The off-putting Droitwich Canal
BEING a Droitwich lad, I was pretty excited upon the completion of the canal restoration and looked forward to cruising it in my own boat. I am however more than a little disappointed by the experience, and it transpires that I'm not the only one, writes Gareth Haines.
There are a number of issues that compound to make the cruising of the Droitwich canals a frustrating experience. For starters, the bankside vegetation along the almost entire length of the Barge Canal is so out of control that it hinders safe navigation; I have had a couple of near misses where the view ahead has been completely lost due to eight feet high reeds. Now, it may well be 'picturesque', reminding me somewhat of weaving through the delta, and it may well be beneficial to wildlife, as one CaRT volunteer told me, but a canal exists fundamentally for boats.
Cuts down mooring opportunities
The vegetation also cuts down any mooring opportunities between Hawford and Vines Park to virtually zero. There has been a waiting area put in above Lock 2 in case boats need to stack up due to unfavourable river conditions, but that is your lot before Netherwich Basin, which is itself 48 hours.
I have heard tell from someone affiliated with the Droitwich Canals Trust that they may be taking over responsibility for maintenance on the canal, something which CaRT is apparently keen to delegate, no doubt because it saves them time and money. One has to wonder though about whether a volunteer outfit has the resources, required motivation and man-power to carry out the necessary maintenance year round. Time will tell I guess.
Lack of mooring persists
Moving further up toward the Worcester & Birmingham Canal on the Droitwich Junction canal and the vegetation issues and lack of mooring opportunities persist. However, a much greater problem exists—that of the M5 'tunnel'. Although, to call it a tunnel is a bit of a misnomer, it is nothing more than a slightly trumped up drainage ditch/culvert.
Legend has it that the original tunnel was available for restoration as part of the project but a local counsellor is using a portion of it as her garage and therefore vetoed it's re-commission! The validity of this statement is unknown, but I have to say, it is entirely believable to this boater.
Culvert far too low
The culvert is a problem for one main reason, it's far too low. Any boat with solar panels, roof boxes, pram cover, satellite dish, high cratch board or indeed anything at all on their roof will find passage impossible without at the very least causing damage and at worst getting jammed in. All roof attachment and clutter needs to be removed. Indeed, even a boat with a taller than average cabin will struggle and filling your water tank to the brim is considered essential. This issue is exacerbated by changing water levels in the, relatively short, pound.
Having had conversations with many boaters around the system, it appears that the above issues are putting a number of people off. Many do not want to risk passage under the M5, or have the hassle of flattening their roof to get under. This means that approach to Vines Park must be made from the Severn, only to turn around and go back the same way two weeks later, that is providing you moor in one of the very few spots where a fortnight stay is 'legal' just outside Netherwich Basin on the footpath or in Vines Park itself.
It really is a shame that the above points discourage wider use of the navigation as the Barge Canal is a winding treat with lovely views and both the canal and Droitwich town have some interesting history and a lot to offer.