Monk Meadow Dock (Sharpness Canal) – Wednesday 26th July

We woke up to more rain and screaming seagulls!

There was no need to rush so I didn’t!  The weather forecast said the rain would stop about 4pm but by about 11am it had stopped so Richard took Muffin for a walk.  They came back to Granny Facetiming with Tobyn as he had his lunch.  At 10 months Tobyn is now recognising me on the iPad and when he sees me his face cracks into a huge smile – it is just so wonderful.  Thank goodness for modern technology. 

Richard went to visit the Waterways Museum which he said was interesting but rather aimed at children. According the C&RT website Gloucester Docks were once the deepest and widest in the world. Now old dock buildings house new museums, shops and cafes.  The Museum has been renovated, refreshed and rebranded thanks to over £1m from the Heritage Lottery Fund and DCMS/Wolfson Museums & Galleries Improvement Fund.  The Grade II listed warehouse hides a marvellous surprise of bright, engaging galleries with stories of the communities that lived, and continue to thrive, along on the River Severn, Gloucester & Sharpness Canal and your wider wonderful waterways.

Photo courtesy of C&RT

There was a knock on the door (well the side of the boat) and it was Gill and Phil from Deck of Cards.  They had been in town and came to see us.  They are moored up near Sainsburys and we were going up there anyway for shopping and to see them.  After a cuppa we took them across to the services and they walked back to their boat while we filled with water.  We managed to moor up right in front of Deck of Cards and I went to Sainsburys.  I left Richard up a ladder picking blackberries which were coming over the top of a wall.  Jam making tomorrow!

I think that's the biggest ring we have ever tied up!!

We had a lovely evening with Gill and Phil who came to us in the evening for a good old chat and a few drinks and nibbles.  

We are moored at Monk Meadow Dock and in the 1930s to the 1960s the dock was used by tanker barges supplying half-a-dozen petroleum depots.  Now there are narrowboat mooring but the surrounding land is due to be redeveloped as part of the Gloucester Quays scheme.  In 2007 plans were made for mainly housing with a food superstore and large car park to the north. The housing will comprise a mix of sizes, styles and density, including so-called affordable housing.   We are now in 2017 and the area looks rather rundown.

I didn’t take many photos today – I’ll try and make up for it in the next couple of days.

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