Sunday 10th – Saturday 16th August
Sunday afternoon we went for a walk around the beautiful village of Wolverley, it is small but beautifully formed so didn’t take long so we got out of the sun by going into The Old Queens Head for a pint (or two) in the cool cosy bar.
There is a legend in the village that dates back to around 1200 AD. the times of the crusades when Sir John Attwood left his wife to fight in the crusades. The wars did not go well for Sir Johnwho was captured and put in a Saracen prison for many years, meanwhile back in Wolverley Lady Attwood having had no news of her husband for years and believing him to have been killed had decided to remarry. On the morning of her wedding Lady Atwood’s maid was walking in the meadow when she came across a man lying asleep in the hedgerow, his hair and beard were matted and unkempt, his clothes in tatters and his feet fettered. The family dog, who was with the maid rushed to the man barking and bounding about as if recognising him. The maid rushed back to the house and returned with Lady Attwood to the man in the meadow who was by this time awake, he said he was her husband Sir John, Lady Attwood was unsure of this but the man produced half a gold ring which he had cut in half and presented her with half as a love token. Lady Attwood did indeed have the other half of the ring.
Sir John explanation of what happened was the stuff of miracles, he was in his cell praying to the Virgin Mary to be released from his terrible situation when he drifted into a trance and found he had been transported back to Wolverley. Being a modest and pious man he stated that a swan had brought him home.
Wolverley Court, now a care home, belonged to the Attwood family for many years, the meadow below the court is still known as “The Knight Meadow”
We moved a whole mile and three quarters on Monday, moored on the Sainsbury moorings in Kidderminster so we could engage in my favourite activity – not!!! Food shopping. Still it wasn’t all bad as I did manage to sneak some bottles of Brewdog Punk IPA and some cans of Brewdog Hazy Jane into the trolley😊.
Tuesday took us to our “stage 1” goal of the trip – Stourport, we are moored on five day moorings outside The Bird in Hand. The reason for coming here, which involves a 24 mile detour, was to visit The Quayside a fish restaurant. Dave has been trying to book a table since last week (they only open Wednesday to Sunday) and has been unsuccessful. We have learned that 1 – they are closed for a holiday until 20th August, after we are committed to be elsewhere, and 2 – to get a table you must book well in advance. Never mind we have booked another two restaurant with, one Friday evening and one Saturday evening, very good reputations, let’s hope the reality is as good as people say.
The mooring we are on is a five day just a half mile outside Stourport so we can stay until Sunday when we will have done all our laundry in the local launderette eaten at the two restaurants.
Thursday 14th, we have just had a phone call from Sammie the Manager at Trinity Marina, she informed us that all the locks and therefore the canals around Tinity Marina are due to be closed to boat traffic on 26th August and asked if we were able to get back before the south midlands system shut down until sufficient rain had fallen to enable the system to reopen. With commitments already made we could not possible get back in time, without those commitments we may get back but then again we may not.
After much discussion we have decided to carry on as planned and try to get into Kings Bromley Waterside and Marina where we can stay free until we can return to Trinity Waterside and Marina, hopefully before Christmas but if not then in the new year so that we can get away in March to start next years adventure.
We have been in contact with Kings Bromley W & M who have promised to squeeze us in NB Fantasma in a 50 foot berth which we are told we should be able to crowbar our 52 feet into and NB J-PEG because there is no berth she can be pushed into will stay in the wet dock which is very unlikely to be used during the winter months.
On a more positive note we went to Paisley at 106 restaurant tonight (Friday) for a fuller report on our experience CLICK HERE.
We have enjoyed our time in Stourport-on-Severn, it has the vibe of a seaside town despite being around 65 miles from the nearest shoreline. It has a permanent funfair, amusement arcades, hotels, two large basins full of both narrowboats used on both the canal and river and expensive motor yachts for use on the river only. The town has a friendly feel to it and has many buildings reflecting the towns great industrial heritage. The high street contained few chain stores but was bustling with the independent stores we visited doing brisk business.
To round off week 7, on Saturday evening we weren’t to Chataigne, a small, non licensed, restaurant of just 20 covers where just one man does everything from the cooking to waiting on the tables. It was quite an experience to read my report CLICK HERE.
