Mark Bibby Jackson goes on a narrow boat cruise along the Worcester and Birmingham Canal with Black Prince Holidays.
The last time I had ventured onto a narrow boat was a cold, wet New Year’s and the river Thames was at full height and speed. Frankly, it was a miserable experience, sharing a bed with a mate and feeling the dampness seep throughout my body. Water, water everywhere as Coleridge might have said. At least we had plenty of beer to drink. I vowed never again.
Fast forward more than twenty years, and I find myself studying the weather charts like an ancient mariner in preparation for breaking my vows. Fortunately, the sun is shining as we approach Black Prince Holidays’ base in Stoke Prior, and no rain is scheduled for our three nights.
Narrow Boat Cruise – the Basics
Upon arrival, one of the staff Martin gives Jonny and me, the health and safety briefing, while Jonny’s wife Hanh unloads our cars. It Hanh’s first time on a narrow boat in the UK, having recently moved from Vietnam, while Jonny claims to be a veteran albeit a distant one having spent the last 30-something years in Asia.
In truth, Martin seems more concerned with ensuring the toilets don’t get blocked – presumably there have been many an ill-timed call-out – than in providing us with a 101 on narrow boat cruising. But in reality, there is little to learn.
Clear weeds from the propellor each morning – without losing any digits. Twist the brass knob to oil the engine, and turn the fridge down low at night to save electricity. Black Prince have provided enough diesel for a month. All, we have to do is fill up with water on our second night, and enjoy ourselves. Oh, and try not to cause too much damage crashing into locks, tunnels, other boats and the like.
Navigating Locks
On my previous narrow boat ventures, I had majored on winding locks and tying up at night. So, discovering I was designated skipper, and with Martin handing me the wheel even before we leave base, I feel a touch of trepidation.
However, guided by Martin I manage to steer the boat into the first lock without touching either side. And from then on it was plane sailing – or rather cruising – albeit with me naturally adopting a zig-zag technique that perhaps is not in the narrow boat skipper’s manual.
Worcester and Birmingham Canal
Opened in 1815, the Worcester and Birmingham Canal was built to link the two cities as an offshoot of the River Seven. The whole canal is some 29 miles long and has 58 locks. On our first day we take a short two-hour cruise (closer to three with zig-zags) to the Droitwich Spa Marina, where we moor up by the Eagle and Sun pub.
This is one of the great attractions of taking a narrow boat holiday. You can relax at a pub in the evening – or lunch – sink a couple of pints and enjoy some traditional pub grub.
Unfortunately, the food in the Eagle and Sun does not invite us to linger. So, after having a pint or two we retire back to the boat where Jonny cooks some fish cakes and I teach Hanh the rudiments of Blackjack and Poker.
On my previous canal trips, accommodation was basic and the kitchen facilities minimalistic. In contrast Black Prince’s facilities are excellent. The kitchen has a proper cooker, as well as microwave, and the living-cum-dining area is perfectly adequate for the three of us. We dine, drink some wine and plan the following day’s cruise, before retiring.
Standing – not something easy on a narrow boat – 6’3” tall, I assumed attempting to sleep in my bed would involve a contortionist act fit for the circus. So, I am pleased to discover I have sufficient room to stretch out on the bed with my toes dangling over the edge just as they do in five-star resorts. Even the shower functioned properly once we had solved the inevitable hot-cold handle riddle.
Waking Up with Nature
We are fortunate in the timing of our narrow boat cruise, not just with the weather, but also as spring is in full flow.
I awake to see a swan bobbing away on the surface of the canal, its cygnets resting on its body, fastened by its wings.
The previous day, we had been amazed by how many goslings, ducklings and cygnets there were on the water. While in the fields lambs bleat for their mothers. The trees are amazing, their green reflection shimmering on the surface of the calm water, just like a Monet painting.
Going with the Flow
Our second day continues the trend set on the first. Our boat drifts along the surface, with us taking turns to steer. Hanh proves a natural, and in truth Jonny’s confidence seems justified. Even I adopt a straighter course.
