It took us 6 hours travelling today to get from Lower Lode to Worcester. This is a trip of about 18 miles and 2 manned locks. We got to Upper Lode lock just after 8am and he had it open but had forgotten to put the green light on so we waited for him to remember just in case there was something about to come out.
After the lock it was a long slog against the fast flow of the river which is still in the amber. We managed about 3 miles an hour which is not bad but seemed really slow. There was plenty of incident along the way including – the manouvreing of the gravel barges at the M50 motorway bridge, a fallen tree in Upton blocking half the river, the trip boat from Upton having to pass us and the dozy lock keeper at Diglis who knew we were coming but closed the lock just as we got there and let another boat down while we hung on the wall waiting!
The weather has been dull today but mild and with very light winds so the journey was not unpleasant. After we finally managed to get up Diglis Lock we looked at a space on the pontoons but decided it was too short for us. There was a yoghurt pot moored about 10ft from the end and if he had moved up the space would have been plenty long enough but there you are.
We continued past the cathedral and through the bridge to the racecourse where we found loads of room. We soon moored and I went to the Croft Rd car park to get a ticket. Worcester has a very novel approach to mooring fee payment!
By this time it was getting on for mid afternoon so of course our next move was to go to the pub where the Abbot went down extremely well.
Tomorrow we are heading for Stourport where we will leave the river and go up onto the Staffs and Worcester canal.
