Droitwich Canal Walk (2)

Weekend of November 14th/15th
Saturday 14th

Chums, Mary and Brian Perkins, who we have known for some 35 years, came for the weekend. They have an interest in canals, so Wendy and I  thought it would be nice to walk a bit more of the Droitwich canal, this time the River Severn end. The weather was wet, very wet. Never mind we turned out anyway, it would brighten up, wouldn’t it?

This is the A449 at Hawford Mill. The canal runs under here.

Looking towards Droitwich under the A449

and looking the other way towards the River Severn. Planning meeting in progress. To walk or not to walk?

Lizzie decided, it really was too wet, for more than just a token few steps

Running out of water. Through the tunnel going north

and looking back the other way.

New canal on the left and River Salwarpe to the right.
Our short walk came to an end, saved for another day. We returned to Evesham in the rain.
Brilliant weekend though, thanks for visiting.

 

Half Way

November 12th
Today is exactly the half way point and I thought I would put a few facts and figures on here after 6 months.

Lets start with this blog:-
Total hits up to last night are…..drumroll
3851
Most in one day:- 108 – 2/11/2009
Total Posts:- 154
Total Pages 28
Number of Comments 26
Top Page Hits:-
1. About The Chairman – 85
2. Events and Functions – 78
3. November Winning Photograph – 76
4. The Monks Supper – 71
4. Pershore Plum Festival – 71
5. Droitwich Spa Lido Pool – 58
6. What A Great Way To Go To Work – 53
7. This Is My Life – 47
8. Media Day For New Evesham Leisure Centre – 43
9. Vale Magazine Photographic Competition October Entries – 41
9. The Wonders of Wychavon Photographic Competition – 41
10. Chairman’s Official photographs – 39

Number of Function/Meetings/Events attended – 152
Total Number of Images – 463

Today I was in a meeting this morning with Touch Radio, talking partnership promotion. Paperwork/blog update came next and catch up with my secretary. This all took place in the chairman’s office at the civic centre. This afternoon I chaired a sub committee meeting of Evesham town council promotions committee regarding a new town guide. After that, I went to Morrisons to do some shopping, I get all the good jobs  and return to type this paragraph of the post, started earlier (it’s now 5.56pm).
All in all Wendy and I, are very much enjoying our year and I hope you have enjoyed reading about it.

 

 

 

Droitwich Canal Walk

October 31st
Droitwich Junction Canal Walk

Some months ago, a chum of our’s who lives in Dorset, wanted to walk the Droitwich Canal. He thought it would be nice to meet up with some other chum’s from yorkshire and do just that. During the planning process Wendy and I received an invitation to attend a Halloween dinner in Stourport, so could not go on the walk. Later the dinner unfortunately had to be cancelled and so we could go after all. You following this at the back
Anyway, we met at the Eagle and Sun pub, Hanbury Wharf, on Saturday lunchtime and walked into Droitwich. A short rest and shopping trip to Waitrose for dog cleaning provisions ( don’t ask) and back again for a well earned pint. We then went by car to Stourport, where our chums have a house coincidentally, and overnighted there, returning to Evesham on Sunday morning . Smashing time had by all.

The Wych Barge, Vines Park, Droitwich. Half way!

On the return journey. The canal goes under the M5 at this point just to the left of the picture.

New locks, ready for boats.

Fortunately the rain stayed away. A very good walk. Next time we will have ago at the Severn River end, now nearing completion. Lets hope the whole canal length will be open soon.

 

The Cutweb Rally

September 26/27th
Blue Lias, Stockton, Southam, Warwickshire.

Every year about this time, a group of like minded, boating enthusiasts, get together for a catch up and to eat drink and make merry. We are all members of ‘Cutweb’ a virtual boating club and we meet via the internet at a newsgroup set up for entertainment, interest, information and to help each other in anything boaty.
Our website is here:- http://www.cutweb.org.uk/
Normally, Wendy and I would take our own narrowboat and make a holiday out of the trip to and from Stockton. A round trip of a couple of hours by car is a couple of weeks by boat. We arrived at 1.30pm. This year we had to be back on Sunday morning for a function. Brenda and Graham Keens on Narrowboat Jannock kindly gave us a bed for the night.
There are a large number of pictures, which hopefully, do not need much introduction.

 Chums enjoying the warm September sunshine

a time for putting the world to rights

afternoon tea was accompanied with cake.

and then salsa music with a lot of banging, crashing and shaking

concentrate!

our teacher

some of us are trying to read!

that’s me at the back in the middle with the shaker

and then in the evening our entertainment was a racy tale from the waterways.

supper

followed by the famous raffle

don’t ask!

and more salsa
Click below for video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDZO5JY7oY8

still don’t ask

the view from the bridge the following morning

The End!

