double decker boat! Even after trimming the nettles down the bank was so high we could only just see the tops of the hills on the far bank of the Severn when stood on tippy toes.

0 locks, 1.19 miles, 1 bridge swung, 1 wind, 1 not so tall tall ship, 1 guided tour, 3 full English breakfasts, 1 bowl cereal, 6 hash browns, 0.5 of a bag in the freezer, 1 blog reader reading the blog on board in bed, 1 newspaper, 0 Post Office, 1 beautiful village, 1 house, 1 mooring for two storey boats, 1 trampoline needed, 2 outsides, 0 bunnies today.

Severn River level at 9am today (at Bewdley a mile upstream from Stourport) 0.931m,
level at Diglis, Worcester at 9am today N/A,
level at Gloucester Docks at 9am today 0.908m (the tides will start to affect the level again).

https://goo.gl/maps/kGBEqQp9P6k

What a shame it rained for most of the day. We had guests coming and if the weather had been like last week we’d have planned a barbeque, but instead we lit the stove!

Jaye and Duncan are old friends from Scarborough and had been visiting family in Monmouth, just 15 miles away as the crow flies, only another 25 miles by road to get over the Severn. Duncan has been reading our blog from the day it started back in June 2014 when we left Crick Marina on Lillian, so it’s only taken them four years to actually come and visit us!

First we walked down one side of the disused canal and then after one slightly boggy field realised that we were on the wrong side of it so had to retrace our squelching steps. Back on the correct path we had the canal on our left and the River Frome on the other for much of the way to the Severn.

The Stroudwater Canal had a long winded start. First thought of in the late 17th Century to transport coal to Stroud where woollen goods were made in the mills. The finished cloth would then be transported back along the canal to the Severn and on to market. An act of Parliament was passed in 1730 although there was a lot of opposition from mill owners worried that the water used to power their mills would be stolen for use in the locks. 5 miles of river improvements were done by 1761, but the works were proving to be too costly so the scheme was abandoned. A new act of Parliament was passed in 1776 for a plan that avoided much of the river and therefore the mills. Works were finally completed and the canal opened in 1779.

At Framilode there was a tidal lock, with differing gates to accommodate different tides. By 1794 a basin was built above the lock so that boats could wait for a suitable tide before entering the Severn. A horse drawn towpath was finally added in 1827 boats had been bow hauled prior to this. As ever it was the railways that brought about the decline of the canal and by 1922 any dividends from the canal had ceased along with the canal getting blocked at Framilode which severed the link to the Severn, leaving this end of the canal unused.

Much of the canal now is still full of water, but over grown creating more of a linear pond. The Ship Inn stands looking very attractive with it’s outdoor seating canal side. They are closed during the afternoon, open for lunch and in the evenings, so sadly we couldn’t sample their ales. Past the line of cottages we joined the road meeting the Severn more or less where the tidal lock once was.

The views down the river were wonderful, just a shame some people got in the way!

To help our feet dry out we returned to Oleanna via the road seeing some rather interesting houses on the way.

In the evening we enjoyed a very large Salmon en Croute (there are left overs thank goodness) followed by a Bakewell Tart all washed down with some bubbles, more wine and lots of conversation.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 pooh bucket, 0 guided tour! 2 balls of wool delivered, 1 dead canal, 8 soggy feet, 1 pub not open, 2 bowls of nibbles, 1 en croute big enough to feed the 5000! 1 bakewell, 1 bottle (yes I did say bottle) of white, 1 bottle of red, 1 bottle of bubbles, 1st overnight visitors to a fully finished Oleanna, Duncan had to be a first visitor of somesort!

Severn River level at 9am today (at Bewdley a mile upstream from Stourport) 1.08m,
level at Diglis, Worcester at 9am today 0.83m,
level at Gloucester Docks at 9am today 0.953m (the tides will start to affect the level again).

**Duncan, did this arrive at a different time? Also can you try replying to the email, we’ve changed some settings on the emailed blog.**

The wind seems to like Gloucester! It doesn’t seem to have stopped since we got here.

Boats came by and as we made our way to Hempsted Bridge we felt sorry for the Keeper. I wonder if this is the busiest bridge on the canal, it is all manual including the barriers which have a rope hanging from them so you can pull them down. The chap appeared and closed the barriers maybe only just having opened them, then a jump onto the handle to get the bridge turning. Apparently when it’s windy it is a right pain to close. We thanked him and carried on our way only to spot another boat coming towards us just as the bridge closed.

We carried on under the next two bridges, Sim’s Bridge having a new coat of paint applied. About a mile further on we pulled in to a mooring shortly before Sellars Swing Bridge.

We were looking for somewhere with some parking and bins. Here on google earth looked like it would fit the bill, but a closer look revealed that work was being carried out on the bridge so the bins are suspended for the next couple of weeks. Also any parking spaces were very full. We decided to carry on and see what we’d find further on.

