After a couple of days of rest and recuperation we had a bolstering breakfast on Wednesday morning (30/06/2021) at the Cafe Afloat narrowboat before setting off back towards Birmingham.
We trundled through Sidbury Lock and Blockhouse lock and moored up in Worcester by our previous mooring, handy for ALDI and ASDA, so we could do our shopping for the cruising ahead. Steve got a new watch battery from Timpson’s and a waxed rain hat for Hilary from Trespass, which would hopefully not get much use.
We had our last session on wine while watching the last two episodes of Series 1 of The Handmaid’s Tale on All4. Tomorrow we would be starting Dry July for an alcohol free healthy month, in readiness for a wedding in August.
Judging by the dealing and drug paraphernalia that we have witnessed on the canals it seems that there is a group other than walkers, joggers and cyclists that ought to be wooed by the Canal & River Trust.
On Thursday (01/07/2021) we had more tunnels to negotiate and 24 locks, which were generally in groups of six. At Hanbury Canal Village (so much posher than a wharf) wide beamed boats were being brought in by road to offer residential solutions on the canal by Droitwich Junction.
Certainly enough room to swing a cat on these big boys/girls.
No time to stop at the Eagle and Sun pub today, especially as we were now on Dry July.
Our target was to moor at the Queen’s Head at Stoke Pound ready to set off through the 30 Tardebigge Locks in the morning.
We passed some nice lock cottages along the way.
And some great pubs. This one, and the Sports & Social Club opposite, were doing a roaring trade when we passed this way in the opposite direction.
The swans on the towpath at Stoke Works were still defending their young family. Last time we were here Vera and Steve had to run passed them as they hissed and flapped their wings!
Looks like 1894 was a good year for lock bricks on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal.
We passed through the six Stoke Locks, numbered 23-28, counting down from Worcester at the junction with the River Severn.
We reached our destination and moored up opposite the Queen’s Head pub where a “Bride to Be” hen party were heading for the teepee in the garden. We started on Series 2 of The Handmaid’s Tale and had “the best ever” chicken tikka masala, according to M&S.
Steve and Vera went to check out the first lock in the Tardebigge Flight which runs from 29 to lock 58 at Tardebigge New Wharf. We would set off early tomorrow.
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