Autumn cruising

Tuesday 7^th October; Droitwich Spa marina to Oddingley

We drove up to the boat in calm grey weather for what is probably going to be our last cruise for this year – we often think we’ll pop up for a few days before the winter sets in, but we almost never do.  We were ready for the off by about 3.30.

Windlasses at the ready as we turn towards the marina exit

The bottom of the three Hanbury locks is very close to the marina entrance, and any volunteers often spot boats about to leave the marina.  Would there be any vollies still around at 3.30?  In summer they are here till at least 4 in the afternoon  …  today we saw one on his way home along the towpath before we had even left the marina, they'd obviously already decided to call it a day.  At least the three locks were almost ready for us, just needing a little water letting out.  At the top of the flight is the electronic river conditions board.

At least there has been some rain

The conditions on the Severn are academic for us – we had hoped to cruise the Droitwich Ring, which goes north on the Severn from Worcester and passes through Bevere lock on its way to the start of the Droitwich Barge canal, but the lock is out of action at the moment for repair.  So we’ll potter down to Worcester and back, and maybe then go northwards towards Stoke Works.  It all depends on how long we hang around the Worcester area. 

Rounding the tight turn towards Worcester

It was still sunny and pleasantly mild as we tootled along past the Hadzor moorings towards Dunhampstead tunnel.  There was only one other boat on the move – a hire boat who arrived at the tunnel when we were about half-way through and waited for us to emerge before they started.  It’s only a short tunnel so they didn’t have long to wait.  The weather seemed to have suddenly got colder as we negotiated the last few bridges to Oddingley where we slotted into a space after 2 hours’ cruising.  But it wasn’t quite cold enough to light the fire.

3 locks, 2½ miles, Dunhampstead tunnel