Sunday 14th June
The picture below is opposite our mooring on the Severn by the racecourse at Worcester, and this is how it looked on Sunday morning.


After Geoff had taken Barnaby for a long walk around the race course (he didn't bother with the jumps!) we set off for the 10.30 Sung Eucharist at the Cathedral. My walking which had started to be bad the previous evening, had not improved and despite taking my hiking stick with me, it was a slow walk. We met our visitors, Tony & Di Fletcher with Di's cousin Ann and Ronnie Dunn afterwards and we managed to find a good pub in town where we had a Sunday Roast for £5 a head. We should have stopped after that but some of all (all the ladies) fell foul of things like treacle sponge and sticky toffee pudding. We should had had a long walk after that but it was all I could do to gt myself back to Petroc.
Since only Ronnie was staying for a couple of days, we took a trip down the river and back for everyone else's benefit.

The weather was so kind to us and the views of the Cathedral as you go down the river are wonderful

Monday 15th June

Monday morning was an early start to water just past the rowing club (a water point that is not mentioned in our guide book) and then it was back to the canals again. With Ronnie to help at the locks it was somewhat quicker as Geoff could carry on to set the next lock. I still was not walking well but could just about manage my normal job on the tiller.

Ronnie was soon into the swing of things.

However most of the top paddles were extremely stiff and it was hard work. We managed 16 locks and stopped about 2pm for a well earned rest at Tibberton. Ronnie and I spent the afternoon sitting on the bank with our books in the sunshine.......this is what it is all about.......

Later the rain came and we had a torrential downpour but we had had our share of good weather so did not mind by then, besides it watered the plants.
Tuesday 16th June

Set off today with the intention of stopping at Stoke Prior after 6 locks. However at the first lock we met some friendly local walkers who told us the moorings after the next 6 locks were much better. Since the weather was still being kind to us we decided to carry on. We passed the church at Oddingley early on which we had been recommended to visit but the skipper is not keen on stopping en route so we didn't force the issue as it was very pleasant sitting up in the cratch whilst he steered the boat to the first lock. The canal was very narrow in parts on this stretch.

Oddingley Church

Shortly afterwards we went through Dunhamstead Tunnel. At only just over 250 metres I did not have to do my normal trick of burying myself below and pretending I was somewhere else!

So we are now moored just past the Queens head pub at the bottom of the Tardebigge flight. We await more visitors, Geoff & Gill Smith who will join us for supper at the pub and take Ronnie back to her car.