The road to Crick - Fazeley

The road to Crick part 1

Calf Heath to Fazeley

May 2014

When I was student and was into back packing, and I really knew what it was to travel light. I sawed off my toothbrush handles, mixed dried milk with porridge and kept the spare clothes to a minimum.

Oh what a changes the years have wrought! I seem, to have moved from ultra light to mega heavy! Not content with 15 tons of narrowboat we now seem intent on testing is load carrying capacity. Of course the reason for all this weight gain is the preserves business and jam weighs a ton when carried in bulk!

Heavily laden at Fradley Junction

Buoyed by our success in Droitwich where we came within a whisker of selling out, we decided  that more stock is needed for Crick's huge audience, loaded umpteen jars of preserves plus a huge pile of cordials and vinegars. All this called for two trips to the boat with the Mondeo down on its bump stops and stock crammed into all the storage space available. I even pressed the void left by the old holding tank into good service - but more of that another time.

But in spite of all this pre loading all was not happiness on arrival at the marina. Someone (not me) forgot to bring the entry pack for Crick so someone (still not me) had to go back and get it.... This made for a late start but we still reached Great Haywood in time to find no room in the Clifford Arms for that long promised meal out.

Shadehouse Lock

The second day of travel to Fazeley was under a clear blue sky where fleeces, jeans and steel toed boots were discarded in favour of something cooler. I feared huge crowds, but the only one I saw grew behind us at Colwich Lock as everyone left Gt Haywood together at 9.00am.

Even our trip down the three locks at Gt Haywood (counting Wood End) were uninterrupted and we made solitary progress round through Seethay and on into the wooded countryside of Whittington.

By an amazing fluke we discovered that Sandra (of the amazing Awaken Your Life Coaching - why not see what she can do for you?) and Barry (AREandARE) were moored at Fazeley so a rendezvous point was agreed, and our curries were combined for yet another sociable meal with friends. But the sociability didn't end there. Jeff decided to come and stay for a couple of days so we met him at the nearby Wilnecolte Station whilst Helen tinkered with applications for Nettle Cordial - on sale at Crick Boat Show and all good purveyors of fine food!

Stourport to Droitwich

Stourport to Droitwich
May 2013

Thursday dawned clear and bright with wall to wall sunshine beating down from a cloudless sky.

Mooring ring in Stourport

We had hardly seen a boat for days and made a solitary descent into the town basin where we refilled with water and paid the obligatory visit to Limekiln Chandlers for various bits and bobs.

As usual, we had an extensive audience as we descended the staircase locks, passing a silent funfair and out onto a placid Severn.

Stourport Bridge

After weeks of frosts and cold it was a delight to cruise down this might waterway, flowing at a sluggish pace on this occasion. All very pleasant and the entrance to the Droitwich Barge Canal came up all to soon, the bottom lock still covered in mud from the winter floods.

Droitwich Junction with River Severn

The Droitwich is a firm favourite and this year it is in sparkling form. The reeds have been trimmed back and at last some moorings have emerged on the lower reaches. This is not a canal to hurry - slow down and enjoy.

 Droitwich bridge 1

A trip down the Staffs and Worcester

Staffs and Worcester - to Stourport
May 2013

Our trip down the Staffs and Worcester was about as blissful as it gets. The weather got warmer and warmer and we sauntered on with lots of time to spare before we needed to be in Droitwich so it was lazy starts and early finishes. Perhaps the only problem was that in spite of trying to slow down we still found ourselves in Stourport after 2.5 days.

Ashwood Basin - other end of Lord Ward's tramway

We all know that the Staffs and Worcester has some remarkable circular overflows, but it also has an amazing diversity of other formats.

Overflow weirs on the Staffs and Worcester Canal

We stopped off for the first night at Dimmingsdale Lock, always a firm favourite, and then on to Stourton Junction for the second. We paused at Kinver buying some essential supplies and sampling a very acceptable lunch at a cafe in the high street.

Mooring at Stourton Junction

Stourton second lock

We took the opportunity to polish the boat and bring the green up to a gleaming green finish and also to undertake a bit of foraging - wild garlic and dandelions.

Foraging at Stourton Castle

Droitwich Calling

Droitwich Calling

5th May 2013

Droitwich calling - an eerie echo from the early days of radio when all broadcasts from this location started with those famous words. I had assumed that the radio base was here on account of geographic elevation but in fact is was down to the underground salt deposits, which provided an excellent earth.

Festival crowds - Droitwich day two 2013

Salt was both the savior and the downfall of this pretty little town. Brine deposits were found here but as in the Croxton area to the north, excessive pumping caused subsidence on a massive scale. The area around the brine pump has all gently slumped into a depression with the building leaning and warped like a Salvador Dali on acid.

 The leaning buildings of Droitwich

Barry out on the photographic hunt

Day two kicked off where day one ended - warm weather and sun which got hotter and hotter. Today the mood was more festive, with families out for the day at this excellent event. Its a shame that more trade boats are not here (we are the only one) as the huge friendly crowds offer lots of potential and more life on the water would enrich this festival no end. Maybe next year.

This was the day of cycling - they were everywhere in all shapes and sized with lycra clad figures making up the bulk of the early morning trade. Which reminds me - yesterday, just as we were packing up a guy came round on a recumbent bicycle and following up my expression of curiosity proceeded to offer a lesson. I wobbled and weaved my way round Vines Park but no harm done, and no one ended up in the cut. It was a blast, the most fun I have had on a bike- do try one if you get a chance.

This event has been a time for friends - at last a dozen must have sought us out yesterday and it was the same again today, with friends old and new turning up at the stall. The afternoon was enlivened with the arrival of Barry and Sandra (Areandare) and Andrew Denney (Granny Buttons) who swapped stories, drank ale form the real ale bar and polished off huge helpings of fish and chips under the setting sun.

Andrew Denney

Another memorable day when friendship and trade were mingled in a happy blend.

Don't you just love the great British Bank Holidays!

Droitwich Festival Day One 4

Droitwich Festival (St Richards)

Day1 - 4th May 2013

Well this has to be a first - a live post on the day of the event.

With the exception of a deluge in the morning the sun has shone on the St Richards Festival in Droitwich, adding to my sunburn gained during our trip down the Severn a couple of days ago.

 Vines Park crowds - Droitwich

The crowds have been out in force, making the most of the unusually pleasant bank holiday weekend and enjoying the various events and attractions across the town. Its the first combined festival with a canal focus and its looks set to be a winner. 

 Atlas and Bittel parading at Vines Park

The Staffs and Worcester and Droitwich Canal Societies have joined forces to deliver the waterside element of the event and the whole thing has been lubricated with a fine display of real ales.

St Richards Festival, Droitwich 2013

Perhaps the strange thing is that we are the only trade boat but as word spreads I suspect that this will change and offer a West Midlands alternative to Loughborough and Little Venice.

Brisk business for Wildside Preserves

Trade was brisk and large volumes of preserves were sold to enthusiastic customers.

A cracking start to a great festival, which included visits from numerous friends which was a real bonus. Guys you know who you are.