Tuesday 3rd July

Parkend bridge to the Lower Lode Hotel

Set off just after 8pm with the aim of getting to the Boat Inn at Ashleworth for lunch. However on arrival in Gloucester dock I rang the lock keeper and was told that we could not go upstream because the spring tides had gone over the weir. So we moored and went to try and look at the weir. We found Llanthony lock, which is filled in but there is still a right of navigation through it! We could not get to see the weir because of the wet ground.

Then we went for an early lunch in the Fountain Inn. On our way back we checked the level below the lock and it was now in the amber. Then 3 narrowboats appeared from upstream and we watched them lock up. The lock keeper said we could go when they were out.

Locked down just after 1pm with Mr Sweep. Very slow progress up the east channel, speeded up a bit when we rejoined the main river and eventually got up to 4mph. Our average speed from the upper parting was 3.2 mph.

Moored for the night on the BW floating pontoon at the Upper Lode Hotel. We were the only boat on it apart from the ferry.

The hotel got very busy shortly after we went in but we had got our food order in by then. They had 5 beers for us to choose from.

When went back to the boat there were signs the high tide had arrived. Then a while later it was flowing normally again.