Our post-Easter break is coming to and end but, before so doing, we took the opportunity to worship at St. Peter's Church in Kinver. It is a steep walk up to the church but it was well worth it for the service and the friendly welcome we received.
After church we walked up to Kinver Edge to hunt out a few elusive geocaches, fitting in coffee and cake at the cafe at the Rock Houses. We returned to Chyandour by about 2.00pm and Stephen cut up some of the logs he had spotted close to our mooring.
It was really nice to be able to sit outside with the doors open for a while and enjoy the warmth of the sun.
The travels of nb Chyandour.
Sunday, 7 April 2013
Saturday, 6 April 2013
An Uphill Day
At last! A sunny day with no wind - almost warm, in fact. We left the mooring on the river and started to work up the two narrow staircases of Stourport Basin at about 8.30am. We needed to fill with water and get rid of some rubbish, so stopped at the sani-station in the upper basin. We got away from there and started up York Street lock about 9.15am.
There were quite a few more boats around and we eventually arrived and moored up by Sainsbury's in Kidderminster by about 12.00noon. Some shopping and lunch were necessary.
We made good time to our target for the day - Kinver, arriving just before 4.00pm but had a bit of to-ing and fro-ing so that we could get a decent satellite signal before finally mooring. We walked into the village in the evening for a very good meal at The White Harte.
There were quite a few more boats around and we eventually arrived and moored up by Sainsbury's in Kidderminster by about 12.00noon. Some shopping and lunch were necessary.
We made good time to our target for the day - Kinver, arriving just before 4.00pm but had a bit of to-ing and fro-ing so that we could get a decent satellite signal before finally mooring. We walked into the village in the evening for a very good meal at The White Harte.
Friday, 5 April 2013
Two Easy Days
We wanted to spend a day in Worcester so, no boating on Thursday. Weather-wise it was not as bright as the previous few days, but still dry and cold with a very chilly wind. We had a good day visiting The Hive, The Commandery and Greyfriars, all of which were very worthwhile.
Friday was again cold with a lot of cloud. We chose to move up the river to Stourport-on-Severn, leaving Worcester about 8.00am and arriving at Stourport at 12.10pm. The river was flowing quite strongly and that slowed progress quite considerably. We spent the afternoon wandering around Stourport following a multi- geocache trail and succeeded in finding the elusive final location after a couple of false starts. Stephen then washed the boat before our evening meal.
Friday was again cold with a lot of cloud. We chose to move up the river to Stourport-on-Severn, leaving Worcester about 8.00am and arriving at Stourport at 12.10pm. The river was flowing quite strongly and that slowed progress quite considerably. We spent the afternoon wandering around Stourport following a multi- geocache trail and succeeded in finding the elusive final location after a couple of false starts. Stephen then washed the boat before our evening meal.
Wednesday, 3 April 2013
A Purposeful Day
It was another cold, bright morning with a good coating of frost everywhere. Stephen got up quite late (for him) and we left the mooring at Stoke Prior around 7.30am. The frost meant there was to be no roof-walking for 2 or 3 hours and, as we were going downhill, this meant hauling Chyandour out of each lock.
Gwyneth emerged after only the first lock (having made cups of tea and fed the cat - yes, Susie is with us again!). We stopped at Hanbury for coffee and then had lunch at Tibberton before starting down Otherton lock flight. As we had done reasonably well, we decided to try to get to Worcester so we could have a full day there tomorrow.
The weather was again fine for working locks, dry and sunny, although the North-east wind picked up during the day and ended up quite a bit stronger than yesterday.
We crossed paths with another couple from BCF (Michael & Janet Jefferies) in their boat Shekinah who were in the process of traversing the Droitwich Ring. Apart from them there was next to nothing coming up, so there had to be a lot of lock filling!
We had invaluable assistance from a very nice man at Diglis. He is a continuous cruiser and was moored there in the basin. He had been helping folk through the locks if he was around, and proceeded to do that for us. Whilst we worked the top lock he set the river lock and then closed the bottom gates of both. This was especially helpful to Gwyneth as the gates are so heavy.
Stephen took Chyandour out downstream into the fairly strong flow of the river which, together with the wind, meant picking up speed quite quickly. He steered down into the lock channel so that he could wind in the lee of the island and come back upstream to collect Gwyneth from the lock landing.
Upstream was slow against the flow and the wind but we arrived at the visitor moorings by the railway bridge just before 6.00pm.
An evening walk into Worcester with a meal at The Crown (Wetherspoons) rounded off a purposeful day.
Gwyneth emerged after only the first lock (having made cups of tea and fed the cat - yes, Susie is with us again!). We stopped at Hanbury for coffee and then had lunch at Tibberton before starting down Otherton lock flight. As we had done reasonably well, we decided to try to get to Worcester so we could have a full day there tomorrow.
The weather was again fine for working locks, dry and sunny, although the North-east wind picked up during the day and ended up quite a bit stronger than yesterday.
We crossed paths with another couple from BCF (Michael & Janet Jefferies) in their boat Shekinah who were in the process of traversing the Droitwich Ring. Apart from them there was next to nothing coming up, so there had to be a lot of lock filling!
We had invaluable assistance from a very nice man at Diglis. He is a continuous cruiser and was moored there in the basin. He had been helping folk through the locks if he was around, and proceeded to do that for us. Whilst we worked the top lock he set the river lock and then closed the bottom gates of both. This was especially helpful to Gwyneth as the gates are so heavy.
