Headroom on the Droitwich canal

[Bright Angel]

I am coming up the Severn towards Worcester and would like to travel up the newly opened Droitwich Barge Canal but am told that there is a height restriction under the M5 and also mooring restrictions on the River portion. If I come into the Droitwich from the Severn above Worcester will either the M5 height or the river mooring cause me a problem ? I should add that I have 2 large top boxes on my roof making my height above the waterline about 7ft6ins. I must add that most of the maps I have managed to find on the internet are useless in giving me this information and the new BW Trust map says the canal is still under restoration !!!!

[alan_fincher]

I should add that I have 2 large top boxes on my roof making my height above the waterline about 7ft6ins.

At normal river levels, unless you can move those boxes, I don't think you would possibly pass the M5 tunnel.

 

Headroom varies, but is generally well under 2.1 metres, I think, so not even 7 foot.

 

Picture in this blog post shows the clearance we had with an unobstructed roof last August.

Edited September 5, 2012 by alan_fincher

[Bright Angel]

At normal river levels, unless you can move those boxes, I don't think you would possibly pass the M5 tunnel.

 

Thanks but If I got as far as the M5 could I moor up, visit Droitwich, wind around and go back to the severn ? Alternatively can I get int Droitwich basin from the other direction ?

[alan_fincher]

Thanks but If I got as far as the M5 could I moor up, visit Droitwich, wind around and go back to the severn ? Alternatively can I get int Droitwich basin from the other direction ?

You would have no difficulty from the Severn up the Droitwich Barge Canal, until the mooring basin in Droitwich, (there are few opportunities for casual mooring before then, though).

 

Your problem is if you then try and carry on to the W&B on the narrow locked Droitwich Junction canal, when you then need to pass through that "tunnel".

 

If river levels are up, the headroom gets even less. If you look at the blog pictutes, a guage outside the culvert gives an idea of what air draft can get through, based on the current level.

 

No way of moving those boxes ?

[johnmck]

Believe it is a 1.8M airdraft through the culvert.

[magpie patrick]

Not a hope with those roof boxes BUT if you come from the Severn you don't need to go under the M5 to reach the moorings in Vines Park, which are pretty central.

 

There is no mooring on the River Section but it is difficult to see why anyone would want to moor there.

[JamesWoolcock]

If you are coming off the River Severn, you will be able to travel the Droitwich Barge Canal its full length right into the town. From there it becomes the Droitwich Junction Canal and runs up to the Worcester and Birmingham Canal at Hanbury. This narrow canal is the part which the M5 crosses. You may very well have difficulty here. But the Barge Canal and Droitwich town itself are still well worth the visit. And you can always do what I did and walk to the top with a windlass and lock someone back down!

 

Recommend a copy of 'The Droitwich Canals' from the Droitwich Canal Trust, even at seven quid!

 

James

[DHutch]

Recommend a copy of 'The Droitwich Canals' from the Droitwich Canal Trust, even at seven quid!

I believe its now £9... Given the content of the site I think we're going to wing it.

 

- Departing Stratford tomorrow, through Tewsbury with my joining on friday evening, and hopefully round on the Droitwich for Sunday.

 

Watch this space!

 

 

Daniel

[bottle]

As others have said the Severn to Droitwich does not have a hight problem but when leaving the Severn there is not anywhere to moor until reaching Droitwich, about four hours travelling.,

 

There are moorings on pontoons (mixture of private and visitor) in a secure area just as you approach Droitwich.

Edited September 6, 2012 by bottle

[Keeping Up]

Believe it is a 1.8M airdraft through the culvert.

 

It varies a fair bit. When we went through last year the gauge was showing 2.1 metres. The water level looked fairly low and I suspect that if it had fallen much further we may have had problems with the depth instead.

[PaulG]

I am coming up the Severn towards Worcester and would like to travel up the newly opened Droitwich Barge Canal but am told that there is a height restriction under the M5 and also mooring restrictions on the River portion. If I come into the Droitwich from the Severn above Worcester will either the M5 height or the river mooring cause me a problem ? I should add that I have 2 large top boxes on my roof making my height above the waterline about 7ft6ins. I must add that most of the maps I have managed to find on the internet are useless in giving me this information and the new BW Trust map says the canal is still under restoration !!!!

 

I complained to BW about out-of-date info on the Droitwich Canals back in May this year and received the following reply:

 

"Many thanks for your email and apologies for the inconvenience caused.

 

We are very aware that some of our Boaters’ Guide are in need of an overhaul. This work has actually been done as part of a re-working of the Guides in preparation for their inclusion on the new Canal & River Trust website – which will replace waterscape when the new charity launches later this summer.

 

I very much hope that you will find the guides more satisfactory then – and in the meantime, please accept my apologies.

 

Kind regards,

(name witheld to protect the guilty)"

 

So you may well ask why (if the work had already been done back in May) why the (*(^(&*&%*% it hasn't been put online yet!

[DHutch]

We went through! Current height showing was just shy of 2m (I recored 1.95ish with a tape) against the boat height of 1.7, having been told by the 'lock keeper' that the height was typically 64inchs (more like 1.6m) which is clearly a bit pessimistic, at least during dry conditions, although he did say you could let some water out.

 

Good bit of canal, glad we did it, and very nice to have three days river boating as well.

 

 

Daniel

[Max Sinclair]

Glad you did not have any problems with the tunnel

and you enjoyed the Droitwich Canals

it was nice to see you at diglis on sunday morning

Ian

(maxs son the Hand cyclist)

[Bright Angel]

Thank you to everyone who replied to my post. In the end we sailed on past the entrance to the Droitwich as we had not seen all your replies and decided not to risk it (the last time we came across a very low bridge on the Caldon we had to reverse for 2 hours !!) Now on the Shroppie for the winter....no headroom problems here but could do without the shelf !!!! Happy cruising to all

[Lewis 53]

We did it this year and loved it despite the fact it rained most of the time. Water levels were quite high in the river section and it was a very tight squeeze through the M5 tunnel (about four inches to spare on a six foot air draft and absolutely nothing on the roof ..... river level was showing just in the amber mark at the previous lock). Shame their is little or no "freelance mooring".The lock gates can be a bit of a challange if you'r "light crewed". As previous post their is no real place to moor between the Severn and Droitwich.Enjoy it we certainly did

[DHutch]

Glad you did not have any problems with the tunnel

and you enjoyed the Droitwich Canals

it was nice to see you at diglis on sunday morning

Ian

(maxs son the Hand cyclist)

Yes, nice to meet you too. A cracking trip had.