From here on all the swing bridges are low and have to be swung. Bridge Keepers cottages sit along side, not much more than bungalows, but with aspirations with their pillars and pediments. The views now opened out, hills to our right and left, fields of yellowing rape seed jollying the world along.

Nearing Saul Junction the moored boats increased in number. On the off side a collection of sheds seemed tacked together by windows, with more waiting for the next extension to be created.

At the junction there is a lock which leads to just a short pool of water where the Stroudwater Canal used to head off to connect with the Severn at Frimilode. Heading south east from the junction is a short arm all that remains currently of the Stroudwater which, once it connected to the Thames and Severn Canal, used to head all the way to the Thames. Parts of the canal are still in water but when the M5 and A38 were built this severed the canal.

Saul Junction and Sandfield Swing Bridges opened up for us as we approached, not a bridge keeper in sight. Certainly one of these is operated remotely, high above the bridges are cameras. We’ve been wondering why these bridges have to have Keepers. The ones with lower headroom may be wider than those on the Leeds Liverpool Canal, but there they are all boater operated, either with a key of power or just manual pushing. Is it because the bigger boats and ships would have difficulty in setting someone ashore to operate the bridges? A couple of years ago there was a trial of an app at Saul. Once downloaded this could be used to operate the bridge as you approached, thus no one having to be set ashore and disposed of the need for a bridge keeper. However this was shelved as there was the potential for people to sit in the cafe by the bridge and play with the app, opening and closing the bridge as they fancied, watching what chaos followed.

Here we were surrounded by rubbish bins (not literally, but bins at every bridge) and checking on google earth we spotted several parking possibilities for visitors, so we pulled up on the end of a Visitor Mooring before the next bridge. This would do us. It certainly would! Tasty shaggy grass, side ways trees, trees and bunny holes. Paul this M needs a bunny hole symbol.

0 locks, 8.12 miles, 1 wind, 4 moorings, 1 box wine, 1 bottle bubbles, 2 huge pieces of salmon, 1 dog in a cat flap, 1 galleon, 5 ducked bridges, 4 swung bridges, 1 Tilly bunny hole stamp of approval.

Severn River level at 9am today (at Bewdley a mile upstream from Stourport) 1.234m,
level at Diglis, Worcester at 9am today 0.825m,
level at Gloucester Docks at 9am today 0.886m.

Gloucester

When will these early mornings stop! Today Mick needed to be on his first train at 7:46am, this would take him to Birmingham. Second train to Crewe, Third to Chester, Fourth to Bache from where he had a 5 minute walk to the Countess Of Chester Hospital where he had an appointment at midday.

Way back when we had our eyes tested in Chester, Mick mentioned to the optician that sometimes his eyes feel bruised. His father had glaucoma which can be hereditary so Mick gets a free eye test each year. He had the usual pressure test, but because of his comment the optician wanted him to have further tests which Boots couldn’t do, so he was referred to the hospital. They hoped he’d be able to be seen within a couple of weeks, therefore we’d still be around. Eventually he got a call saying that as it wasn’t an emergency his appointment was likely to be in 16 weeks. Well we weren’t going to be hanging around Chester for that long! In the end his appointment came through with an 11 week wait. Already having left Chester we decided to carry on with our plans for the beginning of the year.

Tilly and I stirred ourselves to wave him goodbye and wish him luck, hoping that the tests he was going to have wouldn’t pop his eyes or anything like that. It being a sunny morning we got on with things.

Today I was finally going to open my Etsy shop to see if I can sell a few of the things I’ve been making of late. I’d already got the process going a few weeks ago, but had wanted to take some good photos which I did last week. So with Mick out of the way for the day I sat down and concentrated, in between Tilly twanging the bolts on the back door wanting to go out! It took a long time to get things listed and I think I still need to do a bit of tweaking but the majority of it was done by mid afternoon. RedLockMakes

The weather outside had changed from sunny to very strong wind and sideways rain at times, so I lit the stove. Boats had been moving this morning and by the time the sun came out again the pontoon was full, NB Henry Thomas moored up behind us.

As the sun was out and I’d got bored of trying to promote my shop on social media, I decided to head out for a bit of an explore before Mick returned home.

I headed over towards the Cathedral walking through the dock buildings. The National Waterways Museum is here. Our entrance tickets to the museum at Ellesmere Port will give us free access, but it is currently closed. Hopefully it will reopen at the beginning of May so that we can visit before we need to head back up to Droitwich.

Narrow streets open up onto Westgate a shopping street and then behind here stands the Cathedral. With hardly a cloud in the sky it looked very magisterial the pale sandstone shining out. Details around the windows looked like intricate icing on a wedding cake. When we return this way we’ll be going to have a look inside. I found an interesting wool shop which sadly had just closed before I got there and around the corner was The Tailor Of Gloucester shop.