Stephen took Chyandour out downstream into the fairly strong flow of the river which, together with the wind, meant picking up speed quite quickly. He steered down into the lock channel so that he could wind in the lee of the island and come back upstream to collect Gwyneth from the lock landing.
Upstream was slow against the flow and the wind but we arrived at the visitor moorings by the railway bridge just before 6.00pm.
An evening walk into Worcester with a meal at The Crown (Wetherspoons) rounded off a purposeful day.
Tuesday, 2 April 2013
A Long Day
Day dawned bright but very cold. Stephen got up early and made a start at about 6.50am. Gwyneth stayed in bed (no locks to do - yet) but, after about half an hour the prop got thoroughly fouled with heavy-duty plastic bags, so Gwyneth got herself out of bed and made refreshing cups of tea!
There was quite a lot of ice about but, once the prop had been cleared, we made good progress and arrived at the top of Tardebigge locks at 11.50am.
We decided that we would rather do the flight during the afternoon than start first thing in the morning. As it turned out we did really well - we had an early lunch and started into the top lock at 12.30pm, finishing the 30 locks at 4.45pm. We had to fill all but 2 of them and, for most of the flight, we were the second of three boats going down. We met nothing coming up so, by helping each other (closing bottom gates for the boat in front) we worked out a good routine.
It was actually a very good day for doing locks - dry, sunny and cold - working 30 locks soon warms you up!
After tea we went for a walk around Stoke Prior, and Stephen managed to bag a geocache on the way - all very pleasant.
There was quite a lot of ice about but, once the prop had been cleared, we made good progress and arrived at the top of Tardebigge locks at 11.50am.
We decided that we would rather do the flight during the afternoon than start first thing in the morning. As it turned out we did really well - we had an early lunch and started into the top lock at 12.30pm, finishing the 30 locks at 4.45pm. We had to fill all but 2 of them and, for most of the flight, we were the second of three boats going down. We met nothing coming up so, by helping each other (closing bottom gates for the boat in front) we worked out a good routine.
It was actually a very good day for doing locks - dry, sunny and cold - working 30 locks soon warms you up!
After tea we went for a walk around Stoke Prior, and Stephen managed to bag a geocache on the way - all very pleasant.
Monday, 1 April 2013
A Different Day
Good morning, world. Are you ready for us?
Today is a bit different - in fact it's quite a lot different. We have this appointment in the Bradford area at about 1.30pm, but we are in Birmingham.
So, there has to be "a plan"!
Hopefully Gwyneth will arrive by road within the next hour or so, and we will then travel to Bradford by road,(having done a few bits of local shopping - Taybrite, for instance).
After the party - yes, a party - we shall return home in the early evening, and a friend will bring us (and the cat) back to nb Chyandour ready for a good night's sleep and a relatively early start tomorrow.
Well, that is the plan. Now we shall see how it works out . . .
Today is a bit different - in fact it's quite a lot different. We have this appointment in the Bradford area at about 1.30pm, but we are in Birmingham.
So, there has to be "a plan"!
Hopefully Gwyneth will arrive by road within the next hour or so, and we will then travel to Bradford by road,(having done a few bits of local shopping - Taybrite, for instance).
After the party - yes, a party - we shall return home in the early evening, and a friend will bring us (and the cat) back to nb Chyandour ready for a good night's sleep and a relatively early start tomorrow.
Well, that is the plan. Now we shall see how it works out . . .
Sunday, 31 March 2013
A New Year - A New Journey
Easter was very early this year, which means that our Easter Cruise may have to be curtailed or altered due to adverse weather or canal / river conditions.
In preparation, a few weeks ago, David and I took nb Chyandour from Wombourne to Oxley Marine for various small jobs and a new leisure battery. Then two weeks ago, I brought the boat from Oxley Marine to Withymoor Island at Netherton so that I could start the main cruise on Easter Sunday afternoon.
And that is what I did this afternoon. After the Easter worship at both churches, I was able to finish loading the boat and get away by 1.40pm.
There was a bit of floating ice, but nothing to be too worrying. I had to rethink this a bit at the North end of Netherton Tunnel where the ice was from side to side between the tunnel end and the aqueduct. Fortunately there was no depth to it, so I could move forward quite easily.
The journey really was uneventful and I met only two boats going the other way. For various reasons we wanted to moor around Cambrian Basin and there was an empty space at the end which was just the right size. So I winded and reversed in and was moored up by 5.05pm.
Our friends in nb Epiphany are moored just a few berths along, and I was able to spend a couple of hours with them over a drink and a cream scone after they returned from their day out. I think I will sleep well tonight!
In preparation, a few weeks ago, David and I took nb Chyandour from Wombourne to Oxley Marine for various small jobs and a new leisure battery. Then two weeks ago, I brought the boat from Oxley Marine to Withymoor Island at Netherton so that I could start the main cruise on Easter Sunday afternoon.
And that is what I did this afternoon. After the Easter worship at both churches, I was able to finish loading the boat and get away by 1.40pm.
There was a bit of floating ice, but nothing to be too worrying. I had to rethink this a bit at the North end of Netherton Tunnel where the ice was from side to side between the tunnel end and the aqueduct. Fortunately there was no depth to it, so I could move forward quite easily.
The journey really was uneventful and I met only two boats going the other way. For various reasons we wanted to moor around Cambrian Basin and there was an empty space at the end which was just the right size. So I winded and reversed in and was moored up by 5.05pm.
Our friends in nb Epiphany are moored just a few berths along, and I was able to spend a couple of hours with them over a drink and a cream scone after they returned from their day out. I think I will sleep well tonight!
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