Going to Gloucester.

Well it is getting boring now this waking up to sun in the morning! Still I dragged myself out of bed and made the tea. I checked the new batteries before we left and then just spun round and stopped by the lock before asking for a pen out into the Severn. We had a little laugh then as Helen had been forward so once we were clear she was going to come back through the boat but the catch on the door had dropped and she couldn't get in so had to walk round the outside.

Healings Mill and Bridge over the Mill Avon as we leave the Avon Lock.

Avon Lock with the Lock cottages up on stilts to avoid flooding. He area was under water in the 2007 floods.

Avon Lock had called ahead for us and Upper Lode Lock was ready for us. A lode is old English for a shallow place or ford. The Keeper passed us down a leaflet explaining the procedure for entering into Gloucester as it was our first time.

Leaving Upper Lode Lock which was a strange shape as one end of it was 'normal' but the other end had two sloping sides. I couldn't make out the reason why so a little more research is required I think.

The view back to Tewkesbury Abbey after passing Cheltenham College boat house makes it look like a little church.

It was a very pleasant day passing down the wide Severn. The difference to the Trent is that as there is high ground to both sides so there are sights either side. There also seems to be less high banks and less trees.

I'm not sure what type of willow tree this is but this one looked as if it had been covered in cotton wool. It has drifted all over the place and each cobweb looks like a dream catcher at the moment.

We had been advised that we would meet this trip boat 'King Arthur' from Gloucester but as it was at a nice wide place so it was interesting only.

The river has carved through this cliff of soft marl and to prevent any further movement several old barges have been sunk underneath the face. There are markers in the river telling you to keep over to the far side.

At Upper Parting you have to telephone or radio the Gloucester Lock to let them know you are on your way and also to find out if there is anything else coming up from the lock. At Upper Parting the river splits and the route to the lock becomes only a little more wide than a canal. It would not be the place to meet a larger vessel as the current speeds up and there are sharpish bends. Once we were moored up a much larger tourist boat left the lock and it would have been a tight fit to pass in the reach up from the lock. We were told to continue. Just at the lock the river swirls past so you have to be careful not to be carried past the lock in the strong current.

The river runs round to the right and the lock was open for us luckily. You should keep your forward speed otherwise the current across the lock would turn you round. We got safely in. There is a busy road bridge across the lock but we were able to get the other side of it so could be penned up without having to swing it off. You can see the profusion of warehouses in the dock from this photograph.

we came in and moored in front of the Reynolds Warehouse and then went in to have a bite to eat. Helen had seen the Gloucester Outlet Centre in a leaflet and she decided that we had to go and have a look as I was to have a new pair of sandals and one or two other things so we headed there. Once we had a ramble round and did our shopping the redeveloped docks area reminded me of old photos of Hull. It is such a shame that in the 70's the planners there did not fight to retain them as they would now have made an even more great impression in our dock area.

This is from the south end of Victoria Basin. From left to right you can see the Mariners Chapel in front of Reynolds Warehouse, Vinings Warehouse, Albert Warehouse, Britania Warehouse, Victoria Warehouse and just right on the edge is the flour mill. Most of these big warehouse were built to store grain brought over from America and Canada. They were stored until required at mills all round the south of the country and then they would be loaded in Severn Trows, barges and narrow boats and sent on there way. The trade was so great that it it's peak there was enough grain going through the port to fill and empty all the warehouses four times in a year.

We will go out and explore the town tonight to get the lay of the land and do the tourist thing tomorrow.