Some Thoughts On The River Severn @ Worcester

[frangar]

At present moored on the 14 day visitor moorings just above Diglis Lock on the Severn.

 

It's a lovely mooring...it's free for 14 days whereas the racecourse moorings are 48 hr and £4 a night....it's also a nice floating pontoon so handy if the levels are bit up and down....however......

 

Came back to the boat yesterday after a little wander around town to find not surprisingly that all the rest of the space taken with other boats apart from a small gap between our boat and the next as sometimes happens..... Also sitting on the bank were some 12-15 year old kids being loud but at that point not doing much.....then a couple of the girls came onto the jetty and sat down.....then egged on by the rest they started peering thro the windows....bit irked by this so I said " shall I come to your house and look thro your windows?" ...pointed out this was our home etc...being polite and civil at all times....cue bit more back chat from group but they did take the hint and wandered back to bank....after quite a bit of jumping from bank to jetty to show how clever they were which was quite annoying but I thought harmless enough one of the little dears decided it would be a laugh to start chucking rocks at the swans and ducks......afraid I had enough then and pointed out that it wasn't a good idea to do this and if they hit a bird how would they feel etc?......one of the darlings started getting mouthy back but I honestly didnt hear what he said being a deaf sod so just said "pardon?" and just glared in his direction......I then decided that being a largish hairy bloke might be useful cos they then all wandered off muttering.....I didnt know I looked that scary!

 

Meanwhile as it was a nice evening everyone was sitting out on the other 4 boats moored here....but no one said a word to them....Now I'm not the most tactful bloke but if kids are throwing stuff and starting to get "braver" surely it's time to say something before its your boat that's hit/untied or the wildlife hurt etc..not just sit around like nothing's going on......after they had gone I couldn't even get eye contact with the chap moored next to me.....at no time was I rude to the kids or threaten them with a swimming lesson...although I was very tempted...so even the lefty tree huggers on here would have been happy (a failing was I didn't invite their social worker to the debate I guess). So thanks for that you other moored boats....it seems sometimes there is not safety in numbers....

 

If you do want to moor on the river in Worcester then the race course might be a bit safer....it's a real shame cos these are lovely moorings and very quiet overnight but I feel if the local youth start getting away with small stuff then it might only get worse. Btw I did have the boat chained to the jetty before this all started...

 

Whilst I'm having a moan as well at the moment the river is very calm and low.....however the warning board at the bottom of the Worcester & Birmingham flight doesn't seem to have a green section and is showing yellow.....all the other gauges are about a foot or more off the yellow!...just a heads up cos it might lead some into a false sense of security if the level does rise! I will send an email to CRT.

 

I'm sure someone will be along soon to say how unfair I was to them and they are just misunderstood.....

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[enigma]

frangar

 

Don't pay to much attention to the boards, they are doubtful at Stourport as well. Speak to the nearest lock keeper for advice on levels.

[Ange]

That's a great shame. We moored on that pontoon for 2 weeks last autumn and had no problems at all. I think it's not necessarily the area, but a question of luck. You can get unpleasant stuff happening in the poshest of areas.

[madcat]

Worcester can be surprising,it's not all cathedrals and cream teas. Bit like everywhere else really, I think Anges post sums it up really. Life can be very random.

The council charging for river moorings annoys me hugely,bet it costs more to administer than it raises, mean minded madness.

[nebulae]

Had a problem on this mooring(The council one). a couple of years back .Large group of kids up to no good. Cast a boat adrift,which we managed to retreive.

[frangar]

I was as annoyed at the attitude of the other boats as at the kids tbh....can't help feeling if small things are let to go then next it's jumping on boats and untying etc....Wudnt have minded so much even if I was told I was being unfair to the kids!...it was the apathy I found annoying.

 

I agree it's just one of those things that can happen anywhere especially in the summer holidays but just wanted to give others a heads up to be on their guard...they are great moorings otherwise....I hope we just struck unlucky! I thought the racecourse might have been better but I guess that's luck of draw too.....I've been through leicester many times with no trouble but have been untied in harborough basin!

 

However karma now means we have a lovely mooring on the pontoon at Upton upon Severn...amazing!..and had a good chat with the owner of a very sexy Linssen steel motor cruiser moored next door....I now have slight boat envy!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

 

Edited for fat fingers!

Edited August 8, 2013 by frangar

[cotswoldsman]

I am moored in Worcester very peaceful!!! Just waiting for my laundry to be collected then off to be a tourist

[Tuscan]

Years ago against advice we moored by the Commandary in Worcester the local drinkers with their cider in the carrier bags were on the benches nearby. We had 5 kids in their young teens who took them on at football on the towpath a sight to behold Canis team won. The prize they kept on the boat for us while we went exploring volunteered to do it the next day to. A good lesson for our kids.

[frangar]

We have moored by the commandery with no problems at all. Worcester is indeed a good place to wander about...can recommend the Cardinals Hat pub near the canal. ( down the road with Vue & Nandos on it)

 

I don't mind defending myself at all but I do get annoyed when wildlife might get hurt through sheer stupidity.

 

Can't recommend Upton highly enough....even has a very handy laundrette!....and an amazing collection of old wagons at the garage next to the mooring.....

 

 

Cheers.

 

Gareth

[keble]

Good for you frangar! We've moored in Diglis basin which was noisy but fine, a buzzy city.

And Upton is a great favourite. Best steaks are at the Kings Head.

Will hopefully be up that way next week, depending on fighting an infection.

[comfortably numb]

Going slightly off topic, is there anywhere in Worcester (Diglis perhaps) where some friends can leave their car for 4 days? They are joining us for a long weekend next month and we are going to do the Droitwich ring (or whatever this new mini ring is called). It doesn't have to be Worcester as they can join us anywhere on the circuit and we can do it either way around.

 

Another place I thought of was Tibberton on the B'ham & Worcs as it is reasonably close to the motorway. and I could have a word with the landlord of the Bridge inn pub about using their car park. Is anybody familiar with this pub?

[steve hayes]

From memory, a meal at the Bridge will keep the landlord onside for a few days

[DustyDave]

Had noisy kids the past couple of times i'very been at the racecourse. While they do no harm to me or my boat I ignore them. Still annoying they are so noisy. I'm pretty sure summer holidays have made them worse.

 

Dave

[Ange]

Going slightly off topic, is there anywhere in Worcester (Diglis perhaps) where some friends can leave their car for 4 days? They are joining us for a long weekend next month and we are going to do the Droitwich ring (or whatever this new mini ring is called). It doesn't have to be Worcester as they can join us anywhere on the circuit and we can do it either way around.

 

Another place I thought of was Tibberton on the B'ham & Worcs as it is reasonably close to the motorway. and I could have a word with the landlord of the Bridge inn pub about using their car park. Is anybody familiar with this pub?

You find varying attitudes amongst landlords along the canal towards leaving your car in their car park for a few days, with some being absolutely not and some grudgingly agreeing because you've just ate a meal there and spent a fair few pennies on their beer - but then only for a day or two. The landlord at the The Bridge at Tibberton falls into the very boater friendly scale. Have a meal there and then ask permission and it'll be fine. He let us keep our car for a fortnight in his car park.

 

Edited to add the food is great as well - even if you only have a bar snack. Definitely not a sacrifice to have a meal in exchange for safe car parking!

Edited August 11, 2013 by Ange

[comfortably numb]

Thanks for the advice. We'd intended to eat at the pub the night before setting off and perhaps on our return too so they'll do alright out of us. I'd prefer to park and start from there than Worcester anyway so this sounds ideal..