We love bus passes! From Worcester the bus runs via Morrisons into Malvern. It’s very genteel. We hiked up to St Annes Well and thank goodness we got there before the cafe closed. We really needed a bit of springwater laced with caffeine after the steepness of the hill. No wonder the Victorians had donkeys to take them up!
Amazing view from the well
Amazing birds- Buzzards and The Lark Ascending
The waters………
This chap doesn’t look too happy with his treatment
Priory Church
Well we just had to look but sadly the camera didn’t capture the lamp post!
Amusing items in the pet shop window
And a spot of retail therapy at Brays. Beautiful clothes for Him and Her. Probably just as well I don’t live here! Yet another amazing day
We started by taking a bus to Bewdley. This is a lovely little riverside town. We walked to the station and the very first train of the day, and to Tony’s delight, was a steam train!
We rode to Bridgnorth, again a riverside town but in two parts an upper town and lower town joined by a funicular railway. Why does the word funicular make you smile?
A selection of trains dotted the town. Read the captions !
Thomas Telford lived here in Bridgnorth
The museum is stuffed full of trains but here’s the carriage I liked
Vending machines. Look at the prices and work out how old they are
The train quiz gave 5 points for spotting an elephant at West Midlands Safari Park and 5 more for a rhino. You can barely see the elephants!
And it’s every boys dream to ride on the footplate
And at Kidderminster Station we found a postcard of the very same train we had travelled on to send to the grandsons
Yes, it really happened and at top speed so no chance to capture it on film! We made our way upriver to Stourport on Severn the limit of navigation. The area around the canal basin is quite attractive. However although there are wide locks (and narrow), widebeam boats are not allowed up into the basin! There are only 4 mooring spaces on the river, these should be reserved for widebeams, or there is nowhere else to go!
And so is the park
The Staffordshire and Worcester canal (narrow).
I liked the notice on the wall of the pub
After that there’s not a lot to say its a bit shabby, although this was quite nice
I almost forgot the immaculate CRT laundry. It should be awarded five stars!
Took the bus to Droitwich, a lovely little place with a super TIC with very knowledgeable and keen staff, (one paid member of staff as manager and two volunteers) It has a little museum that houses an exhibtion about salt extraction and a room dedicated to old fashioned radio
We followed the walking tour of the town past the Lido Park and its carvings and along the High Street
A beautifully restored house above and the church. In a sorry state but it did have an attractive window. Not quite sure how this was done…
Last year Waitrose were running a “Steak Saturday” with 20% off the normal price and Tony’s has sort of clung on to having steak every Saturday! Bought some excellent steak – rare breed dexter no less, locally farmed by Andrew’s family. Delicious! Then off to see the canal that runs through the park with the lovely Northwich basin
Here’s the reason we came bus bus and not boat. The tunnel has been narrowed by the footpath and the winding hole is silted up.
Returned to Worcester in time to watch the last few races in the Regatta
Also did litter picking. I don’t look too happy about it, and Tim, I’m not counting the bottles and cans!
After a very late lunch at St Richards Hospice cafe we took outselves off to see Greyfriars a National Trust property. Interesting notices
The brother and sister Matley & Elsie Moore who moved into this house in the early 50s and created this gem. He was a dentist.
We walked around the corner to take this photo of the lovely garden of the Alms Houses
Then off to the museum for 5.30
Greeted by harpist
Definitely needed this Blue Moon cocktail
Our favourite sauce
An early Turner just one in the exhibition of his early work
There was an excellent section devoted to Wocestershire regiments. We both found things of great interest here Tonys ancestor fought in India at this time. Just don’t know if he received this medal
A number of my ancestors were in the Sherwood Foresters. Now both Regiments are part of the Mercian Regiment
Have you ever wondered how the River Severn got its name? Wonder no longer….
And so another busy day. Went back to Matilda for Beaver Pie
It was a cold day just perfect for a walking tour of the city. Whilst waiting for it to begin the ladies in the TIC suggested we had a look inside the Guildhall. This proved to be a good idea and by chance we met David Blake the MD of the City Council. Always good to start at the top!!! He was charming and told us a little of the history of the building.
At 11.00 we duly met Robert our guide and only two other people were taking the tour. We started by visiting Costa Coffee, proceeded down stairs past the toilets and out into the back yard to see the death mask of William Guise. Guise, who posed as a Royalist, was said to have overheard a Parliamentarian plot to overthrow Oliver Cromwell. He passed this information to Cromwell and his troops during the battle of Worcester in 1651. As a result of this act of treachery, Guise was hanged from the sign of the Golden Cross Inn along Broad Street the next day
We the visited St Richards Hospice Charity Shop that Robert claimed was the best charity shop in Britain. I’m inclined to agree. Not only are all there clothes in colour co-ordinated racks but there second hand bookshop rivals Waterstones. The cafe food is amazing all fresh and local. We went back later for books and a bite to eat. The onto the pub where King Charles hid
Once inside and gathered in front of the fire Robert pulled back the carpet, opened a trap door and invited us to inspect the skeleton!
