Still on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal - Into new territory

After the exertions of yesterday, today was quieter - 6 miles and only 12 locks. First stop this morning after leaving the excellent Queens Head Inn (the moorings, not the pub) and dropping down 6 more locks was a visit to the local Black Prince Hireboat boatyard for a pump-out, which Densie requires every 12 days or so. After that was done a mile or so took us to a canal side water point to fill up the domestic water tank. So we are now set up for a few more weeks - diesel tank full, water tank full, "black" water tank empty, engine serviced.

Start of the restored Droitwich Canal

After another 6 locks ,a couple of miles and a stop for lunch we reached Hanbury Wharf where we passed the junction with the Droitwich Canal. This 13 mile canal passing through Droitwich to join the Severn above Worcester was abandoned in 1939, but has recently been restored . We were hoping to travel down it on this visit, but delays arising from the credit crunch have delayed its re-opening for a few months (hopefully).

Beyond Hanbury Whark we are on a stretch of canal we have never seen before. In our early days of hire-boating some 30 years ago, we reached a few miles north of Worcester from the Severn, and 4 years ago we had picked Densie up from the New Boat Co at Hanbury Wharf and travelled home north. So the 6 miles or so between is new.

We have moored at Dunhampstead, 2 miles further on, where the pump-out guy at Black Prince told us was a pub, The Firs, which served every good food - "a seafood salad to die for". Our grocery supplies are low so we have succumbed to temptation.