The Hodma'dod: October 2013

So after some 387 miles 372 locks and 29 movable bridges we are back where we started in the marina at Yelvertoft.

Tardebigge went very well. We had a super day for it, quite chilly but a beautiful blue sky and very little wind. We shared the locks doing them in batches of 5 and arrived at the top in 4 1/4 hours. I was a little disappointed that the view from the top was not quite as spectacular as the guides seem to suggest but we were pleased to have done it, whether we will again is another matter. The route back from there took us near to the Cadburys Bournville factory but we didn't stop there turning right just before it on to the Stratford canal for the decent towards Warwick. First there was the flight of 21 locks at Lapworth and then back on to the Grand Union and the Hatton flight of 21 locks as well. Unfortunately the weather during the decent of these lock flights was horrible, being cold and very, very, wet.

By the time we reached Warwick we thought we deserved a couple of days off and stayed again in the Saltisford Arm and had a quiet day wandering around the town.

It was then the final couple of days home and we arrived back in the marina last Sunday and have spent the week cleaning, polishing and painting and are now in the process of putting the boat to bed for the winter and we should be returning home this Sunday but are already looking forward to planning next years journey.

View from close to the top of Tardebigge lock flight

The Sensory garden at Saltisford Arm, Warwick

What is it?

We have had a super couple of weeks since my last missive. A very leisurely trip down the Shroppie including visiting some places again from last year and some new ports of call including a "secret" bunker where our illustrious leaders were going to hide in the event of a nuclear war, interestingly there is a desk inside reserved for that most important of functions after the bomb had dropped, the Inland Revenue! We called in to Brewood (pronounced Brood) to visit the butcher we had used last year and amazingly he remembered us from 15 months ago. Seems we managed to leave an impression; just not sure if it was good or bad!

Getting to the bottom of the Shroppie we turned right on to the Staff and Worcester canal and entered new territory and I have to say from there down to the River Severn was one of the most pleasant canals we have travelled. The scenery was interesting and very very rural, the locks almost all picturesque and the lack of boats made it seem we were the only people left on earth at times. Also its amazing what one learns, did you know we had rock houses in the country? Kinver has some examples and unfortunately it wasn't open whilst we were there but it would be fascinating to see inside. Also a walk along Kinver Edge was exhilarating.

This provided an ideal time to actually convince Sarah to have a go at taking the boat into locks whilst I did my share of the hard work and she has conquered her fear of doing this and providing there is not any by wash to contend with we should be sharing the load in the future which is good considering what is ahead (see later)

The rural peaceful scene changed when we arrived in Stourport. It is a strange town, a real tale of two halves. There is a large basin at the end of the canal where it meets the River Severn and that is full of interest and lots of historical buildings and charming cottages but walk up into the town and even at the time we did it, 5.30pm on a Sunday, we encountered drunks and found it very seedy.

As the next day we were to go down the River and on to the Droitwich canal which has no mooring until the town itself we wanted an early start so wanted to get fuelled up and pumped out on the Sunday. The main boatyard in the basin was shut but we found a little hire yard tucked away in the corner and they even let us moor in their basin for the night to save having to go back up a lock to the public moorings.

So Monday morning saw us embarking on our first river trip which I know was causing Sarah some anxious moments and that in turn was rubbing off on me but of course it went perfectly smoothly with hardly any other boats on the move and having set of at 8.30am we arrived in Droitwich at 3pm.

The Droitwich canal has only been open for two years since restoration was completed but the locks on the first part up to the town are large double locks and very heavy but from the town to the Birmingham and Worcester canal they revert to narrow locks and are much more manageable.

The lack of boats whilst in many ways adding to the joy and peace and quiet has its downside in that there is no help around at locks and it also lulls one into forgetting about the possibility of oncoming traffic. On Monday the last boat we had seen coming towards us was at 12.30 and on Tuesday the first boat we saw was at 12.45. The only problem was that that meeting was at the most inconvenient spot on the whole canal. In restoring the canal they had to find a way of going under the M5 and they utilised a culvert which is just wide enough and just high enough - we had to remove our small chimney and the bike, which now lives on the roof, and had about 4" to spare - which meant I had to crouch down and had a very restricted view forward and had just entered the tunnel when I saw the brow of another boat coming round the corner at the other end. He stopped OK and backed up and we exchanged comments about how incredible it was that the first boat either of us had met that day happened to be at that awkward spot. Amazing how often it seems to happen.

So we are now moored up on the Worcester and Birmingham canal heading north and that brings me to the reason for this blogs title. We are moored at the foot of the Tardebigge flight of 30 locks, the longest single flight in the UK and, its said, a right of passage for any canal traveller. Its certainly raised a few eyebrows from other boaters that we have told but its not going to get any easier as the years roll on so I think now is probably a good time to do it. Given the lack of other boats around we will not be under any pressure but at the same time it probably means we wont get much help either so I think we will both be a bit fitter and leaner (if not meaner) after tomorrow.