This morning we left Oddingley for the bottom of the Tardebigge flight. We thought we were back on the Aylesbury Arm at one point, the canal is so overgrown with reeds. We passed the other end of the Droitwich Barge Canal (which, incidentally, isn’t ‘officially’ open until the weekend, but a few boats have been up and down in the last week) and it was bedlam! Two boats waiting under the bridge at Hanbury, to turn up into Hanbury Locks, one of which had to move out of the way so we could pass, and moored boats everywhere. We were later followed up Stoke Locks by a party aboard a Canal Boat Club (ex Canaltime) who had come up the Droitwich and been stopped at Hanbury yesterday by the locks closing at 3.30. They couldn’t get through until after 10am this morning, and were rushing to be back at Alvechurch by 9.30 tomorrow morning. Good luck to them – mind you, they were young and fit so Tardebigge should be no problem for them this afternoon. We are now moored at the bottom of the Tardebigge Flight, poised for action tomorrow. We visited the Queen’s Head and had lunch, then walked a few locks up the flight. There were no boats to be seen, but a couple have come past this afternoon. Everyone we meet has been saying how quiet the canal is.
6.8 miles and 12 locks
Thanks for your comment re the Queen's Head. Which I have managed to lose before publishing it!! David's vegies and mash were barely warm thought the pie was hot and lovely and the meatballs in the spaghetti had a funny taste (the lady at the next table agreed). We also had to wait 30 mins for the starter and another 30 mins before the next course. So, as I said we were disappointed.
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