Well, that was a rather ‘samey’ sort of day, by which I mean most of it was spent looking at largely the same thing – high river banks, willow trees, and just a very occasional other boat (or surf board). We’ve travelled 16 miles down the River Severn having set off from Worcester at around 7:30 this morning (early for us !). The reason for the early start was the forecast of rain from lunchtime – we wanted to get to Tewkesbury before it started. We failed. Brutus seems to take half as long again as the canal guide book says, so it started raining an hour before we got there.
There were the odd moments of passing interest whilst on the River Severn – a paddle boarder, an aggregate barge, a huge house, a lovely Dutch barge, and of course Upton-on-Severn with its tiny visitor mooring pontoon. Other than that it was high river banks you can’t see over virtually all the way, and nowhere to stop.
This lady was on her own and miles from anywhere !
A rather nice Dutch barge
The aggregate barge (named ‘Perch’) is one of a few that are plying two miles back and forth on the river, carrying gravel from a quarry site near where the M50 crosses the river, to a processing plant further up.
Perch – one of the last commercial barges on the River Severn
The aggregate unloading wharf
The short river trip that the barges make apparently saves 116 lorry journeys a day, and costs half of that of the equivalent lorry loads. Isn’t it sad that this is now the only commercial traffic on the River Severn after centuries of use as a main freight thoroughfare.
Because of the high river banks as we cruised down to Tewkesbury, we couldn’t see many signs of habitation, however one house did rather stand out.
‘Severn Bank’. Rather grand and big enough to be seen from river level !
A little bit of research (Mr Google) told us that it is ‘a secluded 19th century Grade 2 listed 8-bedroomed former hunting lodge, with 6 acres of garden and parkland, an indoor swimming pool and equestrian complex’. Currently on the market for £2 million – a snip !
Brutus Maximus on Tour 