Thursday August 19 Gloucester to Tewkesbury (14 miles, 2 locks)
John wore his new, trendy QUBA top!
After breakfast, John rang the Gloucester Docks lock keeper, we readied Annie and entered the lock before 10am to go upriver. We loop bow and stern ropes around steel cable risers (vertical and attached to the lock sides) to hold the boat steady while water rushes in or out.
As soon as we left the lock, which was easy with just a gentle current, John saw a big blue Kingfisher, our first for a while. He saw another as we chugged up the narrow channel two miles to Upper Parting, where we joined the main River Severn.
This is where the unnavigable river disappears over a weir, where once there was a lock taking boats down onto the tidal Severn, a mile or so to the old Hereford and Gloucester Canal at Over Basin.
The river is wide, fringed with willows and serpentine here, with few places to stop.
The Raw Bridge Inn looked closed, but the Yew Tree Inn was open. On the way, we passed half a dozen oncoming narrowboats. John rang the only river lock when we got close. Once through Upper Lode Lock, we squeezed in to Tewkesbury haven beside a coxed four, whose young cox was being tested by an examiner in the safety boat accompanying it. We moored past the lock about 1.30, beside the flats, like last time (a bit awkward to climb up onto the wharf, but ok).
We do so like the unspoiled Tudor buildings here, so had a walk around the town.
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