Last day

Last day of this particular trip.  Beautiful blue sky this morning.  Using up all left overs for 9.00 am breakfast as it's our last day today.  Parmentier potatoes (Waitrose) left over from Saturday eve meal, bacon, eggs & tomatoes. That should set us up nicely for the day.

Messing about on the ... canal

Might move from Tibberton to Dunhampstead today, but no locks (hooray) just one tunnel.  It's 10.00am real time (feels like 9.00am as the clocks went forward @ 2.00am).  Lazy day planned as we've been "rushing" (!) around during the past few days doing too many locks and need a quiet day.  Sky is blue, birds are chirping & a couple of canoers have just paddled past.  David has spent the day improving the aerial for the TV, fitting draft excluder & touching up the paintwork.  I attempted to wash Averina's paintwork but it doesn't look at better than when I started.  I should have used a leather but too late now.  Thought about going down to Dunhampstead for evening meal but I had a hunch and called them & they close after Sunday lunch .  Decided to have roast beef here at the Bridge @ Tibberton.  Average pub fayre for £7.95, but keeps hunger at bay.  We'll stay here the night now.  Really warm afternoon.  Gorgeous blue sky, lots of cyclists.

Tibberton

Another glorious day forecast.  Blue sky & no clouds to start with at least.  Quiet in the basin.  Turned around  and then stopped for lunch at 1.00pm having completed 8 locks.  Just before A449.  6 locks under M5 then due to finish at Tibberton for supper.  Not seen another boat yet, they are missing all this sunshine! All 14 locks passed uneventfully.  Several walkers, bikers, joggers about especially this afternoon.  Really sunny & warm - 20 C.  Warmer than when we were in St Ives in May last year!  Arrived in Tibberton at 3.00pm & made a quick dash for the Post Office for provisions but alas it closed at 12.30 (on Saturdays) and doesn't reopen until Monday.  Quick cuppa at canalside pub "The Bridge" & persuaded them to sell us some milk - cheers for that!  Sadly we've also run out of bread & cheese so will have to make do.  Pub is a bit "& chips" so have decided to make our own tonight then go back to "The Fir Tree" tomorrow.  Waitrose @ Droitwich has proved very very fortuitous - especially this weekends offers of meal for 2 for £10.00.

Worcester

Had a nice bacon bap on the boat with Steve.  Started the day with the intention of dropping him off in Worcester and then return to Tibberton.  W&B canal bridge 29 @ 10.30am.  Tibberton looks nice - will come back there.  6 locks @ Offerton.  Varying degrees of help depending on whether Steve was a lock hand, photographer or at the helm.  This stretch of locks are between the M5 & A449 so although pretty - very noisy!  Then another 8 locks at steady intervals into Worcester.  Arrived later than expected at 3.00pm so the thought of doing those 14 locks back again straight away is not attractive.  Stop for a late lunch and wave goodbye to Steve who is catching the train back to London.  We continue on through another 2 locks into Diglis Basin.  Fill up with water & moor up here for the night.  Huge re-development of the Basin, lots of new flats and private moorings.  Nice walk along the River Severn before supper.  18 C today.

Averina's first visitor

Left Shrewsbury and it took us about 1 1/4 hours to get to Droitwich.  Had a lovely shop in Waitrose and then collected Steve from the train station at 12.21.  Lovely to have our first visitor aboard Averina.  Took Steve out of the marina and within 5 minutes David had him poling to get us away from the canal edge.  The wind had blown us against the side and we were stuck!  I thought Steve was going to get wet within a very short time of joining us but luckily stayed dry. Lovely to have a helper through locks 3,2,& 1 and then turned onto the W&B canal through Dunhampstead Tunnel as far as Dunhampstead for a traditional evening meal at "The Fir Tree".  Pleasant enough with friendly staff.  (2 course meal for £12.00 including glass of wine).  Lovely sunny evening.  Steve gave us some camera tuition - not sure how much of that we have remembered.  Moored there the night.

Droitwich Canal

Started the day early at 9.00am as we knew we had to get there and back in one day.  Very reedy all the way.  Hardly any places to stop the whole way.  We kept going and arrived at the River Severn @ 12.00 noon, Dafydd turned Averina about on the River and I took photos and then we came straight back on the same route.  Didn't see any other boats on the outward trip but past a couple of working boats coming through the lock together on the return journey.  Took Averina into Droitwich Spa Marina at about 5.00pm and then called a taxi to take us back to Stoke Prior where we had left the car.

Mother's Day

This morning there was a pressie from Jen - Rosie & Jim Dolls - how sweet !!  They are currently sitting on the shelf behaving themselves but I'm sure it won't stay that way when Averina is left unoccupied.  Had a lovely cooked breakfast then set off.  Turned onto the Droitwich Junction Canal & had a quick look at Droitwich Spa Marina - Averina's new home.  Still not many boats in but they are expecting some more over the next few weeks.  The sun has come out so lots of Sunday afternoon strollers along the tow path.  Met a family from Chippenham.  Carried on through Droitwich - the key operated swing bridges took us by surprise (should have read the guidebook first).  After Droitwich the canal sides are full of reeds so it's very difficult to find somewhere to moor.  Eventually stopped (ever so slightly illegally) after lock 6 near Ladywood. We're the only ones about so sure it won't cause any problems.  Several friendly dog walkers about to pass the time of day.

Averina's maiden voyage - St Paddy's Day

Our maiden voyage began from Stoke Prior at 2.00pm on Saturday 17th March 2012, and we quickly set off through our first lock - Stoke Bottom lock no. 23 on the Worcs & Birmingham Canal.  Moored overnight between locks 19 & 18 at Astwood Lock House which is very pretty, selling pickled onions and free range eggs.