Bargecade 2025.
Boat : "Dodlease" - Anglowelsh, Wootton Wawen
Crew : Peter H, Stan, Pete W, Nellie, Richard, Ian & Gerald.
Route : Wootton Wawen > Lapworth > [flyer: Hockley Heath] > Waring's Green > Cambrian Wharf > Brierley Hill > Tipton > Rushall > Wolverhampton > Tipton > Bourneville > Waring's Green > Lowsonford > Wootton Wawen
Coverage :
Notes : This trip was originally meant run from Mon 5th May to Mon 12th May. It was supposed to do The Warwick Ring, and to include Coventry on VE day. This all changed on Mon 5th May when C&RT closed Lock 38 just above the boatyard. Wilmcote top lock below the boatyard was already subject to a long term closure, which meant we really had nowhere to go. To make matters worse, the boat we had booked was trapped above the closure so we had no boat to use. To give them their due, Anglowelsh were very good in that they found us an alternative acceptable boat - though not as good [..or as expensive..] as the one we had booked, but at least we now had somewhere to sleep on that Monday evening.
Monday 5th May.
Morning : About half an hour before arriving at the boatyard, Stan got a call to inform us of the closed lock and the missing boat. We all decided to meet up at the boatyard anyway to see what might happen and what we could or could not do.
Lunch : Wootton Wawen. We all eventually met up in The Navigation to discuss what we could do. At this point, we didn't even know where we would be sleeping tonight.
Afternoon : Still in the boatyard. We were eventually given a replacement boat. It was not as big [..or as expensive..] as the one we had booked, but it was just about suitable for seven, even though Nellie & Ian would have to sleep on the dinette - meaning they could not go to bed until everyone else had gone, and that they had to unpack their beds every night and repack them every morning. Having finally got somewhere to sleep, we loaded the boat, ate, then returned to The Navigation only to find that they had run out of beer ! We decided to go to The Bull's Head at the other end of the village instead - about a 15-20 min walk. This is more of a restaurant-with-a-bar than a pub-with-food, but there is a small bar at the back, but at least it had beer - which is more than The Navigation did. The beer was OK too.
Tuesday 6th May
Morning: Although we now had a boat, there was still nowhere to go, so we decided not to take the boat out of the yard in case that meant we had "accepted" it and started the hire, and by NOT leaving, we may then be able to negotiate an extension to the hire so as not to loose the closure time. We decided to leave the boat exactly where it was, and go for a local trip somewhere.
Daytime :
1) Stratford-upon-Avon. We first got the bus to Stratford-upon-Avon where Stan left us to travel back to York to get extra supplies of his prescription drugs. Meanwhile, we had a few pints in The White Swan Hotel. After leaving the White Swan, we took the train back to Henley-in-Arden.
2) Henley-in-Arden. On arrival at Henley-in-Arden, we first attempted to try The Station by the Railway Station, but it was shut. This is a micropub that is only open for limited hours Thursdays to Sundays and on Bank Holidays. We then walked into the town and had a few pints and a bite of lunch in The White Swan before heading off to the The Three Tuns which wouldn't open until 15:30. After a few more pints here, Pete W, Nelly & Richard decided to get the earlier bus back to Wootton Wawen, while Peter H, Ian and Gerald stayed on in Henley. Fortunately, Nelly was able to persuade the driver to drop the three of them at The Navigation to save the long walk back from the bus stop.
Evening : Still in the boatyard. We ate on the boat and returned to The Navigation where they ran out of beer again !
Wednesday 7th May
Morning : Despite knowing that the canal may open later today, we decided not to take the boat out until tomorrow - just in case there was another delay. After some discussion, we decided it would be good to visit The Severn Valley Railway instead.
Daytime :
Train to Kidderminster and The Severn Valley Railway. Due to the recent embankment collapse, all SVR trains were terminating at Hampton Loade. We travelled to Hampton Loade, watched the run-round, then returned to Bewdley where we had a few pints and a rather nice pork pie The Great Western. We then took the last train back to Kidderminster where we had a few more pints and some free crisps in The King and Castle before getting an uber back to the boatyard.
Evening : Still in the boatyard.
Thursday 8th May
Morning : As we had been able to confirm that the lock was now fully open again, we finally departed the boatyard at 06:10
Lunch : Navigation, Lapworth. We arrived at The Navigation just as it was about to open. The beer was OK but not brilliant. The pub seemed a little run down compared to previous visits. There was some piped music on, which we thought was a little intrusive. When asked, barmaid either would not or could not turn the music off, or even down a bit.
