To Worcester we wend our way

We set off from the Lower Lode visitor moorings at about 8:45 – it was a beautiful sunny and calm morning, though with a bit of a chill in the air at that time. The Severn is very samey and a little dull, but it wasn’t too long before we were back to where the Avon meets the Severn at Tewkesbury. Another narrowboat pulled out from the junction just ahead of us, but they soon disappeared into the distance, clearly in more of a hurry than we were.

One of Telford’s, just North from Tewkesbury.

The tree-lined banks of the Severn are covered in Willow, with a dash of beech, chestnut and others. The odd other boat, bird or lock makes a welcome distraction!

Sunbathing? Drying his wings? Preening to his mate? You decide!
Couldn’t resist yet another heron shot!

Another couple of narrowboats overtook us later on – are we going really slowly or are they all fast?!

Later in the day we met this rather large barge coming from the opposite direction; he tooted his horn and I counted the blasts to try to work out what he was up to. 4 short blasts, a gap, then one more. Well. 1 is going left. 2 is going right. 3 is going backwards. 5 or more signals danger.  I’m not sure what he was trying to tell me, but he then proceeded to turn across the river in front of us so we kept well clear!

These barges are all the same size – but the near one is full of aggregate so sitting very low in the water.
We got to watch them tie up and start unloading – very quick and efficient!
Further up river we met Pike, Perch’s sister ship. Note the crew sunbathing!

The sun really came out later in the day and drove off any remaining chill. By the time we reached Worcester it was T-shirt and shorts weather.

Worcester cathedral from the river.

We’d hoped to moor just after Diglis lock on the pontoon, but it was full even at 1430. We rejected the next spot as it was inundated with swans and seagulls, and we didn’t want to have to clear yet more muck off the roof, so we ended up just past the rowing club, next to the racecourse.

I enjoyed a long glass of pimms, and we both had some strawberries as we tried to keep cool and relax at the end of today’s journey. Tomorrow we leave the river and head on to the Droitwich Barge and Junction Canals for our first time.

From Tewkesbury Lower Lode to Worcester Race Course moorings, A total distance of 18 miles, 4 flg and 2 locks.