THE BIG SUMMER CRUISE--JULY 7TH--13TH
Monday, 7th July
Today we hired a car from Rent-a-Wreck--truly!--in Worcester,
as we had to get to Coventry to see the accountant.
The car wasn't too much of a wreck really.
An N reg. Toyota, and it got us there and back in one piece.
Besides going to see the accountant we caught up with all sorts of friends,
having coffee, lunch, tea and dinner with some of them.
it was quite a busy but fruitful day...

Tuesday, 8th July
Today we're heading off up to Stourport on the last navigable stretch of the Severn.
We didn't have any trouble at Worcester, despite my misgivings.
We went through four locks, all of which were manned and much bigger
than any we'd been through before.
There is a system of traffic lights, and you have to moor up to a pontoon
near the lock until the light turns green and the gates open,
then in you go.
There are vertical metal cables on the sides of the locks
and you have to thread your front and back ropes through them
and hold on as the boat goes slowly up. The rope slides up as the water rises.
Disaster struck as we were having lunch--
the two front teeth on my top denture fell off!
Oh dear. I looked like an old witch--well, even more so than usual!
We moored up on the river at Stourport,
and I went in to find a dentist who would repair them for me.
The only trouble is they will be at least a week.
So they will post them on to cousins in Penkridge.
We shall be there in about a week.
Meanwhile, I shall have to keep my mouth shut!
Trev would have something to say about that, I'm sure!
In the evening a friend of Trev's, who lives at Rock, near Bewdley,
arrived with our mail.
The quantity of mail is slowly but surely reducing.
As we were dropping off to sleep,
the night shift started at the factory just by us on the bank.
It was accompanied by music for the whole night! Thank heavens for ear plugs!

Wednesday, 9th July
We decided to move on again today, and get off the river
and back on to the canal.
I went ahead to scout out the lock.
The weather is still extremely hot, and had obviously got to one young couple,
who were making love in the open on the grass in full view of everyone!
One woman, who couldn't take her eyes off them--well, to be honest,
none of us could--said,
"Oh, it's OK, we've phoned for the police!"

The locks at Stourport are two sets of staircase locks,
and are slightly more complicated than normal ones,
but another boater came to our rescue and showed us what to do.
Everywhere we go on the canal we meet with such nice, friendly, helpful people.
It must be the relaxed lifestyle which allows people
to unwind and become normal human beings again.
We had a pump out at the British Waterways facility
in Stourport basin before we left.
I can't remember if I've told you all about our plumbing system?
I'm sure you wouldn't want to miss this nugget..............
We have two tanks on the boat for the w.c., one with clean water for flushing,
and one which holds the sewage until the tank is full,
then we have to pump it out, usually about every 17 days.
We eke out the length of time between each pump out
by taking advantage of any public facilities we can on the way!
It can cost anything up to £15 to have a pump out.
Usually we go to a marina or boatyard which has a pump out facility.
On the Avon it was free, as there are no boatyards,
so the Avon Navigation Trust provide them.
British Waterways also provide the facility, and that costs £5,
and we have to operate these facilities ourselves.
At the boatyard, they will do it for you. Aren't you learning a lot?

We went on through Stourport and it began to get more rural.
We were not perhaps as much on our guard as we should have been,
seduced by the attractive housing and pretty gardens,
and so, when we went through a bridge and saw a group of boys
aged ten to twelve, we didn't take much notice.
But with them was an older boy and he made to jump on the boat
as it was going under the bridge.
Fortunately he thought better of it--
I think it was just too far away for him to do it.
But it was a salutory lesson to us to be vigilant in towns.

We went through Kidderminster and in to the countryside again.
We moored up near a pub--The Lock at Wolverley--and ate there for a change.



Thursday, 10th July
Before we left we went for a walk in to the village and found the village shop.
In fact, two girls, on their way home from school,
took us there, as we couldn't find it.
It was refreshing to meet two such nice girls,
who didn't mind at all taking two old uns to the shop!
Tonight we moored just by Kinver, and ate our dinner at the picnic table on the towpath.
The weather is still as glorious, almost too hot.



STEWPONEY JUNCTION

Friday, 11th July
The Staffs & Worcs Canal is a delight.
We were told that it's one of the prettiest stretches in the country, and we believe it.
There are long rural stretches and it's very peaceful.
We went through a set of locks called The Bratch.
These locks are locked up at 8.00 p.m. each evening, as they are difficult to operate
and could be dangerous if opened by an amateur.
The water from one drains down into a very short "pound"
in between each lock,
and, if the paddles were both fully opened,
the water would flood the lock below and sink the boat in it.
So the paddles have to be opened slowly,
and the surplus water goes in to a side pond.
We were lucky, in that we arrived at 7.40 and we were the last ones to get through
before the lock keeper went home.
It was fortunate we got there before he locked up;
we had no idea that they were locked at night.
We moored just above the Bratch, in a delightful quiet spot.



The canal is quite narrow in parts, with 'passing places'

Saturday, 12th & Sunday 13th July
Today we went on to Castlecroft, on the outskirts of Wolverhampton,
only about half a mile from where Trev's mum used to live.
We wanted to visit Wightwick Manor, a National Trust property close by.
On the way along the canal, we met a couple out for a walk,
and talked with them, and as we talked it transpired they knew people
from my church in Warwick who used to live in Wolverhampton--small world!
Even though we're so close to Wolverhampton, it's still delightful scenery.

Wightwick Manor was well worth the visit.
It was built in the 1880's, but in Tudor style,
and is decorated with William Morris fabrics and wallpapers,
and furnished in the Arts and Crafts Movement style.
We stayed here for two nights,
and our friends from Solihull brought our mail.
(By "here" I mean we stayed on the boat--not at Wightwick Manor!)

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