Stourport Ring - how's my itinerary?

[Captain Pegg]

17 minutes ago, Goliath said:

I did in 2013 before I first  did a challenge. 
And it just, only just, caught the gauge. 

If you ever need a hand with Vulpes through the tunnel I’d love to help. 

I got Vulpes through the gauge with the fuel tank brim full, the water tank brim full, and three 25kg bags of JJ’s finest in the bow locker. Once in the tunnel I couldn’t have hit the cabin sides on the tunnel if I’d tried.

 

I did plan to do it last year ahead of the Challenge with a prospective band of hand picked folk from the forum. The museum didn’t have the capacity to do the trip on a Bank Holiday so that idea died a death.

 

It’d be legged though, I’m not being towed.

Edited April 26, 2023 by Captain Pegg

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

They’ve moved the measuring gauge further along since I were measured and since they built the new visitor centre/shop I’m sure they’ve lowered it too. 
 

I was wondering the other day whether they were happy or not letting boats through on a bank holiday weekend when they got the trip boats running. 
 

They politely said “ we ain’t got the capacity “ did they   ?

[Francis Herne]

To be fair that was the four-day Jubilee weekend last year, ideal time for volunteers to be on holiday somewhere else.

 

I'd also be interested in doing the tunnel on someone else's boat. Mine is as far from fitting as a narrowboat can be! (and yes, I've tried it against both gauges for fun)

Edited April 27, 2023 by Francis Herne

[Richard Fairhurst]

On 25/04/2023 at 16:38, BentiniThompsoni said:

Day 2 - Stoke Prior to Worcester - lunch at The Bridge Inn, Tibberton. Moor below Sidbury Lock. Dinner?

Day 3 - Worcester to Stourport - lunch at Wharf Inn, Holt. Moor above York Street Lock. Dinner at Namaste.

Bear in mind that you'll need to plan day 3 around the opening times on the Severn. Bevere and Holt locks are currently on part-time operation: one hour on, two hours off.

 

The easiest plan is to go through Bevere at 11, so you'll get to the Wharf just after midday (current permitting). You can then either have a quick lunch and go up through Holt Lock just before it closes at 1.30, or a leisurely lunch for when it reopens at 3.30. It's then another hour and a bit up to the top lock on the river, Lincomb, which closes at 6.

 

One alternative would be to have a long Day 2 doing the Droitwich Canals; drop down through Bevere just before it closes at 6pm; moor at the excellent Camp House Inn overnight (cash only!); and then you'll be ready to go back up through Bevere in the 8am-9am slot. Unfortunately there aren't any good moorings above Bevere (nor any way to cross the river by foot), otherwise I'd have suggested you stay upstream of the lock and just walk down to the Camp.

 

On 26/04/2023 at 07:32, Rob-M said:

Coming out of Diglis depends on whether you have crew to pick up and what the river flow is like.  The pick up to get crew on board is downstream so if you come out of the lock on to the jetty to collect crew then it can be easier and safer to head towards the oil basin and turn in the lock cutting.  If you don't have to stop to pick up crew and there isn't much flow (or rowers in the way) then you would be fine coming out and turning upstream from the lock.

Agreed. If the river's being well behaved then I don't have any qualms about picking crew up from the landing and turning there and then. But if it's running faster then I'd usually go down to the lock cut.

 

You'll sometimes find CRT volunteers at the canal locks here - the ideal is that they close the gates for you, so your crew can get back on in the lock. On occasion we've managed to inveigle gongoozlers to do it too!

Edited April 27, 2023 by Richard Fairhurst

[IanD]

5 minutes ago, Richard Fairhurst said:

Bear in mind that you'll need to plan day 3 around the opening times on the Severn. Bevere and Holt locks are currently on part-time operation: one hour on, two hours off.

 

The easiest plan is to go through Bevere at 11, so you'll get to the Wharf just after midday (current permitting). You can then either have a quick lunch and go up through Holt Lock just before it closes at 1.30, or a leisurely lunch for when it reopens at 3.30. It's then another hour and a bit up to the top lock on the river, Lincomb, which closes at 6.

 

One alternative would be to have a long Day 2 doing the Droitwich Canals; drop down through Bevere just before it closes at 6pm; moor at the excellent Camp House Inn overnight (cash only!); and then you'll be ready to go through Bevere in the 8am-9am slot. Unfortunately there aren't any good moorings above Bevere, otherwise I'd suggest you stay upstream of the lock and just walk down to the Camp.

We meant to stop at the Camp House Inn (Bathams, mmm...) at lunchtime but didn't manage it, the timings didn't work out -- and that was with no lock restrictions. For the overall timings to work the OP probably needs to overnight in Stourport, which is a nice spot -- here's the view from where we moored in the basin... 🙂

 

Edited April 27, 2023 by IanD

[Guest]

The basin is nice but there is a huge and very noisy fair located very close by.

 

It looks like its a permanent feature called 'Treasure Island'. Im not sure I would want to spend too long there.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

There are good moorings above the basin.

and, if staying over, it’ll give a nice start in the morning with no lock to do.

 

 

[jonesthenuke]

1 hour ago, Goliath said:

There are good moorings above the basin.

and, if staying over, it’ll give a nice start in the morning with no lock to do.

 

 

We often moor above the basin near to Lidl where it is quieter than near the lock due to being further from the road. Also, the pub can be quite noisey.

[Richard Fairhurst]

The river pontoon moorings at Stourport are lovely if you can find a space - we’ve often moored there and sat on the deck eating fish and chips. There’s a vicious outflow pipe from the basins though…

[David Mack]

5 hours ago, Richard Fairhurst said:

 

One alternative would be to have a long Day 2 doing the Droitwich Canals; drop down through Bevere just before it closes at 6pm; moor at the excellent Camp House Inn overnight (cash only!); and then you'll be ready to go back up through Bevere in the 8am-9am slot. Unfortunately there aren't any good moorings above Bevere (nor any way to cross the river by foot), otherwise I'd have suggested you stay upstream of the lock and just walk down to the Camp

I have come down the Droitwich after Bevere Lock had closed for the day. Tied up on the upstream lock mooring (at the far end from the lock) and walked to the Camp House Inn. We were away upstream next morning before the lock opened.

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, Richard Fairhurst said:

The river pontoon moorings at Stourport are lovely if you can find a space - we’ve often moored there and sat on the deck eating fish and chips. There’s a vicious outflow pipe from the basins though…

 

Only one (rather bedraggled) boat moored on there on Monday...