About halfway between the boot ohm of the pic above and nb Aqua Life is a stone post marking the county border. We moored up on the edge of Worcestershire and 50 metres after we left our mooring we entered Staffordshire.
This boat was moored ca 300meters behind us is crewed by an elderly couple who have a lovely but very unruly and strong willed fox terrier who runs rings around them.
We have been leap frogging each other ever since I helped them lock up the Stourport staircases from the Severn. Since then whenever we end up behind them I help them through the locks as the wife is a little infirm. This morning we determined to leave before them. We were fairly relaxed as there had been no sign of life from Midnight, their boat and we were standing in the sun beside Aqua Life having a chat when a boat motored quietly passed going in the opposite direction and we shouted hellos to each other, as one does on the canals and bugger me, the couple in Midnight suddenly appeared like genies out of a bottle and kept to and before we could blink they were pulling away fro their mooring. Blast, they were in front of us again.
There was no point in a quick departure as we would be tailgating Midnight all morning. So on went the kettle again. After a nice 'cuppa' I walked a little way up the towpath to get a good mobile signal so I could sign in with George at Tradewinds. He is on his own for ten days as Rhonda has flown northward to fulfil some mother of the bride duties. Poor lad, he sounded miserable without his beloved. He said the days were just dragging by, all on his own. Just as it was my cue to try and bring my lonely little cousin some comfort and cheer another boat came from the opposite direction which meant the next lock, just around the corner was in our favour. Lawrence bellowed and I too deserted George and made for the boat. So in the end we got underway at 9.15
We passed these Canada Geese with three young, two of them white, very strange.
And then we were at our first lock of the day, Whittington. There was a boat in the lock, coming down, but we only had a little wait.
Lawrence lining up for the lock
Making stretches propeller is clear of the gate
Rising in the lock
The canal overflow that runs under the cottage
Looking up the canal
Peak hour on the Staff and Worcs., waiting for the Kinver Lock. We have encountered more traffic on this canal than anywhere else, including the Oxford and GUC over the mid term break.
Over that extra cup of tea earlier we had decided to stop at Kniver, famous for its Holy Austin Rock Houses. Homes carved into the sandstone cliff that runs behind Kniver, the last inhabitant moved out in the late 30s. There were only two drawbacks, we moored behind Midnight and as we discovered when we walked to the village, the Rock Houses weren't open on Tuesdays. We settled for a walk around the pretty village and a coffee in one of its cafés
The canal was Authorised by an Act of 14 May 1766 and it opened in 1771. That is incredible, it took only 5 years to build - using only picks, shovels, men and sheep. And it was the only such work that James Brindley (he designed a number of canals, their bridges, tunnels and aqueducts) saw completed on his lifetime.
Then it was back to the canal and who did we see getting ready to depart, Midnight. Lawrence swore a lot and I sat on the bow enjoying a fag. Suddenly Lawrence appears saying quick, get ready, we've been saved, the dear doggie's done a runner. Up to the lock I sauntered, as fast as I could, to get it ready. I don't know why we were so bothered, we were only going 100metres above the lock to the water point and rubbish disposal. L. and I didn't get to speak until Aqua Life was moored at the water point. Yes fellow dog lovers, dear doggie was retrieved and Lawrence said that dear doggies Dad might not be as old as we thought cos he ran really fast for a long way before could get dear doggie back.
We took the opportunity to shower while filling. So rubbish disposed of, water tank full and Aqua Life's inhabitants squeaky clean we motored on to Hyde Lock
This house is not very interesting, but part of it is all the remains of a once huge ironworks the stood for 200 years. In its heyday 20 puddling furnaces produced wrought iron and the premises lined the canal for some distance. Part of the house above was the residence of the manager of the ironworks. And now all that lines the canal are woods or fields.
More recently it was revealed that subterranean chambers were excavated out of the soft sandstone around here in which to make and store munitions in WWII.
Eroded brick "stump" (one of quite a few) holding up a piece if overhanging sandstone cliff.
Doesn't inspire one with confidence, after noticing these I've decided to take more notice of where we moor.
The diminitiven Dunsley Tunnel only 25yds long
Interestingly, the last half of the tunnels roof was brick lined
Old Tollhouse at Stewponey Lock
Up until 1949 Stewponey was a focal point for working boat traffic on the Staff and Worcs. facilities included a wharf, stables, workshop and the toll houses and these employees cottages beside the lock
A glimpse of Stourton Castle which started out as a medieval hunting lodge. It was called a castle in 1122, went through a few owners until it along with the manor ans holdings was given, by the Duke of Clarence, to Tewkesbury Abbey!
Stourton Junction, 2nd last chance to head into the heart of Birmingham via the Black Country
The inviting looking start to the Stourbridge Canal
Round more sandstone cliffs we go
Through more tranquil woodland
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Lawrence who pronounced this canal a shallow dirty ditch at the beginning of our journey upon it; yesterday said that this was the best canal we have ever been on and this afternoon called it IDYLLIC. How's that for a change of heart!
We motored quietly on until we reached our mooring for the night just below Greensforge Lock, that has a highly recommended pub right beside it.
What I haven't conveyed was all the different lock side conversations going on today. For instance at Rocky Lock, our last for today, we were in the lock, there was a boat hovering, waiting to go down. And below the lock there was one held and one tied waiting to come up. Our boat sat in the full lock, with the exit gate open, for at least 20 mins, going nowhere while Lawrence on the stern of Aqua Life with the three male lockers from the waiting boats clustered around him chatted, chatted and chatted.
The woman hovering above the lock could not relax - it takes a lot of work and vigilance to keep a narrowboat seemingly motionless. The stag party didn't break up until, presumably, one of the wives from the boats below came up to see what the delay was all about. If women lockers had been holding up proceedings like that we would have been in a lot of trouble!
6 miles, 6 locks, 4 hours
No comments:
Post a Comment