Revision as of 21:36, 25 November 2017

Our narrow-boat maiden trip (August 2017)

Caminante, son tus huellas
el camino y nada más;
Caminante, no hay camino,
se hace camino al andar.
Al andar se hace el camino,
y al volver la vista atrás
se ve la senda que nunca
se ha de volver a pisar.
Caminante no hay camino
sino estelas en la mar.

Antonio Machado
in Campos de Castilla, 1912.

Narrow-boating

First day: From Stourport on Severn to Worcester

We took our boat (the Western Star) with some basic instructions and even more basic explications from someone of the company, called Julia, who helped us exit the canal from Stourport, and we thus found ourselves on the Severn even before we knew it. It was great excitement, and everything went smoothly, including the passing of three locks (Lincomb, Holt and Bevere), which were man-operated. Although we initially got scared we wouldn't arrive to Worcester in time, it was actually very fast. It took us roughly 2h30 to get there, with an average speed of almost 12km/h. We quickly got sight of Guille who was waiting for us from the bridge and had spotted us as well even earlier. Our first attempt to fetch him was unsuccessful, as we couldn't get the boat close enough from the quay while still managing to get it stuck to something. After a good fright, and quickly understanding we were surely doing something wrong as our little operation was attracting much attention from people from the bridge, we managed to to free ourselves, and went down the river looking for a more steady mooring spot. We found one at Diglis junction, where we could recover Guille. It was unsuitable to moor for the night, however, and we didn't feel ready to enter the canal. We thus went back upstream and moored between the stone and the railway bridges.

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  Our first minutes of sailing! Julia was confined inside the time it took us to get confident with manoeuvring.

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  The Severn, easy to sail and very pretty. Exactly the feeling of freedom we were looking for. This part featured beautiful rock formation.

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  Elena at the command.

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  Just after passing a lock, and getting close to another fork: decision time...

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  Meanwhile, inside.

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  Worcester in sight! We got there faster than we thought. Guille is on the bridge down there.

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  We would later come back and moor at this spot in front.

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  Trying to fetch Guille. This attempt would fail and give us a good fright.

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  Passing by the cathedral and keeping an eye on Guille, whom we had to leave on the berge.

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  After finally getting our fourth passenber on board, back to Worcester bridge to find a mooring point.

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  We moored nearby the railway bridge.

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  Worcester.

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  On the quays.

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  Julia, our little sailor.

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  In the cathedral's gardens, with the Severn in background.

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  The old walls.

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  The Cathedral.

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  Back to our boat, with the falling night, for our first night on board.

Second day: In the Worcester canal

On our second day, we did little sailing (about two hours), as we spent most of the time to visit the historically important city of Worcester.

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  Good morning... waking up on a boat! Another new experience.

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  That's the kind of company you get in the morning when you live in a narrow-boat.

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  Of course we went out to greet them.

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  Another little friend, very busy.

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  And a fine specimen too!

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  Visiting Worcester, here at the Guildhall.

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  On the tracks of Charles II.

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  Worcester cathedral.

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  Little Julia, showing it scale!

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  Worcester streets. Elena and Guille are having fun with a cat which was always there!

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  Another beautiful view.

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  Resting.

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  After the cultural visit of the Worcester battle, time for some fun.

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  Back to visits... inside the cathedral.

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  The chapter house was one of Julia's favourite for its predisposition to go around it over and over.

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  In the cathedral's rooftop.

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  The Severn from the cathedral's tower.

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  Julia in an Hugolian pause.

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  The beautiful ceilings of the Cathedral.

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  The medieval cloisters.

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  With istorical walls.

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  Lunchtime, Julia had mussels. Probably not a local speciality but a Julia's favourite.

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  The typical character from Julia's drawings.

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  In the Guildhall.

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  Where some official ceremonies are still being held.

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  Our second mooring point, not too far in the Worcester canal.

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  We walked in Worcester suburbs, thinking we were very far (it was darker than the camera did capture).

Day 3: From the Worcester to the Droitwich canal

Day 4: from the Droitwich canal back to the Severn

Day 5: Kidderminster