Saturday 10th October; Perdiswell Park to Commandery, Worcester
I took Jess into the park for her early walk and I didn’t take photos this morning as I realised I hadn’t downloaded yesterday’s completely.
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| Perdiswell Park alongside the golf course |
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| These fine fungi could have been the edible Parasol Mushroom but are probably the poisonous Panther Cap. I didn’t get down low enough to check the base which would have told me for certain. Even if I thought they were Parasols I still wouldn't eat them without an expert to confirm the identification! |
One of the local households planted a Russian Vine (aka Mile-a-Minute) some years ago, and now in autumn it covers a large area of fence and rampages over the bushes by the towpath.
I nipped down the footpath and under the railway to M&S in the Blackpole Retail Park for some snacks and the Saturday paper before we set off towards Bilford top lock at the far end of the park. It was sunny but we were cruising into a chilly wind. Some locking would soon warm me up. But what was this? Activity at the lock but a CRT bod walking towards us, a regretful smile on her face. She was very apologetic but the pound below the bottom Bilford lock had been completely empty and we were in for a bit of a wait. We moored above the top lock and I walked down to have a look.
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| Below the bottom lock – the swans had been walking along the bottom when she arrived. |
The pound is about 300 yards long and would take a long time to fill – she was being very careful not to run water down too quickly to avoid the pound we were in getting too low. So she spent a lot of time walking back and forth to check the levels. There was no obvious reason for the pound to have drained and the paddles had all been in order, so the reason remained a mystery. After about an hour we were allowed to proceed, but the boat behind, being deeper-draughted, opted to wait a while longer. We didn’t have any trouble getting through the pound to the two Gregory's Mill locks.
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| Gregory's Mill bottom lock. It was years before we twigged how to use these handy steps to get back on the boat! |
A couple of CRT men were at the first of the two locks and had been hauling out floating pennywort and bits of fallen branch. They hastened to check we had been given permission to continue! I chatted to them about the cut reeds that had caused us such trouble and they were pretty scathing about some of the contractors, and reckoned CRT should take it all the towpath maintenance and reed-cutting back in-house. We reached the Commandery moorings at about 2. After a late lunch I left Dave painting the port side between the gunwale and the rubbing strake and went shopping.
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| It’s a good edge for ground-level painting |
I took the scenic route to M&S, walking up Friar Street, and along Pump Street to the Shambles, passing the back entrance to M&S along the way before turning down the High Street.
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| Friar Street |
I bought some fruit in the greengrocer’s before battling through the clustering teenagers in the beauty department of Boots to get to the far end where all the useful stuff is. Back out again into the busy street to find the front entrance of M&S for an essential visit – we both need some new underwear. Mission accomplished – and with a cosy new pair of pyjamas for me too – I hot-footed it away from the Saturday crowds, past the statue of Elgar and the two girls taking selfies in front of him.
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| A slightly odd angle to keep the youngsters out of the picture |
The busy City Walls Road has to be crossed to get back to the canal – we can hear the traffic till late in the evening.
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| This acrobat is perusing the menu of the restaurant on the left |
There are many sites around Worcester associated with the English Civil War, the Commandery being one of them. This plaque is on the bridge next to it.
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| Maybe his sentiment is true but an awful lot of people died for it whatever their beliefs |
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| Smarter now! How long before it gets scruffy again? |
I filled the coal scuttle ready for a fire but it wasn’t quite cold enough this evening to light it.
2½ miles, 5 locks