We fall into a natural rhythm. Jonny navigates the boat as Hanh and I leap to the side and winch the lock gates down and up to allow us to pass through smoothly. On our first day we encountered some other boats, their crew keen to return for the conclusion of the bank holiday, but today we seem to have the whole canal to ourselves.
Narrow boat cruises have an inevitably slow pace, as we are limited to 4mph. But by the end of the day, we realise the effort we have put in. Some of those locks are as stiff as I fear my body will be the following day. Pulling into Worcester for the night, I need some lubrication. Fortunately, the city is blessed with some wonderful pubs.
A Night in Worcester
The Cardinal’s Hat claims to be the oldest pub in Worcester. It is also a great place to meet the locals and discover more about the community. Just along from it on New Street is The King Charles House.
It was here that Charles II stayed after losing the Battle of Worcester in 1651, before fleeing to Boscobel House, Staffordshire where he hid in an oak tree, and then escaped to France. At the time the building was a manor house. Over the centuries it has had many a purpose. It even has an oubliette where prisoners would spend their final night before being hanged across the road. The oubliette is still visible. Needless to say, the building is said to be haunted including two girls in the cellar.
Worcester Cathedral
The following day, after a night’s supper of whole baked seabass, Hanh and I head into the centre of Worcester – a five-minute walk away – to visit the cathedral.
The present building was built between 1084 and 1504 in the Romanesque style. Remnants of the original structure can be found in the crypt, and the Chapter House dates back to 1120, with the nave extended in the 1170s.
In it lies the body of King John, arguably our least popular monarch, and familiar to all – including Vietnamese visitors as the bad king in Robin Hood, as well as Arthur, the elder brother of Henry VIII who married Catherine of Aragon and would have been monarch if he had not met a premature death.
Wandering around what used to be a Benedictine Monastery, and was originally a priory in 680, it is impossible not to wonder what might have happened if Arthur had lived longer. Would the monasteries have survived and England remained Catholic?
The previous evening on our Worcester pub crawl, Jonny and I had walked along the River Seven. There we stopped for a pint at the Diglis House Hotel to watch the glorious sunset with enough swans to rival Windsor.
We could have continued our cruise along the river back to our base along the Seven loop, however we chose to turn the boat and return whence we came.
Oddingley Murders
By now, if not quite a master, I have become more comfortable with tiller in hand. Our return trip continues very much like our descent – slow and at peace with nature.
We berth that evening at the village of Tibberton where we have a great pint and chat with the locals at the Speed the Plough to discover something of its history.
The pub used to be called God Speed the Plough, but it was here in 1806, that the Oddingley Murders were plotted.
A real Midsomer Murder, Reverend George Parker, rector of Oddingley was shot on 24 June. The murderer Richard Heming was assumed to have fled to the States, until his skeleton was discovered nearby 24 years later. It emerged that a dispute over the paying of tithes led to a conspiracy to murder Parker.
Heming, who was paid £50 to kill the rector, was himself bludgeoned to death by the conspirators. One of them, Thomas Clewes, a local farmer confessed to the police albeit denying he had killed Heming, just witnessed the act. Despite this, all the surviving conspirators escaped conviction on a technicality, but the pub where they hatched their plot lost its Godly status to become just plain old Speed the Plough.
The next morning, we return to our base. We could have driven from Stoke Prior to Worcester and back within the hour. Narrow Boat holidays are slow, really slow. This allows you to get close to nature, reflect, sup a few ales with friends, chat with locals, get a sense of local communities, and learn a few not-so tall tales along the way – just the way travelling should be.
Narrow Boat Cruises UK with Black Prince Holidays
You can book a narrow boat cruise along the Worcester and Birmingham Canal with Black Prince Narrowboat Holidays, as well as other destinations in the UK here.
Worcester and Birmingham Canal Map
UK Waterways Guide provides an excellent Worcester and Birmingham Canal map to help you plot your narrow boat cruise route.
