East Anglian Daily Times
Saturday September 10, 2005

From Page 1/

IT was with some trepidation that I invited my parents to accompany my husband and me on a leisurely canal boating break in Worcestershire. My childhood had been regaled with tales of their watery mishaps - my mother drifting away on the Norfolk Broads as my father stood helplessly on the bank, or the time they moored in the wrong place and woke to find the tide had gone out and the boat dangling by her ropes.
     Experiences with my husband on the water did not fill me with much confidence either - our first argument was in a rowing boat at Dedham, when we took an oar each and went round in circles because I was stronger (a story he disputes to this day). But with a string of seemingly complicated locks looming on the horizon, a reasonable-strength crew seemed a prerequisite to navigate them.
     None of us had driven a narrow boat before and were all secretly worried about both steering it and floundering with embarrassment at the first lock.
     Arriving at Viking Afloat's Worcester base at Lowesmoor Wharf on a Friday lunchtime for the three-night trip, we were gre eted and given a quick tour of the boat, with the apt Norse name of Stigmund, and shown her workings.
     Unpacking was a bit of a challenge as space to cater for four adults was at a premium. Eventually we managed to stow our belongings in the numerous cunningly-inserted storage areas throughout the centrally-heated vessel and stock up the well-equipped kitchen, which featured a full-sized oven and fridge. Sleeping was a little cramped but adequate, with one permanent double bunk - a bit short for those over six feet tall - and put-you-up single bunks in the lounge area. Then it was time for our first cruising lesson. A very patient member of the Viking Afloat staff accompanied us a few hundred yards or so to our first lock to make sure we knew how to operate it and control the boat.
     Manoeuvring the 45-ft-long craft out of the boatyard itself, through a sharp 90-degree turn to join the Worcester and Birmingham Canal - part of the circular Stourport Ring route - was the first challenge. But our guide ware assuringly laid-back about the likelihood of a few bumps and scrapes - just as well, as my first attempts were more like a yacht tacking rather than a gentle glide straight ahead. Mastering the rule that to turn right the tiller must be turned left and vice-versa took some time to sink in but I did only hit a couple of boats on my way out, and I'm convinced they were badly moored. Fortunately, in April, the canals are not too busy and so it is an ideal time for learners.

     It was left to the men to negotiate the first lock, wielding their windlasses to turn the handles to operate the paddles or sluices. The locks are deceptively simple: just a chamber with gates at either end. By opening the paddles to empty or fill the chamber with water, the boat can move up or down to a new section of waterway. A few muscles do need to be flexed to get those gates moving.
     At a steady four miles an hour, our trip took us from Worcester to a turning point about 12 miles away at Stoke Prior, site of a now demolished enormous salt works and a recommended distance for the three- day trip. Although by now we were all dab hands at the locks, having passed through 19 of them - not to mention the 230-yard-long Dunhampstead Tunnel - we had been advised to turn round at this point. If we did not, there would be no opportunity to do so again before we had completed the Tardebigge locks series - a boater's rite of passage that involves 36 locks in four miles - a staggering total of 72 for a return journey.In fact, the only trouble the four of us had with locks all weekend was the one on our cabin door! Fortunately, our friendly boatman was with us within 40 minutes and we discovered the disaster was not our fault - the firm had forgotten to give us a front d oor key. Still, we all saw the funny side and agreed it was better to discover this on fine spring morning rather than after a night at the pub.
     This is one of the real boons of a canal boat trip. It is hard to beat gliding up to - or possibly bumping into - the riverside to moor outside a snug hostelry for the night. And there are some super examples along this particular stretch of water. Cooking onboard is an option but it was very easy to get a slap-up meal, although booking is advisable in peak periods.
 

     The intermittent hard work of the locks aside, the over-riding memory of this holiday would be utter relaxation. There is complete freedom to moor in towns or villages, or in the middle of nowhere. Chugging along forces you to slow down and notice the scenery which, under normal circumstances, often whizzes by. Once our boating technique had developed and we did not always need all hands on deck, the cruising became even more laid back.
     Our confidence grew with every new challenge we attempted and, in fact, our nautical prowess had improved so much when we finally returned to the boatyard that we were actually complimented on our parking skills - a far cry from our hesitant exit a few days before.
     The canals were originally built ab out 200 years ago as a navigation system to serve the burgeoning industrial explosion. The Worcester and Birmingham Canal was used mainly by Cadbury's, with the barges pulled by two donkeys.
     But it wasn't plain sailing - when completed in 1815, the new canal was seen as a threat to the Birmingham Canal Company, which feared its own water supply would disappear into the adjoining River Severn. Initially it refused to be directly linked to it and a laborious transfer of traffic was forced to take place across the divide known as the Worcester Bar.
     Eventually, a stop lock was provided between the two waterways, protecting the Birmingham Canal Company and allowing boats to pass.
     Surprisingly for such a built-up area, the route today is mainly rural. Now the canals are purely recreational and much-loved by boating enthusiasts and anglers alike. Some remains of decaying and current industry are still visible, as well as the very busy M5, but more often the camera was repeatedly fired off as we passed tranquil villages, rural vistas or brightly coloured houseboats en route.
     Binoculars were aimed at numerous birds and butterflies. Although we did not spot one, kingfishers are also common near the water.
    After returning teh boat keys it was back on dry land, all of us still swaying slightly as we regained our land legs. Worcester itself is worth whiling away a morning. There is a wealth of tiny shops and historic buildings. Some of it looks a bit down at  heel and there are some appalling aberrations of 1960s' architecture but, when we visited, major work was taking place to revamp the town centre.
     However, the jewel in Worcester's crown is undoubtedly its cathedral, which contains the tomb of King John. While not particularly striking from the outside, it has a lovely setting on the banks of the Severn and its interior - with its imposing nave and beautiful blend of Norman, Early English, Decorated and Perpendicular architectural styles - is simply stunning.
     A fitting finale to a genuine "get away from it all" holiday.