Down the Scary Severn to Gloucester

Actually with the exception of the final few miles into Gloucester, it wasn't really that scary, though we could see how it could be very different if the river was in spate.  Fortunately it wasn't.

Back to Stourport from where the last posting was done.  On Sunday we had a day off boating altogether and cycled to Bewdley, a pretty town upstream from Stourport.  We rode along the path by the river which was tricky in places being a bit overgrown and cycled back on minor roads after a good pub lunch.

Fellow boaters and cyclists by Bewdley Bridge

Bewdley has an excellent museum where Ian and Helen got engrossed, whereas David and Victoria decided to cycle back to the boats.

On Monday we set off down the locks at Stourport onto the Severn.

Here is Leo in the upper of the two locks in the second staircase down to the river.  Behind you can make out the entrance to the upper staircase.  The funfair to the left is part of what gives Stourport its seaside resort feel.

Here we are at the bottom of the locks just about to go out onto the Severn.  Helen is holding the gate and you can see we had plenty of spectators.

This is looking back into the canal lock as we turn onto the river and, yes, Helen is onboard again by this point.

To start with there are some lovely houses by the side of the river, quite reminiscent of the Thames.  Lower down the banks are higher and most of the view is of tree lined banks.

On Monday afternoon we tied up in Worcester just below the Sabrina footbridge from where this picture was taken.  You can make out Pas Mèche with Leo in front of her.  The prominent tower behind the railway bridge is Worcester Cathedral.

We had a good look round Worcester on Sunday and on Monday morning.

This is the Guildhall which has a splendid frontage.

The Cathedral is in a wonderful position right by the river.  This photo of the West Front is taken from close to the river.

There were loads of swans in Worcester.  Here they are gathered for feeding by tourists.

We did tour the Commandery which started life as a monastic hospital, became a Tudor merchant's house, was Charles II's retreat after losing the Battle of Worcester, was a Georgian House, became a college for the blind and later a print works.  Phew!! Quite confusing despite excellent audio guides.

Tuesday we cruised a little way downstream to Upton on Severn.

Here is the signpost at Worcester close to where the Worcester and Birmingham Canal leaves the river.

This view of the Cathedral from the river shows just how close it is.  You can see how it stands proudly above the river.

The river was much quieter below Worcester and we had some fun cruising side by side for a while.

And here we are in Upton on Severn, a lovely small town with rather too much traffic going through.  This curious tower, called the Pepperpot, is all that remains of the original parish church and is now a Heritage Centre with information about the town and its history.















Mooring was tricky at Upton.  Though pontoon are provided, these were nearly full but we managed to get Leo on the landward side of the pontoon and another boat was happy for PM to moor alongside them.

On Wednesday we came down to opposite Tewkesbury going through Upper Lode Lock which is the tidal limit of the Severn.  Between here and Gloucester Spring Tides come over the lower weirs making this section tidal.  Fortunately we are now away from Spring Tides.

This is looking back to Upton Bridge with the King's Head to the left.  Upton has a great number of pubs and a multitude of music and other festivals throughout the summer.

Down on this part of the river, there are some larger craft.  Here PM is pursued by a gravel barge.  Fortunately the barge was only going a short distance and stayed behind us both.

And here is the Edward Elgar, a trip boat from Gloucester.

Thomas Telford was responsible for this rather shapely iron bridge just North of Tewkesbury, called Mythe Bridge.

Here we are passing the mouth of the navigable River Avon (the one that comes from Stratford and Warwick).  We will be going this way later on our return upriver.

The locks on the Severn are enormous!  This is Upper Lode Lock with both our boats in.  Down the far end of the lock we could just about have turned the boat round!

Here the lockkeeper is lowering a bucket to David with some leaflets about how safely to navigate the tricky section down to Gloucester.


















We spent yesterday afternoon moored at Lower Lode on a pontoon mooring side by side.  We were able to do quite a lot of jobs on the boats and go for a country walk on mostly non-existent footpaths.

Today we've come down the last 12 miles to Gloucester in astonishingly quick time.   The river here was flowing faster and Ian was using a speed app on his phone to monitor the speed.  3 miles above Gloucester the river divides into two channels and the navigable East channel is narrow, fast flowing and twisty and not the place to meet a large boat going the other way.  We have found the VHF radio invaluable for this section and elsewhere on the river for contacting the lock keepers.  We were able to ensure that the lock at Gloucester which goes up into the basin was open ready for our arrival.  This is advisable as the current can easily sweep you round the corner to the nearby weir.  Instead we were able to charge into the lock and then slow down in order to put stern and bow ropes round the sliders in the massive lock.

Here we are with both boats safely in Gloucester Lock.  Big sighs of relief all round.

We have moored just above the Dock basins because there is a regatta in the basins this weekend and most of the visitor moorings are closed.










We aim to stay in Gloucester for the weekend and move on next week down the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal to Sharpness before returning through Gloucester back to Tewkesbury to cruise the Avon.  We've enjoyed the Severn as a completely different experience to the canals.  We're now back on a canal though this is a ship canal with no locks but many swing bridges all worked for you.  We're looking forward to this new experience.

Finally here is a distant view glimpsed of Tewkesbury Abbey seen from near to Upper Lode Lock.  Tewkesbury is not really accessible without venturing up the Avon, so this is a delight to be savoured later.