Saturday 17th – Sunday 23rd August
This week started with our first move for five days, we dropped down York Street Lock into Stourport Upper Basin to turn the boats around and use the services to get ride of rubbish, fill the water tanks and sort the toilets, this done we went back up the lock and set off north up the Staffs and Worcs Canal. We had wanted to moor right out in the countryside but we reached the Tesco moorings in Kidderminster before we had found anything suitable. We had intended to moor here on Tuesday (and Wednesday) night(s) as they are the nearest moorings to Kidderminster railway station from where we plan to explore the Severn Valley Railway on Tuesday.
Our day on Severn Valley Railway was everything hoped it would be. We had intended to walk to the railway station till we found out that the station was at the top of a steep hill, and as our bus passes are invalid until 9.30 we took a cab and at £6.00 (inc the tip) it was cheaper than 4 bus tickets (we took a cab back as well😊).
The Severn Vally Railway heritage section of Kidderminster Station is quite simply stunning, although several periods of railway history are mixed together, with many of the staff in period uniform it really was like going back in time.
We had breakfast at the station in The King and Castle a pub fitted out to match the surroundings. but sadly all that could be said about it was – it was better than nothing.
The first train out, which was a steam train, took us to Bewdley, an interesting riverside town that has flooded 30 times in the past 100 years, flood defences are now being built that will contain the river even if it rises higher than any of the last 30 times it has flooded. The town itself was a buzzy buzzy place full of independent shops, very few chain store and the wonderful Bewdley Museum opened in 1972 and established by Stephen Quayle who wanted to share the exciting heritage of the town and show what an important part it played in the history of the region.
After a very interesting visit to Bewdley it was back on a train, this time with a diesel engine from the1960/70’s to the end of the line at Bridgnorth.
After a very interesting visit to Bewdley it was back on a train, this time with a Diesel engine from the1960/70’s to the end of the line at Bridgnorth. Sadly I was so mesmerised by the many delights of Bridgnorth that I quite forgot to take photos so the couple here are copied from Google Street View. Bridgnorth is a town of two halves low town where the river is and high town where (the rich folks live😁) the remains of the old castle stand.
The railway station is roughly half way between the two so we were able to walk gently(ish) downhill to Low town where we had a wander around the pleasant town.
Eaten an exceedingly good ice cream where Sue was hoping to try her first ever Knickerbocker Glory but, sadly for us the parlour owner was on holiday and her father who was minding the store didn’t know how to make them. Never mind she’l get one eventually, we caught what Bridgnorth claims to be the oldest and steepest UK funicular railway to High Town where we strolled the shops before going to see the Bridgnorth Castle and Gardens.
We caught what Bridgnorth claims to be the oldest and steepest UK funicular railway to High Town where we strolled the shops before going to see the Bridgnorth Castle and Gardens.
From the castle garden it was a (relatively) easy walk down a long flight of steps to the railway`y level and short level walk to the station where we caught the last train, with the same steam engine as this morning to take us back to Kidderminster where we finished a fabulous day with a meal in the Tappeto Lounge.
Although we moved on Wednesday Thursday and Friday our next bit of excitement was Friday night when we went for dinner at The Navigation Inn at Greensforge.
Saturday Bev and Dave’s 6 year old grandson visited for the day, dropped of by his parents in the morning, despite his tender age he was well behaved and very pleasant company, we were sad to see him leave when his mum collected him from The Round Oak that evening where we had eaten dinner.
Just before we moored that evening we had climbed the Bratch Locks, three independent locks that are so close together they must be treated as staircase locks – weird!!!
