Trip to Gloucester Docks

[churchward]

Shortly we will be departing on our boat to go down Stourport to get on the Severn, destination Gloucester Docks and stop there for a few days.  The plan is to then make our way back up onto the Avon and back up the Shroppie going through Stratford and Brum along the way. It should be a leisurely 5-6 weeks trip.

 

Anywho, we have not traveled on the Severn or Avon or visited Gloucester Docks by boat (I used to work in one of the converted warehouses years ago) so has anyone got any pointers/tips, or worthy places to stop along the way? We are familiar with the Shroppie, Staff & Worcs, and quite a lot of Brum so I am more interested in the river sections.

 

It certainly looks like it will be an enjoyable route.

[Rob-M]

Keep an eye on the weather and the river levels, the Severn and Avon rise and fall quickly so things can change dramatically overnight.

[Chewbacka]

3 points to be aware of-

 

1. The first two river locks have limited open hours
2. The canal is closed every Tuesday 

3. If there is a high spring tide (from memory, more than 8m at Sharpness) it goes over the weir at Gloucester.  You do not want to be outside Gloucester when it does.

 

See the stoppages section for lock opening hours.  Consult Mr Google for Sharpness tides or Call Gloucester lock for tide information, they always seem happy to help.  That way you can make a good plan.

 

Finally if there is lots of rain above Stourport the river gets too full, and they may close the locks.  Not usually a Summer problem.  If the river is flowing fast you will need lots of diesel when going upriver as you will need high engine revs but achieve a low ground speed.  
 

That said it’s a nice trip and with a bit of flexibility in your plan it should be enjoyable 

Edited April 17, 2023 by Chewbacka

[john6767]

You will have seen on the other thread the current mooring situation in Gloucester docks, you may have to moor a bit down the canal and walk back.

 

The G&S, including Gloucester lock is closed on a Tuesday, other than the bridge and lock hours on the G&S and Severn are 8 to 6.  Make certain you understand the approach to Gloucester lock and contact the lock keeper at Upper Parting as you pass, you want the lock to be open ready for you particularly if there in fresh on the river.

 

Going upstream as you will be on the Avon is hard work the locks are very fierce and you need to use bow and stern line, a centre line will no do.  You buy the Avon licence online, £50 for 7 days, £60 for 14 days.  When you get to Stratford I would suggest mooring on the river for a night at least assuming you have some licence left, before moving to the canal basin (48hr).

[churchward]

2 minutes ago, john6767 said:

You will have seen on the other thread the current mooring situation in Gloucester docks, you may have to moor a bit down the canal and walk back.

 

The G&S, including Gloucester lock is closed on a Tuesday, other than the bridge and lock hours on the G&S and Severn are 8 to 6.  Make certain you understand the approach to Gloucester lock and contact the lock keeper at Upper Parting as you pass, you want the lock to be open ready for you particularly if there in fresh on the river.

 

Going upstream as you will be on the Avon is hard work the locks are very fierce and you need to use bow and stern line, a centre line will no do.  You buy the Avon licence online, £50 for 7 days, £60 for 14 days.  When you get to Stratford I would suggest mooring on the river for a night at least assuming you have some licence left, before moving to the canal basin (48hr).

Thanks for the info. I have not seen a thread talking about moorings at Gloucester Docks do you know the thread title?  It will be a shame if we can't get in there but so be it if we cannot.

[john6767]

6 minutes ago, churchward said:

Thanks for the info. I have not seen a thread talking about moorings at Gloucester Docks do you know the thread title?  It will be a shame if we can't get in there but so be it if we cannot.

 

[churchward]

15 minutes ago, Chewbacka said:

3 points to be aware of-

 

1. The first two river locks have limited open hours
2. The canal is closed every Tuesday 

3. If there is a high spring tide (from memory, more than 8m at Sharpness) it goes over the weir at Gloucester.  You do not want to be outside Gloucester when it does.

 

See the stoppages section for lock opening hours.  Consult Mr Google for Sharpness tides or Call Gloucester lock for tide information, they always seem happy to help.  That way you can make a good plan.

 

Finally if there is lots of rain above Stourport the river gets too full, and they may close the locks.  Not usually a Summer problem.  If the river is flowing fast you will need lots of diesel when going upriver as you will need high engine revs but achieve a low ground speed.  
 

That said it’s a nice trip and with a bit of flexibility in your plan it should be enjoyable 

Thanks for the tips. I did read about the issues with a high Spring tide.  CRTs description of the river being semi-tidal had me scratching my head for a minute as it sounds a bit like being semi-pregnant!😀

 

I will check the tides when I know the dates better when we get to Stourport. The river levels just now are looking good, closer to low than high and certainly well into the green.  I know the Severn can change quickly with a lot of rain. We have plenty of time and no rush to do anything or be anywhere so if we have to wait at Stourport or elsewhere then that's all part of the journey.  Last year we spent 2 weeks moored in Skipton waiting for Garston locks to open, you just have to make the best of it.