Afternoon : Wharf, Hockley Heath. Quick stop for a flyer.
Evening : Blue Bell Cider House, Waring's Green. After eating on the boat, we repaired to The Blue Bell Cider House for the evening's beer.
Friday 9th May
Morning : Dep 06:10
Lunch : Prince of Wales, Birmingham. After taking water at the Mailbox, we arrived at Cambrian Wharf at about 11:00, then repaired to The Prince of Wales for beer at about 12:00. We departed Cambrian Wharf at 15:15.
Evening : Bull & Bladder, Brierley Hill. Despite Pete W's slight misjudgement of the turn from the New Main Line into The Netherton Tunnel Branch, we passed through Netherton Tunnel and on past Star City before mooring just before Delph Top Lock. We knew that this would require a reverse the following morning. After eating, we went to The Bull and Bladder for numerous pints of Batham's Mild.
Saturday 10th May
Morning : We departed Delph Top Lock at 06:10 and Peter H reversed to Star City where we could wind. We then headed back through Netherton and on towards Tipton.
Lunch : Rising Sun, Tipton. We decided to stop for breakfast on the lock landing by the top lock of the Ryder's Green flight as we assumed [...wrongly as it turned out..] that it would be pretty unlikely that any other boats would be going down there today... only to find ourselves in the midst of 20-odd boats going down the flight on a BCN Explorer Cruise. Having descended the Ryder's Green flight with no issues - a first in itself - we stopped on the mooring by Hempole Lane Bridge and went to The Rising Sun for a few congratulatory pints.
Evening : Manor Arms, Daw End, Rushall. We left Tipton and arrived at The Manor Arms about 21:00. The pub was quite busy, but the locals in the bar room made room for us.
Sunday 11th May
Morning : We left Daw End at about 06:15. Some time later, we got a load of crap on the prop and had to stop to clear it. Later at Birchills Junction, we stopped again for breakfast & shopping, and to get another load of crap off the prop. As soon as we started to set off, we caught a plastic crate on the prop. Three weed-hatch visits in one morning must be a record...
Lunch : The Vine Inn, Wolverhampton - We moored near Ward's Bridge and walked to The Vine Inn. After leaving the Vine, there was some debate as to whether we should turn right at Horsley Fields Junction and go to The Great Western or to turn left and head for Tipton. We decided to head for Tipton.
Evening : Fountain Inn, Tipton. Evening beer, but the pub closed at 22:00
Monday 12th May
Morning : We left Tipton at 06:10 and stopped for water at The Mailbox at 09:10, where there were two boats moored close to the water point. We breasted up with one of them, and took water. We then set off along the Worcester & Birmingham, eventually mooring by Bourneville Station.
Lunch : British Oak, Bourneville. We arrived at the pub at 11:50 only to find it didn't open until 12:00. Several pints ensued. As we were about to leave the pub, a torrential downpour arrived, so we had another pint while we decided what to do. By the time that pint was gone, so too was the rain. This was where Peter H had to leave us.
Evening : Blue Bell Cider House, Waring's Green. Another evening in The Blue Bell, and a good chat with the soon-to-be-leaving landlord.
Tuesday 13th May
Morning : With no Peter H wanting to start at 06:00, and with not that far to go, we departed at 08:10 for Lowsonford.
Lunch : Fleur de Lys, Lowsonford - We arrived at Lowsonford at about 12:40. On the second round on The Token, one of the beers ran out. The barman said he would be changing it for Tomothy Taylor's Landlord, but would need to clean the pipes first. He seemed to be running back and forth serving meals and other people's beers, while we waited... and waited... It must have been 20-30 mins before we got our beer - and even then, it wasn't that good.. OK, but not spectacular.
Evening : Wootton Wawen - We arrived back at the boatyard at about 19:30 for a meal which we had booked at The Navigation for 20:00, but as they had run out of beer ...yet again..., we cancelled the meal booking and [all except PW] took a cab to Henley-in-Arden for beer and a final-night-curry. Why does this pub always seem to run out of beer ?
Wednesday 14th May
Morning : Unloaded the boat. As Peter H had left the boat on Monday, those crew members who had come with him by car now had to travel home by public transport, so Pete W took them all to the railway station. He then returned to the boatyard to collect Stan before making the obligatory trip to Bradford for the post-boat curry at The Karachi.