Droitwich Spa

Yesterday was declared ‘A Day of Rest’!

Well it was Sunday, and after our exertions on Saturday we felt it well deserved. We enjoyed the service at the Salvation Army Community Church just a short walk away from the basin at Vines Park in the morning, then after a visit to the supermarket to get supplies for lunch and a roast dinner, it was an enjoyable lazy day. 

It was nice to go for just a short walk through the park and the town during the afternoon, there are a lot of beautiful autumn coloured trees around Droitwich, it is very pretty just now. Though because it is still quite warm, there is still a lot of green too. Maybe it will mean a longer autumn and shorter winter…………

Droitwich is another salty town, it’s story being built on the naturally occurring brine springs underground.  They are so rich in minerals that 2.5 pounds of salt can be harvested from 1 gallon of water. Salt was produced here from the Iron age times, through the Roman times and up til the 19th century.  As salt production declined, Droitwich became known as a Spa town and it’s prosperity continued providing the assumed health and therapeutic benefits of bathing in the mineral rich waters.




 

The old brine pump in the town is preserved on Tower Hill.




The grand Raven Hotel.







Along the High Street, the old part of town, the shops and houses above them have a rather wonky look to them.  Like other salty towns there has been trouble with subsidence, leaving these old building leaning in all different directions and looking like the proverbial little crooked house.



This morning was rather wet again, so we had a wander round the town again, where we could at least dodge showers by going in the shops, and we visited the Heritage Centre too.
When we got back, I set to work on the crab apples I found at the top of the Droitwich canal on Saturday.
 

Washed, chopped, cooked, strained, and turned into jelly…………
Autumn colours preserved.



After lunch things looked a bit brighter so we set off, before we had out-stayed our welcome at the moorings.  And we didn’t get too wet, down the 6 locks towards the river Severn. 

This circular weir captivated me whilst one of the locks was filling this afternoon, there’s something mesmerising about flowing water…………..I get quite lost in my daydreams watching it.

Monday:   4 miles,  6 locks