Tardebigge to Hopwood
5.75 miles, 1 lock
This probably says it all!
We had had thunder and heavy rain in the night which disturbed Monty, so I was up at 05:30 trying to lend comfort and support! It was still raining when we set off to go up the one lock of the day. We had a Tesco delivery due at Tardebigge New Wharf between 10:00 and 11:00, so there was no putting it off. We emptied and filled at the service point and at 09:45 my phone rang to say the Tesco man was at the Wharf. He brought the boxes right up to the bow where I took delivery into our shopping bags. Now bearing in mind I was under the cratch you might have thought I and most of the shopping bags would stay dry - no chance! The receipt was so wet it was translucent and had to be dried on a radiator.
And the shopping bags adorned various parts of the boat until they were dry enough to fold up and put away
We were off at 10:50 with a rare sight in these parts - a widebeam! It is being built by Crafted Boats who have a dry dock up at Tardebigge - I am not sure what they were doing with it but one thing is for sure they were not going down the narrow locks. I know they have sailed a widebeam from the dry dock to Alvechurch (there is a crane there for the boats to be removed from the water and taken to their final destination by road) before now - both tunnels are two way traffic, so they just send a small boat ahead to stop oncoming traffic before they enter with the widebeam.
I stayed inside with the dogs through the tunnels leaving Chris to the weather! Both Tardebigge and Shortwood can be wet tunnels, but today they were a lot drier than the outside world was.
Monty, Kiera and I emerged fully togged just before the Bittell Reservoirs. It is a lovely walk from there to Hopwood. There were hardly any boats moored on the offside, so there was a great view of the reservoir, but no camera! There was a tree down obscuring the towpath a bit further along. Thankfully not so big that the dogs and I could not clamber over it. As we approached Hopwood I met a C&RT employee. I told him about the tree and he said he would take a look. He was walking that way as he had had a report of a lot of water on the towpath. I had to agree there were a lot of large puddles, but I did not think it was any more sinister than that.
This was the view when we moored up
And inside there were two very wet dogs and lots of 'stuff'' hanging around to dry!
We are almost right up to the winding hole, so a good distance from the road.
Ever the optimistic Brits - the boat in front of us was having a barbecue!!
Wednesday 25th September
Hopwood
This morning was an internal domestic time for me whilst Chris walked the dogs. Next we both showered and met our friends (Jane and Chris) in the pub (Hopwood House) shortly after midday. We first ate at this pub some 14 years ago and had a disastrous meal. I am glad to say things have improved and we all had really good food. It is not fine dining, just Pub grub, but it was done well.
Then it was back to the boat for a joyful reunion for Jane, Chris and Kiera. Coffee and more chat before they headed off taking our temporary boat dog with them. She will be missed, not least by Monty.
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