[David Mack]

You can go upriver up the Severn beyond Stourport and up the Avon beyond the Stratford Canal entrance. Both are worthwhile, and few boats do it.

[Richard T]

Upton is worth stopping at on the Severn and if you are interested in old buildings Ashleworth Tithe Barn is lovely. Moorings at both places are rrestricted and you may well end up rafting to other boats. Upton has several festivals when it gets very busy. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/gloucestershire-cotswolds/ashleworth-tithe-barn 

https://visituptonuponsevern.co.uk/

[StephenA]

4 hours ago, Chewbacka said:

3. If there is a high spring tide (from memory, more than 8m at Sharpness) it goes over the weir at Gloucester.  You do not want to be outside Gloucester when it does.

 

 

 

We've done it on a falling spring tide - the lockies held us at Upper Lode Lock and told us to basically keep just enough speed to maintain steerage as we went down. Had to hold on the wall outside the dock lock for 30 minutes as they don't like opening the lock gates with the river flowing like that due to debris.

[churchward]

It looks like although the dock moorings are closed until 14th May there are visitor moorings just outside the docks on the Sharpness.  It does look like you can transit through the docks OK and an email to CRT they say the visitor moorings on the Sharpness are open.

 

Does anyone know how busy these moorings are at the moment?

[Tacet]

Mooring options on the Severn and even the Avon are more limited than on a regular canal, so in practice you will have to hop from one to the next.

 

On the other hand, the Gloucester and Sharpness is a delightful and unusual canal, so don't stop at Gloucester Docks- make sure to travel its length 

[churchward]

6 hours ago, Tacet said:

Mooring options on the Severn and even the Avon are more limited than on a regular canal, so in practice you will have to hop from one to the next.

 

On the other hand, the Gloucester and Sharpness is a delightful and unusual canal, so don't stop at Gloucester Docks- make sure to travel its length 

When we expected to moor in the Docks we had not intended to go down onto the Sharpness and cruise along it but now that the only way to be near the docks is to go down onto the Sharpness and moor there I think we might as well travel further at least to Saul Junction but probably further. So that could end up being a bit of a bonus.

Edited April 18, 2023 by churchward

[blackrose]

Some of the locks on the Avon with enough length of landings have 24 hour moorings (blue riser poles). There are also other ANT moorings like the one at Pershore.

 

Keep an eye on the weather and if it does look like heavy rain is coming then make sure you find a safe mooring with long riser poles (i.e. Pershore).  If it does flood you won't be able to get off your boat but at least you'll be safe. To be honest it's not usually a summer problem.

 

Edited April 18, 2023 by blackrose

[midnight cowboy]

On 17/04/2023 at 15:42, john6767 said:

You will have seen on the other thread the current mooring situation in Gloucester docks, you may have to moor a bit down the canal and walk back.

 

The G&S, including Gloucester lock is closed on a Tuesday, other than the bridge and lock hours on the G&S and Severn are 8 to 6.  Make certain you understand the approach to Gloucester lock and contact the lock keeper at Upper Parting as you pass, you want the lock to be open ready for you particularly if there in fresh on the river.

 

Going upstream as you will be on the Avon is hard work the locks are very fierce and you need to use bow and stern line, a centre line will no do.  You buy the Avon licence online, £50 for 7 days, £60 for 14 days.  When you get to Stratford I would suggest mooring on the river for a night at least assuming you have some licence left, before moving to the canal basin (48hr).

I agree with the comments about the Avon - delightful river - locks are well maintained - but the bywashes can indeed be fierce. Do stay at Stratford on the river by the meadow opposite the town.

 

Enjoy

[churchward]

7 hours ago, midnight cowboy said:

I agree with the comments about the Avon - delightful river - locks are well maintained - but the bywashes can indeed be fierce. Do stay at Stratford on the river by the meadow opposite the town.

 

Enjoy

Thanks.

 

We are off heading for Stourport on Friday and perhaps get to Gloucester a couple of weeks later. We shall be taking our time and enjoying ourselves.  I am certainly looking forward to getting on the Avon it is a river and route I have always wanted to try. The videos I have seen of it look great. I am familiar to a degree with some of the towns along the way so it should be a great trip.

 

I am sure there will be a few challenges along the way but that is all part of the adventure. 

