Today we left Droitwich and can see why they restrict movement when water levels are high.

Kath and Richard received their trophy for winning the competition yesterday.

This is a picture of me trying to hold the bow of the boat in a zone for 5 seconds in the boating skills competition yesterday.

Today at the they had no boats registered for the boating skills competition so nearly all the boats on the visitor moorings agreed to take part, the competition was won by Kath and Richard on Autum Years

Tonight was the opening night of the Droitwich boat gathering and we enjoyed the music of The Roving Crows

 

Today Hilary's step sister and family came for a visit whilst we are moored in Droitwich.

The Droitwich has only been officially open to navigation just over the year and proved interesting in places.

Plan B takes lead followed by Autum Years and then us, despite the water  reciding after the recent flood the flow was still strong, our speed was measured at seven miles per hour at one point

We left the Stourport Basin for the trip down the Severn to the Droitwich Canal.

Tonight we have had an Indian meal with Dianne and Peter, the river levels have now dropped enough for us to carry on with our journey tomorrow

 

Today we have cruised on to Stourport as we get ready to travel down the Seven, but at present it is in flood so we may have to wait a couple of days, on the way down we dropped Craig off at Kidderminster to start his journey back to Braintree.

Saturday we visited the Kinver cave houses and in the evening we celebrated Diannes birthday and Kath, Richards aniversary with a meal and drinks in the pub.

Although Friday was a damp and wet day we walked the Edge at Kinver.

Yesterday after meeting Dianne and Peter at Greensforge we all made our way to Kinver, at one of the locks we bumped into a Canadian couple who led the first cruise up the Thames from Limehouse last year.

Today we travelled down the unique The Bratch locks with its octagonal toll office and unusual layout.

 As we travel down the Staffs and Worcester we have seen strange faces on tree's which have had branches removed.

Craig taking a well earned rest as we cruised into Compton where we had fish and orange chips and  met Cherry and Neil Hilary's friends which she had not met for 30 years.

Craig took us from Birmingham centre to Wolverhampton albeit a damp trip.

Craig joined us on Saturday and we had meal and a few beers to celebrate my Birthday, Sunday was spent taking him around the Bullring and showing him the sights of Birmingham.

Friday was my birthday and we spent the evening with Kath and Richard having a couple of pints of real ale.

Another day of clearing plastic and plastic bags off the prop as we travelled back to the basin in Birmingham,picture shows the great highways of past and present.

 Today we visited The Black Country Museum and they had an organised street party where the queen herself made an appearance, we also sampled fish and chips cooked in lard and sweets from the fun fair.

Yesterday we travelled on to the Black Country Museum once again passing the M6 and spending a lot of time removing rubbish from the prop as we cruised down the Tame Valley Canal and Walsall Canals.

Today we have waited all day to get a dry spell to travel up seven locks to get ready to travel to the Black Country Museum tomorrow, well the dry spell never came so after watching the Thames Pageant we arrived at the top lock moorings at 7pm soaking wet.

Photograph as we pass under Spaghetti Junction.

Today we have cruised through a lot of industrial area passing some familiar names, the item photographed seems to be a kind of winding gear for a pit.

Yesterday we left Fazeley Junction after meeting with Kath and Richard and heading for new waters around the Birmingham Canals.