Mooring sites in Worcester

[Stephen and Kate]

Hi everybody

My partner and I are hopefully going to do the Stourport ring in the last week of May. We hope to stop in Stourbridge overnight before we tackle th River Severn (I'm ok with canals but have never done a river before!!) so wanted to get the river out of the way and moor overnight in Worcester before continuing up the Worcester and Birmingham canal. Can anybody please advise of good moorings in Worcester. I have been told that the racecourse moorings are OK but I don't particularly want to moor on the river overnight. Your help would be appreciated

thanks

.

[Barge Maria]

Hi Stephen and Kate,

 

I lived in Worcester for 21 years and kept a boat there. The river is quite OK to moor on provided that there is not a rain deluge forecast. I think you will be OK for a few days. The race course moorings are OK but don't moor under the footbridge. The city might send a minion round for a few quid fee....then again they might not!!

 

The alternative is to lock up onto the Worcs/B'ham canal and use the visitor moorings. The locks are large and the gates heavy, but as you're going to do this anyway it might be worth it. There are visitor moorings plus water and pump out. Easy access to the city etc. I loved living there and hope you enjoy it.

 

To enter the locks off the river do NOT try to turn straight in to the lock, rather go past, turn (plenty of room) and then go on to the the lock pontoon.

 

Enjoy.

 

Tim

[Taslim]

What Tim says, especialy the bit about overshooting and turning back to face the locks.

 

The visitor moorings are good or go up from the basin and things are good there too.

 

You said you are not happy about parking your ark on the river but if you want to lurk for a few days go past the lock landing, past a mooring then turn hard left under a foot bridge into the oil basin. It's a great place. Makes you feel like a big boat.

 

I don't know who owns it but some chums with engine probs spent a week+ there with no hassle.

 

For more local info moor below the locks and wander up to talk to the bloke who runs the chandlery on the marina. (Nice bloke, good deals.)

[Richard Fairhurst]

Diglis Oil Dock is CRT-owned. I'll admit it wouldn't be my choice of picturesque mooring but each to their own! The towpath moorings on the Worcester & Birmingham, beyond Diglis Basin, are probably the easiest bet if you're squeamish about the river.

 

Worcester has some really superb pubs for your overnight stay - the Cardinal's Hat, the Plough, the King Charles II and the Paul Pry are my current favourites, but there are many more...

[steven wilkinson]

we did this route in the summer, and moored on the river no problem. There hadn't been any rain to speak of, and we found the river section a bit boring really. We did moor on the river near the trip boats, easy walking to the town, and the only problem that we had was lack of TV signal. Its pay and display, and you buy your ticket at the car park next door!

 

There is a nice café boat for breakfast in Diglis Basin.

[Graham Davis]

Another ex Worcester resident, who has also been through on a boat several times..

 

Moorings on the river alongside the Racecourse are fine, but as said stay above the foot bridge and the Rowing Club. I have seen people moored down by the Diglis Hotel but it wouldn't be somewhere I'd want to stop.

 

Go up through the locks and there are secure visitor moorings . I presume you still need to use the BW keys to get out.

 

There are a few moorings above Commandry Lock but they can be quite noisy and are on the towpath.

 

Very little from there until you leave the city. The stretch past Viking Afloat always used to have lots of reeds and seems to be very narrow,

[Taslim]

Diglis Oil Dock is CRT-owned. I'll admit it wouldn't be my choice of picturesque mooring but each to their own! The towpath moorings on the Worcester & Birmingham, beyond Diglis Basin, are probably the easiest bet if you're squeamish about the river.

 

Worcester has some really superb pubs for your overnight stay - the Cardinal's Hat, the Plough, the King Charles II and the Paul Pry are my current favourites, but there are many more...

You're right.The Oil Dock isn't 'picturesque' by any stretch of the imagination but as the spanner man on the broken boat I spent a couple of nights on board and (to me) sitting on the boat roof in the evening in the big stone box watching boats passing the entrace was magic.

 

As you say 'To each their own.'

 

Worcester is good for pubs and grub as you say.

[dekker]

We always used to moor on BW moorings inside the little basin up from the river. I am not sure but I think it is all hire base and private moorings now. ~However a phone call might be able to reserve on overnight mooring.

 

Someone else will be along shortly no doubt with then current situation...I hope so because I would like to know myself.

[Richard Fairhurst]

Diglis Basin is a private marina run by BWML (I moor there!), though I think there's one visitor mooring on the basin edge on the Birmingham side of the basin - not that it really gives any advantage over the main towpath visitor moorings.

[Keeping Up]

The racecourse moorings are definitely our favourite, the river is usually very gentle and it's good there for walking the dog.

