Under sail on the River Severn from Chaceley Stock to Worcester

Aboard the small ship Allegro from June 21st to 24th 1998 crewed by

Ray Newton and Dave Critchell

We departed at 1815 Sunday 21st June on a lovely and sunny evening. The wind was a strong South-Westerly straight up the River Severn. As we planned to moor up overnight at Lower Lode, we had a very pleasant sail under genoa only, arriving a bare hour later. The boom-tent, which was developed by Ray, was set up and proved to work well. It needed to, really, because the cockpit was utilised to the full for overnighting: the cabin is far too small for the baggage and sleeping gear for two large adults!

After a good roast dinner, washed down with very palatable beer, in the Lower Lode Hotel we proved the gas hobs and light with a resultant coffee and brandy. We turned in and had a good night's rest, except that Ray had to get up at 0330 to tie back the main halyard which had begun to slap against the mast! This task became a regular on succeeding nights and was done immediately on mooring for the night.

Monday 22nd June dawned bright and sunny with the very fresh South-Westerly still blowing. At 0900 we went through our first lock at Upper Lode, which, from water level looked a daunting prospect for first timers such as we. All through safely, however, and on our own, we hoisted sails and in the stiff breeze were soon at the confluence of the Severn and Avon - the emblem of our Avon Sailing Club burgee. We remembered to steer left - port for the purists - into the Severn. Mythe Bridge looked too low at first sight, but then we thought it just about navigable, so risked it. Looking up as we passed under at 1135 it seemed that the burgee had only a couple of inches clearance! The wind died at this point and we started the outboard [our wind-seeker] because the water flow is very much faster above the lock. After that the fluky wind conditions prevailed, due to the high ground and tall trees on either side. Later this was coupled with rain showers all the way to Upton, where we arrived at 1345 and moored up alongside a narrowboat on the ‘town mooring pontoon' for the night.

The hotel-boat ‘Oliver Cromwell' passed us at 1225 on the way up, and was next seen moored at Upton. We seemed to be the focus of a lot of interest of the passengers and we feature in many photos!

The rain stopped for a few hours - enough to walk around the town and have a meal and drinks at the Plough. But the rain came back in the night. We discovered that the tent cover was not as waterproof as it should have been and some drips came through, but luckily not enough to cause any serious soaking of the kit stowed in the cockpit. We got a new, smaller, sheet to supplement the first one and this completed the waterproofing. Luckily we also missed the Jazz Festival which was scheduled for the next weekend.

After a restless night, to awaken to the rain was a disappointment. However we made our breakfast with lots of warming coffee, and after swapping around again from nighttime mode to daytime we set off at 0900 on Tuesday 23rd.

The wind was still as strong and, as the banks are lower and clearer for the most part, we reached and ran very well all the way to Worcester; a very satisfying day's sailing despite the rain. We were passed again by the ‘Oliver Cromwell' on her way to her next berth at Worcester.

We went up through Diglis Basin lock on our own after the left-hand lock had disgorged the two narrow boats locking down. The lock-keeper was most interested in our sailing boat - he doesn't see many - and asked how far we were intending to go? I told him that we would like to get to Stourport and he asked whether I knew that the Worcester road bridge had a maximum clearance of twenty feet at summer low water level, but that the clearance was much less today. Allegro mast height is about twenty three feet! So, unless we could lower the mast, we’d need to forget about going beyond that bridge. We tied up to the upper pontoon and had a practice in lowering the mast down to the angle allowed by the cabin roof. Our estimate was that it was about four feet lower, but when we saw the bridge height clearance we knew that the mast would have to be more-or-less horizontal to get under. As we would have had a very short time to reach Stourport before returning we decided that it was not really worth the effort and the possible resultant problems and so remained at Worcester. We'll sail to Stourport another time.

We arrived at Worcester at 1630 and after circling to select what appeared to be the best place to moor up alongside, opted for a part of what looked like a ‘quay' on the South side of the river (Cricket ground side) near the bridge. In fact this is called Bromwich Parade, according to the plaque on the bridge, which describes briefly the ‘Severn Trow' vessels which plied cargo up until the late 18th Century. This area is also a Swan Sanctuary with a great flock of them. They seem smaller and not so healthy as our local families. We settled Allegro into her [now routine!] nighttime mode; had a good wash and, thoroughly refreshed with some on-board tipple, I set off to find a public toilet primarily to replenish our drinking water supplies containers. None to be had - all toilets locked for the night! Not a friendly place for small-boats to visit.

The ‘Old Replenishment House', on the north-side of the river stopped serving food at 1430, and there was only World Cup TV football and beer to be had there. They recommended the Star Hotel just along the road. The food which we had there was very good and inexpensive, and the young bar-lady most willingly refilled our water containers: we would recommend it.

Wednesday 24th morning was as dull and dismal as the evening before, but at least it was dry. As the river water was clearer we realized how lucky we’d been in tying up exactly where we did, which was on the down-river side of a tree bough which curved down to about two feet above the ‘quay' and out over the water. The reason? Because a boat length up-river of the bough, the water depth was only about six inches and Allegro draws eight inches with the centre plate fully up so we would havebeen aground. We were in the only bit which was some two feet deep!

After the usual preparations we cast off at 0840. This water was sheltered but the current took us down river quite quickly and again we provided a display to the passengers of the ‘Oliver Cromwell' when hoisting our sails for our return journey. The very brisk South-Westerly wind into which we were now beating got us to Diglis Basin very quickly at 0915, but the ‘Oliver Cromwell' still beat us to it! So we had to tie up on the pontoon to await the next ‘green light' but in fact it turned out to be very quick.

When we left the lock the wind was really screaming at us. We hoisted sails and had some very agile sailing until about 1030 when the mainsheet traveller rope broke. In the confused situation we ended up in a bush - but at least it was a windward bush! We quickly furled the main and backed off under genoa only and sailed thus for a few tacks. However, the wind and rain was really strong and coming directly up the straight stretch that we had reached and we could not hold the jib-sheet in!

As we were feeling the cumulative fatigue of restless nights sleep and the disappointment at the poor weather, we decided at 1100 to start the outboard and get back home as quickly as possible - even the coffee liberally laced with brandy did not change our minds. We tied up at 1205 for a lunch break and respite at Upton but then continued our journey at 1300. Passed under Mythe Bridge at 1400 and through Upper Lode lock at 1415 without any delay and arrived back at my landing stage/mooring at ASC at 1445.

It was a very interesting and unforgettable experience which taught us a lot. We shall do it again, when we have more time to spare, simply to go when the weather prospects are normally summery. To give ourselves more space we'll most likely follow our original idea to go in our own boats ‘in company'.

Ray and Dave