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We visited the outdoor market and Wetherspoons Crown Inn, a former coaching inn where Elgar used to conduct, then to the Eco shop. Take your own containers.
Then interrupting diners, upstairs at a french restaurant to see medieval wall paintings
Wesleys chapel
And I almost forgot the incredibly beautiful Slug and Lettuce
The old walls, Edgars gateway, the porcelain factory
The toyshop with its left hand emphasis
The Commandery (more of this later) and the Wocester and Birmingham canal
Two and a half hours later we needed a rest. The best guided tour yet, so thank you Robert
An early start meant we were out of Gloucester lock by 8.45 and we arrived at Upton on Severn by 1.50. A charmimg little town with very helpful and welcoming inhabitants!
Mooring was a little difficult……
I’m pleased to say that we emailed Luke about it and by the time we returned a few says later the pontoon had been repaired. So thank you Luke for alerting your colleagues about it.
The TIC is always our first port of call in the attractive pepper pot building and our attention was drawn to the Britain in Bloom notice and the dog.
We visited the quaint museum with its delightful stewards
Flooding has always been problem in Upton. Some photos in the museum taken in 1947
Interesting before and after photos
Remember these?
Two sets of Morris Dancers that evening. Notice the flood barrier brick with glass top
Just wanting to know why they were dressed in this way. The end of a very nice day.
A three hour journey took us to Worcester. The only things I knew about this city was it was it had a cathedral and was the site of a battle in the civil war. Now please understand my knowledge of history mostly comes from reading novels by Michael Arnold and Bernard Cornwell!
Caravan sites dot the riverbank
Gravel extraction was interesting……Barges were loaded and then sailed down stream to be unloaded. Good to see transport by river, rather than road.
The cathedral is a good landmark
The swan sanctuary
Moored in Worcester between the two bridges and alongside the park & racecourse. £4.00 per day
Once moored it was off to the cathedral pausing to read this notice
Here I am under the flood marker (blue top left) for 1947
This altar cloth was very eye catching. I always like to check the embroidery.
The chapter house much simpler than Wells
Our guide was keen for us to see the choir stalls and intricate carving
And the tomb of my favourite King. John died in the castle at Newark on Trent
Very clever etching on the cloister windows but not very easy to photograph
Leaving the cathedral we met up with Edward Elgar again
Past the ornate entrance to the Guildhall
And then we walked the footpath upriver to collect our post from
We use a system called Inpost. Mail is collected by courier from our postal address and delivered to a post box at a garage convenient to us. A text giving a code number is entered onto a screen and lo & behold the drawer of your box opens. It’s very efficient.
Have bus pass can travel! There’s nothing better than the front seat of a double decker
The number 66 from Sainsburys took us on a very scenic route to Stroud. Below was the first eye catching building
Once in Stroud we had a bit of a wander around. The Council closed the tourist information centre in March!
Then refreshment at The Lock Cafe
Volunteers at work
The canal towpath was made for very easy walking. Destination Brimscombe Port.
This restoration is attempting to link Saul Junction on the Gloucester and Sharpness canal to the River Thames. No completion date set!
We had a lovely walk along the very beautiful valley but ignored the very tempting Stroud Brewery
Mission accomplished. Six books and a CD for £2.50 and Tony had an ice cream while I browsed! This place is amazing not only books, but vinyls, CDs, tapes, jigsaws all at amazingly cheap prices. Hopped on the school bus back into Stroud. Not a happy journey! Then returned to Gloucester on scenic route 66!
Double decker gives way to four legged creatures
And prefabs circa 1946. They deserve a Grade 2 listing.
I have to comment on our bus drivers as they were excellent, so courteous to other road users and so skillful at manoevering on country lanes.
Another exciting action packed day and I completed 13, 743 steps I so can enjoy my Lindt chocolate bar whilst choosing which book to start reading.
It was with some reluctance we left Saul Junction. We picked up fuel and water so that we could run the washing machine on our return to Gloucester.
This is a very smart boat with a really roomy wheelhose
Once arrived we said hello to the Lock Keeper and then the Waterways Museum staff and collected a booklet about the River Severn above Gloucester. Then once having deposited our recycling in the correct bins we made another visit to the Lindt chocolate shop.
Now, Tim you will like this. We launched the dinghy to do our weekly shop at Sainsburys just forgot to take a photo! It certainly made passers by smile! We were struggling to get the dinghy back into position when a young man dining with his wife came, to lend a bit of muscle. I didn’t get his name but was so pleased! Thank you to him. Another example of the kindness of strangers
Forget Viking River Cruises! Here’s the Edward Elgar passing through the lock.
The following morning….Please note the time…There is no truth in the rumour that I never get up until noon!
Dredging in progress. It certainly rocked the boat!