Thanks to everyone who took part and especially the organisers. Another very successful year.

 

A Boating Day (or two) Out

August 9th/10th

Our original intention was to have a few days boating immediately after the Monks Supper on August 5th. Unfortunately the River Avon, as is it’s want, decided to rise to unsafe cruising levels, after a lot of rain, so our departure was delayed and range restricted. However…………

In bright sunshine we leave heading north

Abbey Park was full of people, many enjoying the band in the bandstand.

The river trip boat ‘Hansam Too’ was very busy

Evesham Lock and famous ‘A’ frame house.

The view from the lock to Weir Meadow Caravan Park

The Lockeeper makes sure boats are secure

before the next narrowboat comes into the lock and the lock is emptied for the boats to leave on the lower level

 
It’s then our turn to rise up when the lock refills

It’s nice to see boats on the river

We pass the Riverside Hotel. The hotel is often visited by celebrities who  want a few days away from the limelight.

The swans gently glide in the water

‘Moocher’ A well known boat on the river. In the 2007 floods this narrowboat slipped her moorings and ended up on the river bottom off Workman Gardens in Evesham. Now happily, fully restored.

The Bridge Inn, public house. A favourite with boaters and non boaters alike. This spot once had a ferry crossing and was the actual licence boarder between Upper and Lower Avon Navigation. This function has now moved to Evesham lock.

Some lovelly houses nestle in the tree lined banks

Traditional water cans, painted by Wendy, sit proudly on the cabin roof

The water was steady and fast flowing and the wind blew hard.

Eventually, after a bit of tricky tiller work, Drusilla and Lord Toulouse enter the lock together.

Our mooring at Offenham. Unusually quiet.

The following morning., our return journey was colder and cloudier than the previous day

The horses more interested in eating than a passing boat.

Evesham Lock coming out

Not often we see barges on the Avon. This is a wonderful example.

And then, in a short while we back home again. Great short break

 

It’s gone a bit quiet

Traditionally, once the school holidays have started it goes a little quiet on the function front. That does not mean that there is nothing to do, far from it. After the citizenship ceremony on July 23^rd this is what happened

24^th – 10.30 meeting with Diana Raphael, All saints Church staff and Wendy to plan the table arrangements for the Monks Supper

25th and 26^th Time to catch up on home stuff.  Had a very productive weekend. Painted the downstairs back of the house yesterday and cut the lawns. Replaced some of the wooden slats on the mooring and laid slabs ready for a bench.

27^th WDC all day in the office and  Town Council in the evening

28^th Final arrangements for full council today and meeting concerning LSP/MTP committee at 4pm

29^th Meeting with Evesham Town Clerk and others regarding Ice Rink at Christmas

30^th WDC Office all day paperwork catch up.

31^st Day off with Wendy and Holly our granddaughter. Went to the park in Pershore and had a picnic. Lovely day.

August 1^st……….See Simon De Montfort

So as you can see, there is never a dull moment.

Development Control Site Visits

July 23rd 9.45am

As part of the planning process, any councillor can ask for an application to be determined by the committee. Normally, unless an application is particularly large or controversial, and officer will evaluate an application. This saves a great deal of time and valuable resources. A councillor may also request that the committee visit the site to see first hand, where the application will be going.

Having been taken to the site by coach, an officer explains in detail where the building will go and answers questions.

Not all applications benefit from models, usually drawings are used. Later in the day, the application is then debated at the committee meeting. Members of the committee have a much greater understanding of the application after these visits.

 

Evesham River Festival (Saturday)

July 11th
Unable to spend the whole day at the festival, as Wendy and I usually do, this picture sums up my mood at the time.

Many thanks to John Murphy at the Evesham Journal and Stuart Purfield for the photograph.

First Look at Evesham’s New Leisure Centre

July 15th 5pm
The leisure centre, nearing completion is a stunning building and will have many facilities. These pictures show just some of them. State of the art equipment is due in the next few weeks.

Worcestershire County Full Council Meeting

25th June 10am

The first meeting of the new council after the election. I went out of interest to see what went on and how it differed from Wychavon. Outgoing Chairman Alwyn Davies handed over the chain of office to incoming Chairman John Cairns. Cllr. George Lord was reelected as Leader and other cabinet appointments made. A very enjoyable morning.