The Long Awaited Visit Part 1 - 29th-30th May 2021

 As has been the case for many people we had not seen our son, daughter-in-law their three children since March 2020.  To say I was excited would be an understatement.  They arrived on Saturday 29th May and we just had a very relaxed evening just revelling in all being together again.  It has certainly been a very odd year.

Sunday 30th May 2021

Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove

I am sure there will be some of you who have visited this wonderful Museum when down this way.  It is a bit of a hike from the canal, but well worth it.  It re-opened this year on Saturday 1st May.  That evening some people took it upon themselves to vandalise many of the buildings and some of the interior exhibits.  Windows were smashed and they left a trail of destruction behind them which, of course, meant the museum had to close losing the rest of the Bank Holiday bookings.  The vandals had done tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage.  Volunteers and staff set to work clearing up all the glass and boarding up the windows so they could open the following weekend, albeit with some of the buildings shut.  An appeal was launched to help fund the repairs and it seems that it was so successful that they got money from all corners of the globe.  Why anyone would do this is beyond my comprehension.  The museum is out of town, not near any pubs and they are likely to have gone by car with the intent of doing what they did.  As far as I know they have not been apprehended.  

What is so special about this place?  It is a collection of old buildings from Worcestershire and beyond that have been rescued and re-built in what is England's first open air museum.  The Website can do a much better job than I can.  As a family we have visited it many times over the years - they put on a lot of activities for the youngsters on special occasions.  We find the whole site so welcoming and peaceful that we sometimes just pop in to take Monty for a walk (we are members).  We decided it would be very appropriate to go over there to show our support, especially as the Bromsgrove Town Leet were going to be in attendance.  To our shame we did not know that they even existed even though we have lived in the area for almost 10 years.  In our defence, I suspect that they are out and about mostly in the summer and we, of course, are usually away then.  

As we arrived there was a ceremony taking place - the local baker had made some scones and they had to be passed fit for consumption.  The Town Bailiff asked two member of the Town Leet to test them.  There was a lot of discussion about how you pronounce 'scone' and whether you put the jam or cream on first!  They were passed as fit for the people of Bromsgrove to consume and the baker was presented with a certificate and a sprig of evergreen, so that those who were unable to read would know they had been approved.  All very well done.  They must have all been rather warm in all their regalia.

The three grandchildren (17, 13 and 12) insisted that they must have a ride on the little train just for old times sake.  Their Mum and Dad joined them!

After that we just went for a wander around in the sunshine.  It was very sad to see so many windows boarded up and the buildings closed.  

The staff and volunteers have done an amazing job to get things to the stage they are now.  I suspect it may be years before they are back to normal.  All the glass has to be authentic to the age of the building, so not easy or cheap to source.

The old 'loo' has always been a favourite for the children!

Even the playground was visited

The windmill is one of my favourites and has appeared in my blog on many occasions as it is visible from a few parts of the canal.  I always know we are nearly home when I see it in the distance.

This poor lady was wrapped up in many yards of pure wool!  

It was a very gentle and fun way to spend an afternoon.  Once we were home our daughter, son in law and their two boys came round for a BBQ.

I will never take for granted all 11 of us being all together in the same place again.

Now that was more like it - 28th May 2021

Friday 28th May 2021
Crafted Boats to Droitwich Spa Marina

3.5 miles, 9 locks

We returned home from Staffordshire on Thursday having had a fantastic time with our friends which included a walk along the Audlem flight, a visit to The 'Secret' Bunker at Hack Green and lunch out in a pub as well as many hours just relaxing and enjoying each others company.

Friday we were up and out early - Chris had pre-positioned the car back at the marina on Thursday evening and our lift arrived promptly at 08:30 to transport us to Crafted Boats.  On our arrival we found Tentatrice in one of the paint tunnels. 

Photos were taken of the packing round the batteries

and we were off with no wind or rain - as I said in the title 'that was more like it!'

Now we did not need it there was plenty of mooring space just above the Astwood locks.

Round the bend and we were all ready to head down the flight of six.  Lo and behold there was a boat just exiting the first lock going down ahead of us!

just after we had started our descent another boat came round the corner which had a 

large very efficient crew and it meant that at every lock I had an assistant on the bottom gates, so no walking round the locks for me today.  Always a bonus.  

With boats coming up as well, it was a social trip, something in the past we possibly all took for granted.  I had managed to chat to the lady on the boat ahead of us at the second lock and asked (as you do) 'where are you heading today?'  Her answer was 'Gloucester as the boat is due back tomorrow'.  I was somewhat alarmed at her reply as I was aware that this was a very long journey to be done in one day - I felt it was probably impossible.  I was right as I discovered when I checked canal planner on our return home -  this is a journey of around 42 miles and 24 locks which includes around 29 miles on the River Severn which was on amber boards (for non boaters this is due to a strong stream after all the rain and means you can proceed with caution, however, I am not sure whether hire boats are supposed to do so).  The canal planner I use suggest you need 16 hours minimum to do this trip.  I advised her to ring the hire boat company before they descended onto the River Severn.  I worried all the way down the flight about how on earth they were going to manage!

It was a busy old day

A young family out enjoying themselves

Lock 18

Not a breath of wind

It was not long before we were down at the bottom lock and I met up again with the lady going to Gloucester.  I wished her luck and a safe journey and that is when she told me she had got it wrong - they were going to Worcester!  A much better option - just another 7 hours or so rather than 15.  I was so glad I found out as it meant I could relax and stop worrying about them.  