Back in 1998 when I was assisting Roger Glossop, designer for the premier stage production of Brassed Off, he was also in the process of working on refurbishing the shop that Beatrix Potter had used in her illustrations for The Tailor of Gloucester. In his workshop stood large models of mice all painstakingly created for the tailors shop. In 2001 the shop opened which was owned by Frederick Warne and Co, publishers of Beatrix Potter. So I was interested to have a look. When I reached the outside it was fairly obvious that things had changed, a plastic model in the window was not of the same calibre of the mice i’d seen being made. They were about to close, so a look around inside will have to wait, but I suspect it’s nowhere  near as magical as it had been.

I wondered up to meet Mick from his eighth train of the day to hear how his day had gone. He’d had a periphery vision test done amongst other things. When he got to see the consultant, he had a very very close look in his eyes and suggested that some photos were needed for which Mick needed to have some eye drops. Whilst these were taking effect, stinging all the time, he waited. Then he was called back in to be told that they wouldn’t be able to take the photos and the main chap didn’t now think that they were necessary as he couldn’t see anything wrong. All that stinging for nothing. If his eyes hurt again in future he is being sent a letter to show an optician to enable him to have a pressure test done.

It was a long way to go to find out nothing was wrong, but worth it. He’d also retraced much of our journey over this year as the trains followed the canals. He went over the Wolverhampton 21, saw Venetian Marina, Beeston Iron Lock and Castle, Bournville, Edgbaston Tunnel, Astwood Locks and got to wave at NB Blackbird.

0 locks, 0 miles, 7:46am, 8 trains, 1 etsy shop, 8 pairs socks, 13 items, 3 nearly 4 tests, 0 photos, 1 clockwork orange moment, 2 eye balls still intact.

Severn River level at 9am today (at Bewdley a mile upstream from Stourport) 0.802m,

level at Diglis, Worcester at 9am today 0.735m,

level at Gloucester Docks at 9am today 0.814m.

Sim’s Bridge to Stonebench Turn to Llanthony Bridge Visitor Moorings

There were men on my boat! They were in the big box at the back, that I’m not allowed in! And one leaned into a box I didn’t even know about at the front, I must investigate this one it looked interesting. I’d been allowed shore leave this morning and hadn’t been given a time limit, which always concerns me, it usually means that they  are upto something. I kept an eye on all that was happening, well whilst checking for friends in some interesting holes I could get my arms into.

Tom kept an eye on the two men at the back. They took some things out, Tom didn’t seem too worried about this. He actually seemed quite happy especially when they put more things back. She stayed inside with another man. She said it was a good job I’d gone out as the outside was trying to come inside for a while.

They all stood around chatting, then one of the men walked down my cat walk and started playing with a red dot. What a waste! There were a couple of woofers going by at the time so I couldn’t chase it and all they did was think about it. What were they doing?! It needed chasing!!!!

After our leisurely breakfast we decided to head back in towards Gloucester with a need to be near a train station in the morning. Tilly had obliged by coming home as soon as the Finesse chaps had gone, think she needed to check that all was as it should be.

The Gloucester Sharpness is quite wide everywhere, so far, so we possibly could have just winded from our mooring. But there was a very strong breeze and a tree down on the off side. We decided that we wanted some more room between us and the bridge as well. So once a boat had come past we followed it up to the next bridge. They got a green light to go through, which then turned red as another boat was waiting to come from the other side. This bridge has 7ft 7” headroom, so we could fit under it quite easily, but the narrowboat facing us had it’s pram cover up. The bridge keeper jumped on the handle of the bridge and got it moving winding it open. Once they were through he waved us on changing our light to green.

At the next bend we winded and headed back the way we’d just come. Mick had to be reminded that we now have a working bow thruster, so he gave it a quick blast just to finish the turn.

Approaching the bridge Mick assumed the Keeper would see us coming so we sat waiting for a green light. We should have told him we were only going to wind as in the end I bipped the horn and he came rushing out to change the lights to green for us. No need for him to swing the bridge as we very very rarely travel with our pram hood up. Hempsted Swing bridge however did have to swing it having only 4ft 7” headroom. Once through we made our way to the 48hr mooring just in front of Llanthony Bridge.

After lunch we considered going for an explore, we soon dropped the idea as the rain set in properly and the wind got up buffeting us against the pontoon. Only one thing for it, light the fire and watch the next episode of Breaking Bad and hopefully no need to run the engine before 8pm.

0 locks, 3.6 miles, 2 swung, 2 not, 1 wind, 1 wasted red dot, 2 many woofers, 1 great bank of friendly cover, 9 arm sized holes, 1 wet miserable day, 1 squeaking pontoon, 2 sprays of grease, 0 squeaking pontoon.

Severn River level at 9am today Bewdley 0.759m,
level at Diglis, Worcester at 9am today 0.722m,
level at Gloucester Docks at 9am today 0.81.