Netherwich

 Today's Canal - Droitwich

Our plan last night was to return to the marina by late this afternoon, leaving us plenty of time to visit IKEA in Bristol, should we find that the part we need to complete the bedroom furniture units we bought last week is now in stock.

As a result we set off in good time, especially as the forecast for this afternoon was for rain and wind. But even as we started, there was dampness in the air.

All along the canal below Droitwich there are plenty of reed beds at the water edges. Much of this is kept as part pof the compromises that have to be agreed when a derelict canal, now reclaimed by nature, is turned back into a navigation. It dies back in winter and by early summer the width available for boats is much reduced. At this time of the year, a lot of the old growth breaks away and clogs up the sluices at the locks and overflow weirs. Mildenham Lock always seems to have one of the largest piles!

Along the Salwarpe valley there are numerous large houses - some farms but others well established residences, some dating back a good long time. They are mostly just a bit too far away for our simple phone camera to make much of, but we did get this one near the canal just before the Ladywood locks.

This photo was actually a mistake, pressing a button at the wrong time, but it does look as if it was a deliberate arty piece!

There are also several former mills along the Salwarpe - this one can be seen between locks 4 and 5. We think it is Porters Mill and, if so, the remains of a water wheel can just be seen on Google Aerial view.

The bottom gates at Locks 5 and 6 have had an unusual treatment which we have not seen elsewhere. We guess that it is intended to reduce the amount of water being lost through the gates but if anyone knows whether it is ad hoc or a more extended experiment, do let us know!

By the time we arrived at the top lock the rain was rather heavy and windy. Christine spotted this small plaque on the end of the towpath side top balance beam. It commemorates the official re-opening of the canal in July 2011.

As we started on the long pound into Droitwich a revised plan was agreed. We would stop if possible on the Netherwich Moorings near the centre of the town - we expected to reach there before 1 o'clock. Then have lunch giving plenty of time to walk to the nearby shops to get some rolls for our journey tomorrow. This will mean that we make an early start on the final five locks, but they are all much easier to operate than the Barge Canal ones.

Whilst Christine went to Waitrose, Mike set about emptying water from the bilges - rather a lot had gathered in the sections which the automatic pump does not empty. We had actually sourced enough parts to make a small manually operated bilge pump but at the last minute we managed to forget to pack that box into the car when we left home! As a result Mike had to revert to the tried and tested method of laboriously using a mop and bucket with a squeeze fitment. He had almost completed the task by the time Christine returned. We spent the rest of the day inside, drying out the wet clothes from the morning cruise!

4.6 Miles - 6 Locks