We’re on our way back to Sawley at last. This morning we were hopeful that we would be able to leave so just before 8am we went to a mooring just outside the Barge Arm to get water without having to go through Llanthony Bridge. The reason we didn’t want to go through Llanthony Bridge is because although it opens at 8am it closes again at 8-20am until 9am for rush hour on the road. We didn’t want to have to wait until it reopened before being able to go down the lock.
When we got to the Barge Arm I rang the lock keeper at Upper Lode and he said he was confident we would have a 3 day window of opportunity to get to Stourport, barring a Biblical downpour! So it was all systems go and while we were filling with water I went to the shop for bread, milk, orange juice, a paper etc. Then when I got back I walked the loo cassette and rubbish round to Llanthony pontoon.
So we were ready for the off and manouvred to a position near the lock to wait for the lock keeper to fill the lock. We went down with one other boat who said they were also going to Stourport and eventually to York. We will probably be leap frogging them for the neaxt couple of weeks.
The 11.5 mile trip to Lower Lode took 3.5 hours at 2000 revs most of the time. We eventually caught up with the boat which had gone down one lock before us and it became apparent that we were both eyeing up the moorings at Lower Lode. However there was room for both of us which was lucky. The boat which had come down with us went past but I don’t think they were planning on stopping here anyway.
So that’s stage one of the trip to Stourport done. Tomorrow we’re not stopping at Upton, which is where the boat we’re moored here with is going, for the Jazz festival apparently. We are going to Worcester …………. probably.
