Down into Worcester.

 A warm day was coming so we left early so as to avoid the worst of the heat, although from memory I thought the moorings were in the sun in Worcester. David was thinking of mooring on the river but I preferred the idea of the canal.

It was a lovely run, rural not many people about, except at one point when masses and masses of young men, teenagers started filing out a gateway and over the canal via a footbridge as we were in one of the locks, they were all in uniformed gym kit and it was later that the penny dropped.... David said they were part of the Worcester Rugby Club, perhaps the Youth Academy wing?  

The locks were mostly in our favour due to a boat exiting the top lock on our arrival.  Marvellous.

I should have asked them what time they had started off this morning, I doubt it was all the way from Worcester as they looked fresh and springylike!  

We didn't meet any boats that I remember until we were on the outskirts of Worcester proper.  I was walking to the next lock and it turned out to be much further than I thought, but gave me plenty of opportunity to look at peoples gardens.  I caught up with a CART workboat and a volunteer who was locking him down.  Suddenly they were in the centre of the wide canal not moving....  They'd got something around their prop,  I half wondered if David would be able to pass by them.

I carried on past them to the lock and prepped it for whoever appeared first.  It was the work boat.

A nice chap volunteer, but I inwardly screamed in horror as he "dropped" the paddle, not a full and dramatic drop but a hand supported drop... I think he noticed me wincing and he said oh its quicker if you hold the bar... 

He did come back after the work boat had left the lock and raised one of the heavy paddles for me so he was half forgiven, but only half.

Part of the run down in between the locks.

Finally David coming around the bend after the CART boat had gone.

This was the first view of the cathedral.

The Armoury right next to this last lock.  I really wanted to visit it but of course, it's closed today and tomorrow... same five years ago.

Part of the basin, can you feel how hot it is?  We decided to moor on this right hand side, my choice for although its in full sun now the tall buildings right opposite later will shade WaL

At the last lock of the day, a boat entered the empty lock that the CART boat vacated and I got chatting to the lady crew.  They had had a bad day yesterday.  They were coming south on the river Severn and at Bevere lock I think she said there were signs up in the river saying KEEP LEFT, "I don't know how we missed it but we did"  so this was a vintage narrow boat, deep draught and heavy.  They got stuck on the sandbank of the bend there, several boats coming past tried to tow them off.  Six hours they were stuck there!!!!!  In the end "A rig" from Stourport came and got them off with the eye-watering bill of £600.  

A sobering lesson to us all.

We moored up, put on comfy shoes and went off to visit the Cathedral.  We walked via the main two locks onto the river, it was hot and  little shade along there.  Heading north alongside the river and dodging the sun to stay in the shade.

We had a nice look around the cathedral and sat awhile in the cool of the cloisters having refreshments.

David had googled craft ale pubs and found one nearby.  We went.  There was a choice of a wooden plank to sit on outside or the inside.

I choose inside.  The three single men and one dog sitting at the bar didn't move so seeing the available beers and soft drinks was difficult.  I asked what soft drinks they had and the barman waved an arm saying these, he served my ginger beer with the top off the bottle and an empty glass.  I then asked for ice.  I walked over to a table which had the comfiest seats and waited for David.

The music was vile. The wall paper was black with gold skulls on. the decor was random and odd.  Now Reader when I met David I was a barmaid and this venue was the ugliest, the most uncomfortable and  the barman useless.

I declined a second drink.

We abled back to the well stocked fridge on WaL and an even better stocked wine cellar.  I had hinted at pizza as we walked past 4 pizzerias but no.

Tomorrow's forecast was a sweltering upper 30'sC, David wanted to be up and away well before it got hot for the two plus hours trip up the Severn to Stourport and in the shade again.  

Supper was falafel, couscous, coleslaw and salad.

Early nights, my feet ached, my hip ached and I couldn't wait to lie down after the much longer walk we had done than I had expected and slept with the outer doors of the semi trad back closed but the other doors wide open. Phew it was a warm one too