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River severn


jacko264

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Hi all

You may have read we are on holiday soon and part of the trip is going down the river Severn is the Severn ok at the moment to use in a narrow boat

we will be going from Birmingham end down to the Droitwich junction

Thankyou

Graham

 

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I don't think the Severn has an end in Brum.

 

Levels are here (for example)

 

https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/station/2001?direction=u

 

Rivers can rise in a few days so check before you set out and keep an eye on the weather.

 

If you are new to rivers I advise AGAINST going in a narrowboat when the level is in the Yellow (each joining point has a level board), only go in the Green.

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True it does not go to Brum, but presumably the OP would do gown Stourbridge and the Staffs and Worcester to Stourport and then onto the Severn there, 2 days from the centre of Birmingham. If you check the EA gauges you will see that the level on the Severn is low, so I would say no problem at all. You will only be on the Severn for a couple of hours.

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As said check the level markers (riverside of the locks) only go in green or phone the lock keeper, the first one you will come to on the river for advice.

 

The Droitwich junction is not obvious when going down stream, the only clue is a pontoon and a large house, painted cream the last time I went down.

 

It is a turn back on yourself so, be aware of being taken downstream when you turn broadside to the flow.

 

Moorings from the junction, none at the junction, to Droitwich are rare and those that there are, are in reeds and the boat sitting on the bottom a plank will be required.

 

I seem to remember that it took about four hours from the Severn to Droitwich but do not quote me on that.

 

Good moorings in Droitwich, small basin on your left as you arrive.

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The Severn is fine but take some time to pause and think about how to control the boat in a flow. And have your anchor ready too, in case of engine issues. This photo shows an inexperienced hirer's first time out on the river, believe it or not they just pulled out of the lock (where the blue boat is coming out) and were planning to stop in front of the two white (plastic) boats, but they got hopelessly surprised with the flow. It was quite obvious they had no idea about the flow at all, and simply went onto the river. They eventually realised what was going on and turned the boat around in the river, so they approached the mooring upstream instead of trying downstream, but look where they ended up and how they're generally getting in the way of the rowers.

 

post-14179-0-51377900-1467922199_thumb.jpg

 

 

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As said check the level markers (riverside of the locks) only go in green or phone the lock keeper, the first one you will come to on the river for advice.

 

The Droitwich junction is not obvious when going down stream, the only clue is a pontoon and a large house, painted cream the last time I went down.

 

It is a turn back on yourself so, be aware of being taken downstream when you turn broadside to the flow.

 

Moorings from the junction, none at the junction, to Droitwich are rare and those that there are, are in reeds and the boat sitting on the bottom a plank will be required.

 

I seem to remember that it took about four hours from the Severn to Droitwich but do not quote me on that.

 

Good moorings in Droitwich, small basin on your left as you arrive.

This is the entrance to the Droitwich from Google Earth.

post-261-0-58182200-1467924564_thumb.jpg

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If you're doing Stourport to Droitwich canal, which is downstream, it would make sense to go past the junction, turn, then moor on the provided lock landing area etc.

 

Note that lock stages aren't an issue - because the river has forked and the majority of the water flow is down the weir, the area of water in front of the locks is much less moving around. The Severn is a big river, so plenty of space here. Compare with the Avon where the lock areas are smaller and nearer the weirs, so you'd need to think carefully about the approach and not drift/get sucked onto the weir boom.

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As said check the level markers (riverside of the locks) only go in green or phone the lock keeper, the first one you will come to on the river for advice.

 

The Droitwich junction is not obvious when going down stream, the only clue is a pontoon and a large house, painted cream the last time I went down.

 

It is a turn back on yourself so, be aware of being taken downstream when you turn broadside to the flow.

 

Moorings from the junction, none at the junction, to Droitwich are rare and those that there are, are in reeds and the boat sitting on the bottom a plank will be required.

 

I seem to remember that it took about four hours from the Severn to Droitwich but do not quote me on that.

 

Good moorings in Droitwich, small basin on your left as you arrive.

 

There are new moorings after second lock up from the Severn. I think these were added as "holding" moorings when the Severn is in flood, as one of the new warning lights is there.

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I am sitting on the pontoon at Upton upon Severn right now and came up from Tewkesbury this morning From Gloucester yesterday).

 

It took a bit over two hours @ 1700 RPM in a 54 ft boat with about a nominal 35 BHP engine.

 

There is flow, maybe a little faster than the Thames in an ordinary summer but the level seems normal. Absolutely no problems coming upstream and no problems going downstream 10 days or so ago, despite the river having just come off amber.

 

Scullers out trying to play chicken with a downstream gravel barge until I shouted at them.

 

You do have to be very smartish off the boat with the rope at the upstream end of the bot though, if you are not or put the wrong rope on first the current will spin you round and may pull the stud/dolly off its weld.

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Hi - the Severn is pretty much at normal summer retention levels at the moment.

 

However, this situation can change very quickly even in the summer. Not wishing to sound alarmist, but I've lived by this river for the best part of 60 years, and I have still been caught out on occasion!

 

I'd suggest that you keep your eye on these pages, which show the relevant sections of river:

https://www.riverlevels.uk/levels/midland/severn-vale

 

This one is useful to see what is coming downsteam from above the navigable section.

https://www.riverlevels.uk/levels/midland/worcestershire-middle-severn

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We were at the Upton Jazz Festival at the end of June. The river was on amber but we had no problems. The only hairy bit was turning the boat back upstream to moor on the pontoon at Upton. Travelling sideways at speed is a bit disconcerting! It took us just over 2 hours downstream from Worcester but 4 hours coming back up. This weekend we travelled from Worcester up to Stourport. We have a 43 hporse engine whilst the boat we travelled up with had a 50hp engine and larger prop. The difference was quite noticeable.

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There are new moorings after second lock up from the Severn. I think these were added as "holding" moorings when the Severn is in flood, as one of the new warning lights is there.

 

Thanks for the update, it was a couple of years ago that we were there.

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If you have anything on the boat roof which, being a hire seems unlikely I suppose, you need to be careful going under the M5 bridge as it's a tad low. Enjoy Stourport, we love it.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi all we have had a fantastic two weeks the weather could not have been better .

We started from Worcester marina and up the W&B to Birmingham were we stopped there for two days mooring next to the sea life center ,

From there we carried on up round the black country ring up to Fazeley Junction -Fradley Junction- Great Haywood and down to Autherley and on to Stourton Junction

from there we carried on down to the Droitwich turning and down the Droitwich canal and back to Worcester

all in all two fantastic weeks with lots of stops for lunch dinner and drinks in the pubs.

 

Graham

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