Running for home

Sunday 17^th August; Calcutt marina to bridge 19

Normally we wouldn’t return to Droitwich for the winter till the middle of October, or even later, but we have been wondering for some time if it would be wise to stay away for that long – and the notices from CRT have now confirmed that it wouldn't be.  The Calcutt flight and Radford Bottom lock are on restricted hours at the moment, because of the lack of rain, but the other day a complete closure of navigation was announced from 26^th of August.  We have just over a week to get through Radford, which is more than enough time, but we still thought it would be better to go earlier rather than later.

The hot weather seems to be triggering early ripening.   Rose-hips, haws and sloes near Calcutt.

There was quite a lot of traffic on the M5, but it was moving well until unfortunately two ‘incidents’ ahead of us caused tail-backs round Bristol.  So we were over an hour late getting to the marina, but still managed to get out onto the canal by 5.  We noticed many trees colouring up, well before they should have done – at home our silver birches and weeping willow have been showing colour for several days and by the time we left home there was a considerable carpet of crispy yellow leaves – birch, willow and a few field maple - over the crispy brown grass.

We cruised for only a mile, going very gently, and it took three-quarters of an hour.  We found a short stretch of Armco after bridge 19, just the right size for us, so we stopped.  Blackberries were visible from the side hatch, so a bowlful was quickly picked.  

With other berry-bearing shrubs and creepers we suspected the hedge had been planted with wildlife in mind.  Or maybe it’s been there since the canal was built, but I doubt it.

Buckthorn, also known as Purging Buckthorn, so be careful if you try it! 

 

Buckthorn is the food-plant of the caterpillars of the Brimstone butterfly, the yellow one you see in early spring.

Hmmm, this boat is VERY dusty …

Dave cleaned the starboard side and the roof before we ate.  It’s a very peaceful mooring here, a few hundred yards short of Gibraltar Bridge after which there are moorings on the offside most of the way to StocktonTop marina, after which there is nowhere to moor before the top lock of a flight of 10.

One mile.