A Visit from Jim.

Saturday 17th June, 2017 in Stourport.
Stourport-on-Severn is where MM's steel shell was built by Jim Sparkes of Alexander's, a true craftsman in steel. We proudly dislay his logo on MM's side, alongside Kingsground's (who did the fit-out).

We coudn't be this close without contacting Jim so we were delighted that he was able to come and visit us this morning.

It was wonderful to see him and have a catch-up. He surveyed his handiwork and seemed pleased with the result.

It was very hot and ice creams were the order of the day as well as a visit to "Blossoms" tea room, delayed from yesterday.

M was upset to see that only ONE Boater is allowed to use the Rubbish facility. She said that today was definitely her turn until someone moved the apostrophe!

M went for a walk and decided that she would love one of these cottages facing on to the River Severn.

The former "Tontine Hotel", now divided into flats, got its name from the way it was originally financed through a tontine, where the last investor left alive ended up owning it!

Stourport is a town of contrasts. It was built from an empty farmer's field as the terminus of the Staffs & Worcs canal and a place where cargoes could be transhipped from narrowboats off the Staffs & Worcs to wide barges on the Severn. But, over the years, it became a popular tourist destination for people from the Birmingham area - a sort of "Birmingham-by-the-Sea" except the "sea" was the River Severn. So, next to the historic canal basin is a funfair and a sort of "kiss-me-quick" resort full of rows of fish and chip shops, pubs and amusement arcades. M decided to give this fairground ride a miss.

As the sun gradually sank in the west, she declared that this one was also a non-starter!

Our mooring in the basin was lovely and we were rewarded with a beautiful sunset.

MM had another day off!