Coming events
To Sunday 10 July 2011
We hope to explore the newly re-opened Droitwich Canals which link the River Severn with the Worcestershire and Birmingham Canal.
The opening celebrations are to take place from 2pm on 1st July to 3rd July and mark about 40 years of determination and hard work to make it happen.
Over the last two years, in particular, major engineering projects have taken place to reroute parts of the Junction Canal via the river Salwarpe and to create a tunnel under the A449 dual carriageway.
Droitwich was a salt-producing area, and the canals are unusual in that they are an inland salt-water habitat. There are a number of special conservations areas along the length of the canals, and the Gateway Park section at Hanbury is particularly lovely at present – a mass of ox-eye daisies, poppies and a multitude of other flora. Birdlife is evident by the ‘noise’ coming from the reeds, hedges and trees!
The Barge Canal was built to accommodate the barges servicing the industry via the River Severn and is extra wide. The Junction Canal is narrower and the locks are only one narrowboat width and particularly deep. The Canal towpaths are waymarked with excellent information boards.
At present the Junction Canal is not easily accessible for canoes and more or less prohibitive for kayaks, but they are not yet fully in water as the final finishing touches are still being made . We will assess the viability of a trip down it nearer the time, but we will aim towards doing it. We certainly intend to do the Barge Canal from Vines Park in Droitwich down on to the River Severn, then briefly upstream and into the River Salwarpe to arrive at our campsite.
There are also alternative trips on the River Severn available depending on river/weather conditions.
ABILITY REQUIRED: This may seem rather a silly concern on a canal, but please consider carefully your ability to get in and out of your canoe or kayak. As yet this is an unopened canal and it is not totally in water. Drought conditions are causing serious water level concerns and the Junction Canal is currently extremely low. The Barge Canal is also quite low. The Droitwich Canals Trust is waiting with bated breath! At best, this could involve a scramble at every lock so you will need to be fit, confident and capable.
CAMPSITE:.
I have reserved pitches for tents only for the Friday and Saturday nights.
PLEASE contact me to secure your place.
PLEASE caravan/campervan owners, do not make any arrangement with the campsite unless you have agreed this with me first!
There are toilets and showers, also a small shop (limited opening times).
There are pubs about a mile down the road on the outskirts of Worcester.
The Mill House Caravan and Camping Site,
Mill House, Hawford, Worcs. WR3 7SE
(Your Big Sites Book. MR150/848598 150 155) .
2011 prices are as follows:-
Tent (2-4 berth) and car/Caravan and car/motorhome....................£9.00
Awning/Gazebo/Sunshade (All types, all sizes)..............................£2.50
NO groundsheets in awning please.
Electric hook-up...............................................................................£4.00
Extra car............................................................................................£2.00
Pitches are available from 12 noon.
We are able to leave our cars/tents on site until Sunday afternoon by special agreement.
Please let me know by Friday 24th June if you are coming so that I can confirm numbers with the campsite in good time.