Once through those six locks, there is time to put the kettle on and have a cuppa before one arrives at Hanbury Junction where we turned right to head down the three locks at Hanbury. As we approached we could see a VLK busy getting the top lock ready, but we also spotted a boat at the back of the lock landing.  I was walking by this time and could see they were tightly moored up with the engine off, so we proceeded past them.  The VLK told us he had been getting the lock ready for the other boat, but they had decided to have a cuppa!  Their loss, our gain.

Once again with help at all the locks

and a boat coming up 

we were soon down

and at the junction into our marina.

We swiftly moored up and made sure everything was as it should be and we were off to Waitrose for a few bits - as I emerged from the store, the rain came down.  It was a very pleasant and easy trip.  All that remained to be done was to send the photos of the batteries all packed in to the BSS examiner and wait with baited breath to see if he would pass us this time.

We didn't!  Apparently they need a strap as well.  Back to the drawing board, but this time one of the engineers will drive to us which is a lot quicker than us going back by boat.

We know how to pick them....20th - 21st May 2021

 Cruising Days That Is ....

Thursday 20th May 2021  
Droitwich Spa Marina to The Boat and Railway Inn near Stoke Works 
3 miles, 9 locks

We needed to take the boat back up to Crafted Boats for two reasons - one thing that was missed when they had her at the end of last year and secondly for them to secure the batteries so we pass our BSC which we failed on 10th May.  For those readers who are not boaters, all boat need a Boat Safety Certificate - an MOT for boats, but thankfully only done every 4 years.  Tentatrice's first one was 4 years ago and all was well, but the person who we used before has retired, so a new examiner was found and he decreed that the batteries are not secured sufficiently, so we failed.  He told Chris that if our boat was at 45 degrees in a lock they might tip up!  My reply to Chris was 'if our boat was in a lock at that angle surely the batteries would be least of our worries!'   The only time we have encountered rough water was our crossing of the Wash in 2018 and they survived that.  Chris has looked at them and cannot really see how they would tip up, but it has to be done and his COPD really prevents him taking on these sort of jobs these days, so we have to get someone else to do them for us.  

We drove across yesterday morning, loaded up our overnight things, stuff for Monty and some food for ourselves and set off just before midday in torrential rain and ferocious wind!

Thankfully there were three lock keepers on duty at Hanbury, so we sailed up them with ease.

At the top we were rewarded with the first sighting for us of the swans with their new cygnets on a day out from our marina.  I have not seen them with this many before, so fingers crossed they all make it.

I dived downstairs to make a cuppa and a sandwich for our lunch, but was back out to work our way up the 6 locks at Astwood.  We did not do too badly - two were empty ready for us, one was half full and just the other three were full and had to be emptied.

Approaching the bottom lock

Just as we were entering the bottom lock a boat appeared to go down with a big crew - they kindly finished the lock for Chris whilst I walked on to get the next lock ready.

The second (no 18) is of my favourites on the entire system - the lock cottage and garden are so well tended that there is always something to delight the eye whatever time of year.

A very neat garden just waiting for some summer sun

The last time we came through here (Dec 2020) the gnomes all had their 'winter coats' on

Not so today, but they could have done with them - the weather today was wetter and colder than it was in December!

Even in very inclement weather there are still views to admire on this flight.

Monty on locking duties - and yes it was bad enough for him to need his coat.

When we do this journey and need an overnight stop we usually pull in just after the bridge at the top of the Astwood flight - we have never seen any other boat there - today there were three of them and the moorings were full!

We had thought about going on a bit further as it is quite exposed there, so the decision was made for us and we stopped just after The Boat and Railway Inn.  It is probably the least scenic mooring we have ever had, the towpath was muddy and wet, but once inside the boat we were secure and warm and all we could see from the windows was the cow parsley rather than cars, so it did us just fine.

We were joined eventually by another boat which pulled in front of us, so we ended up as the filling in the sandwich.  The rain did ease off fairly early on, but the wind just kept coming and coming, but we made it.

Friday 21st May 2021

Boat and Railway to Crafted Boats, via the bottom lock at Stoke Prior

1 mile, 2 locks

It was raining again when we set off this morning, but thankfully only light rain and the wind was not as bad.  It is certainly not the weather you expect at the end of May!  We were soon at the bottom lock at Stoke Prior - we went in and up, disposed of our rubbish and emptied the wee pot and then Chris winded the boat and re-entered the lock.  By this time our daughter had arrived to collect us and our belongings so she could take us back to the marina to collect our car. 

Before we dropped the lock we loaded Monty and our stuff into her car and we met up again at Crafted Boats.

A swift journey followed to Droitwich then as we said thank you and farewell came the best thing that has happened for 15 months - we were able to have a hug with her!  Whoever thought that something so simple that we all took for granted would ever be something so special.

We have put in a request to the weather gods for slightly better weather next Friday when we take her back to the marina.  In the meantime we were heading off to Staffordshire on Monday to stay with friends for a few days.  Something else we all took for granted. 

We are wondering if we can pin the blame on this inclement weather on the crew of Cleddau (Boatwif blog and for non boaters, they are the friends we frequently travel the system with) - they proudly announced on Wednesday that they had put their coal and coal irons away for the summer and had moved the dining table to its summer position by the stove!