This morning the Gloucester docks were grey and foggy, the lock keeper was ready for us to go through the bridge and into the lock at 8.30, so off we set. Saying a sad farewell to Gloucester.
We pulled out of the lock back onto the River Severn at 9am exactly,
the sun is breaking through the mist
making lovely autumnal shades on the trees
We made Upper Lode lock at midday as expected where we stopped for lunch then set off again for Upton-on-Severn. On the way we met these barges being loaded with aggregate.
Cemex have wharfs at Ripple Quarry, near the M50 Bridge and at the Ryall House Farm Quarry, near Upton to facilitate river transport of sand and gravel aggregate between the two localities.
| Ripple quarry is the main extraction site for the sand and gravel. Here it is being loaded onto one of the barges. |
From here the aggregate is taken upstream by canal barge some two miles to the processing plant at Ryall.
An empty barge on its way to back from Ryall to load up again.
We got to Upton at 3pm, it's been a lovely day, quite warm, very sunny and with being on the move all day, I've at last got some washing done. It's already very nearly dry too having been hanging in the sunshine. Great!
19 miles, 2 locks, 1 bridge
Gravel is extracted from the banks of the river Trent close to Derby. Some of the old workings are now nature reserves or available for watersports, others are still active.
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