Down the Droitwich Canal

KToday we got up had bait of breakfast and of we set to Hanbury wharf  and then a sharp left turn on to the Droitwich canal which has only recently been fully opened  since July 2011. The canal has a few unusual locks where there are middle paddles to opened

 Also the canal ventures under the M5 which is a very low tunnel 

Approaching the tunnel

Just squeezing under 

Unfortunately our spot lamp was not low enough and smashed the glass.

Most of the canal was really overgrown with reeds which I thought would of been cut back by the canal trust but speaking to a girl on the path who told me hat one of the conditions of this canal being restored was that they keep the reeds  for wildlife to flourish.

Droitwich canal owe its existence mainly to salt which it transported to Bristol  which is found in underground streams, the Romans first started extraction of salt , the brine yields 2.5 lbs of salt per gallon which is ten times more than sea water at the height of production in the 19th century Drotwich was producing 120,000 ton per annum.

Doitwhich other claim to fame was the manufacturing of a long range transmitter which was used during world war 2 to jam the enemy's signals, today it broadcast radio 4 and 5.

We carried on out of Droitwich  and moored top side of a lock  by a village called Salwarpe  obviously a reference to salt, had a lovely beef dinner and will speak to you tomorrow.

Last evening we spotted a hot air baloon flying over the field just as the sun was setting.