[PeterScott]

 

River Severn on a high Spring Tide heading downriver from Upper Lode to Gloucester from our last trip downriver in 2018. As mentioned above, this part of the river is tidal only on Spring Tides, and is converted from a benign, maybe sometimes dull couple of hours from Upper Lode into something more interesting, when anchor and lifejackets are a good plan. Here's an extract from boatlog, quoted in 'Tonic' thread hereabouts.

 

The tide was ebbing at about three to five knots, You know that at Upper Parting it is a Good Plan to take the channel to the lock, rather than the one to the weir. This sign appears in the distance, and your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to decide what to do next. It's a motorway-style sign and on a motorway it clearly means that three miles hence, bear to the left. And there will surely be another sign in another mile  ...

 

As you pass the sign, your crew points out that it's not a motorway, the sign was after the junction where you should have turned, rather than before it, that the three miles is the distance to Gloucester Lock, and you are now heading towards a weir 400yards away at four (maybe only three) yards per second. Evaluate the relative advantages of reverse gear , the anchor, steering for the trees, trying to turn around, putting on the kettle for tea ...

 

Fortunately for this trip we remembered the problem of the sign from earlier non-tidal trips and the rain even stopped for the lock. 🙂

 

[jacko264]

We  have done the same trip as you are doing  twice and loved every minute of it  as others have said be careful and have a great time  the only difference is we did it in June/ July 

Graham

[churchward]

44 minutes ago, jacko264 said:

We  have done the same trip as you are doing  twice and loved every minute of it  as others have said be careful and have a great time  the only difference is we did it in June/ July 

Graham

Thanks.  We are on our way now but not at Stourport yet.  River levels look good online although the tides are breaching the weir near Gloucester at the moment but moving to lower tides in a few days so just now it's looking good.

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, churchward said:

Thanks.  We are on our way now but not at Stourport yet.  River levels look good online although the tides are breaching the weir near Gloucester at the moment but moving to lower tides in a few days so just now it's looking good.

 

The gauge is out of shot in this pic. but it was on green earlier today outside the basin.

 

 

[adam1uk]

When you get to Gloucester, you must do the whole of the G&S while you’re there.  The Purton Hulks are well worth exploring, and right down at Sharpness feels a bit other worldly, with the expanse of the Severn just over the wall.  We also walked round to Sharpness docks, to where there’s a park and viewing area.  We’d checked online for the ship movements for the day, and saw two ships coming down the massive lock and out into the river, and another waiting outside and then turning round and coming in.  This is my favourite photo of it as it turned:

 

[Rob-M]

Mooring at the Sharpness end is one of my favourite mooring locations on the network.

[john6767]

Just now, adam1uk said:

When you get to Gloucester, you must do the whole of the G&S while you’re there.  The Purton Hulks are well worth exploring, and right down at Sharpness feels a bit other worldly, with the expanse of the Severn just over the wall.  We also walked round to Sharpness docks, to where there’s a park and viewing area.  We’d checked online for the ship movements for the day, and saw two ships coming down the massive lock and out into the river, and another waiting outside and then turning round and coming in.  This is my favourite photo of it as it turned:

 

Mooring by the sea wall at Sharpness is wonderful, particularly on a lovely summer evening!  
 

Taking a walk to the pub in Sharpness (harbour view?) is another experience, very 1970’s.

 

[churchward]

After a trip down to Sharpness, we are moored at Gloucester Docks (or rather just outside) again.  The SHarpness was great and the views of the estuary and docks has an atmosphere all of its own, very otherworldly.

 

We are off to get back on the river tomorrow and get to Tewksbury and lock up onto the Avon. All being well we will be there mid-afternoon or a bit later. I am looking forward to a few days of not doing much on the Avon and the towns along the way.

Edited May 5, 2023 by churchward

[churchward]

We are now sat at Stratford (just before the canal lock off the river having had an enforced stay for 3 days at Pershore while the river levels were in the red.  We also traveled under the orange for a bit and the weirs on approaching the locks made it tricky at times.  All good though and the Avon has been a lot of fun and very pretty. It is interesting how the lock and weir are arranged there is hardly any lock cut and often one is approaching the weir before you see the lock. At first, I did wonder if I had taken a wrong turn!

 

The trip to Upper Lode on the Severn was a slow-going one. The Severn is a bit of a beast when it comes to flow I guess and at high cruising rpm at times I was only doing 1.5-2 knots but got better the further away we got from upper parting and once through upper Lode lock, I was doing 4  knots according to my VHF handheld with GPS. The VHF was handy to have as it seemed the easiest way to call ahead to the lock rather than the phone when the signal was iffy.

 

Back to canals on Wednesday which may seem a little slower-paced and claustrophobic.  Still, Lapworth flight to look forward to rather than going to the gym! and we shall enjoy the Stratford in any case, same with Brum.