 

There are good moorings on bollards after the Diglis basin, and also good moorings on bollards a couple of locks further up which are the nearest to the City centre. For even greater security if you wish, the ABC hire base in Lowsonford Basin (now calling themselves Worcester Marina) has a sign offering overnight mooring; we went in there for a pumpout and diesel last week and found them very helpful and friendly.

 

Note that the first 2 locks up from the river are quite big and heavy, and the next 2 locks are very slow because they are quite deep but each have at least one paddle out of action (as have quite a few others along there)

[Sea Dog]

Go up into Diglis Basin, continue up through the next single lock and moor anywhere from there (by the Commandery) to just short of the road bridge by Pizza Hut. All towpath as someone said, but we've never had any undue noise or other issues there. Short walks to town where there are many good pubs, cafes and restaurants. Friar Street/New Street worth visiting, with The Cardinal's Hat and King Charles II being two quite special old pubs.

[keble]

Another tip: as you come off the river to enter the locks to the canal, moor up on the pontoon just slightly south of the lock entrance.

Then you can get the lock set ready without "hovering" in the river.

[Bunny]

What everyone else says moor about the locks. Can be a bit breezy up there as you exit the top lock . Bunny .

Agree moor above the locks . Can be a bit breezy as you exit the top lock . Bunny

[markgregoryuk2000]

If you have been to Worcester before and really do not like the river, you always have the option of turning to Droitwich just check with your hire yard that you will clear the low bridge. I will be doing this ring clockwise in may.

[Chris3]

Similar subject but slightly off topic, please excuse me but how long does it take from Stourport to Tewkesbury. Can it be done in a day onto the visitor moorings on the Avon ?

[Keeping Up]

Similar subject but slightly off topic, please excuse me but how long does it take from Stourport to Tewkesbury. Can it be done in a day onto the visitor moorings on the Avon ?

Last year we took 6 hours on the river, plus about 45 minutes down from Stourport Basin to the river and 30 minutes up to the Avon - so yes, easily in a day.

[Keeping Up]

Just a quick update. Today I noticed that the Oil Basin is blocked off by buoys, and the 48 hour mooring pontoon has only room for one boat because the rest of it is occupied by boats that don't look as if they move (at least, they were there 10 days ago and don't look as if they've moved in the meantime). Plenty of room on the racecourse moorings though.

Just a quick update. Today I noticed that the Oil Basin is blocked off by buoys, and the 48 hour mooring pontoon has only room for one boat because the rest of it is occupied by boats that don't look as if they move (at least, they were there 10 days ago and don't look as if they've moved in the meantime). Plenty of room on the racecourse moorings though.

[b0atman]

My experience do not moor on the river as an idiot on a bike is constantly going past shouting instructions to rowers .

[PaulG]

My experience do not moor on the river as an idiot on a bike is constantly going past shouting instructions to rowers .

That and the trains rattling over the bridge...

 

We often moor at the Commandery. Bit of noise from City Walls Road, but not too bad and convenient for the fleshpots of Worcester.

[ditchcrawler]

That and the trains rattling over the bridge...

 

We often moor at the Commandery. Bit of noise from City Walls Road, but not too bad and convenient for the fleshpots of Worcester.

I seem to remember mooring a bit further up near an Italian Restaurant where the twit (Am I allowed to say that without the thread getting removed) managed to snap my credit card in half flexing it.

[nebulae]

We moored on the pontoon last time we were on the river .No sign anywhere to say how long you can stop. Assume max 48 hours .Agree,the other boats moored on the pontoon looked like they owned the place. If you dont like the river Droitwhich Canals are a good choice,so long as your boat fits through the tunnel, Dont forget,mooring is very difficullt on the barge canal.You need to time your travel to get to the basin in Droitwhich,where there are good moorings.

[stuart]

Not Worcester, but upton on severn is worth a mooring, nice pubs and a few shops.

[keble]

Not Worcester, but upton on severn is worth a mooring, nice pubs and a few shops.

Agreed, plus a free folk festival next weekend (1st to 4th may)

[tagulablue]

We always ring Viking boat hire ... the 1st night used to be be free and the 2nd night used to be £5... it was safe and central for all our needs. Couple of years since we were there but we never had to worry about whether we would find a good mooring and I considered it good value.

[Quaffer]

I will be heading to Worcester via The Avon and Severn next week and I am looking to come off the river ,up W&B locks 1&2 and hopefully find a mooring to leave the boat unattended for 12 days.Are there informal towpath moorings beyond Diglis Basin but before Bridge 2 ,are there any time restrictions here and is there normally any room ? Alternatively ,are there any other towpath sites further into the city which would be considered safe,14 day friendly and where chains around armco can be attached ?

 

If all else fails ,can you pay for short term moorings (for said 12 days) in Diglis Basin itself ?

 

Any advice would be gratefully received.