Morning in Kinver and then to Kidderminster

Densie moored at Kinver

We had decided to spend the morning in Kinver to see the sights. First task was to climb Kinver Edge, a high ridge a mile outside the village. Although most of the walk up was through woodland the top of the ridge is mainly grass. There are glorious 360 degree views stretching to Wolverhampton, Wenlock Edge, The Cotswolds and much in between. It's astonishing to think we were only 15 miles from the centre of Birmingham.

Kinver Rock Houses

On the way down we stopped to see the National Trust restored rock houses. These had been cut into the sandstone cliff in the 1600's and were occupied until the 1960s. Unfortunately the houses themselves were only open Thursday-Sunday so we werent able to see inside.

Then back to the village centre for a coffee and chocolate cake before returning to the boat for lunch, although the chocolate cake had rather dulled our appetite.

Cookley Tunnel

After eating we set off for Kidderminster. This part of the canal can bear comparison with the best on the network. The scenery is superb as the canal winds down the steep sided Stour valley twisting and turning to minimise the amount of rock removal required. Tall trees along the left hand side of the canal overhang the water, and occasional views of the small River Stour are seen through the wildflower covered edges on the right hand tow path side.

Blind corner south of Wolverley

At one point we passed through a lock next to a very crowded pub garden, and fortunately were able to provide a good example to the many onlookers of how locks should be worked, although Denise's efforts at raising the paddles were somewhat hampered by the large icecream in her left hand.

We arrived in Kidderminster at 15:30 and have moored close to the centre alongside a very large Sainsburys which we will visit tomorrow. The weather forecast is not too good for the morning so we will probably wait til after lunch or even the day after before carrying on to Stourport.

Stourton Junction and Kinver

Typical S&W view

The morning started grey but the weather cleared soon after we cast off at 8:30. As the weather improved, so did the scenery. The countyside is noticeably more hilly, the canal following a small stream at the bottom of a deep wooded valley. From time to time the canal passes red standstone rock faces where the builders have had to cut into the hillside.

Stourton Junction looking north - Stourbridge Canal joins on right

Green Alkanet

After a number of locks, we moored for lunch at Stourton Junction, an attractive place where the Stourbridge canal from Birmingham joins the Staffs & Worcestershire. Here, as at many other places along this canal we have seen many wildflowers. Attempts to photograph a selection unfortunately failed except for the rather nice Alkanet.

Dunsley Tunnel

Beyond the junction and another lock we passed through Dunsley Tunnel, all of 75 feet long ( slightly longer than the boat!). Here there is a further view of the sandstone. It must be remembered that the canal was completed in the 1770's when removal of rock meant gunpowder and picks and shovels.

We have moored at Kinver, a pretty village nestling in the wooded hills with a number of interesting sights. As we have time to spare we plan to spend the morning walking up to Kinver Edge, a 500 foot ridge overlooking the village, and exploring the sights - more information tomorrow.

Delayed by Rain

Waiting for Awbridge lock to fill

Passing from the top to middle locks at Bratch

View of Bratch middle lock showing the hexagonal lock keepers office (and Denise's head)

After a very good meal and beers at the Mermaid, Wightwick, part of the Vintage Inns chain, we awoke late to hear the rain pattering on the roof. Looking blearily through the window - yes it was heavy rain. Boating in the rain is not fun, so as we have at least a day in hand to meet our appointment in Worcester on Thursday (more on this in a later posting) we stayed at our mooring until after lunch when the rain stopped.

We were then able to get a good 3 hour cruise in before the rain started again. During this time we travelled the 5.5 miles to Swindon (no not that one, another one) dropping down through 8 locks. We have been going downhill since we passed through the summit pound around Autherley/Aldersley junctions yesterday. Overall in this section of the S&W canal there are 31 locks that drop 294 feet to the Severn at Stourport.

The scenery continues to be a pleasure and the locks interesting. Particular so are those at Bratch where 3 locks are each separated by pounds of about the width of the foot bridges. Clearly there is not enough water in such a space to fill a lock - this little problem is solved by having large side-pounds which are connected to the main canal by underground culverts. There is a permanent lock keeper on duty during the summer as the arrangement can be very confusing to both novice and not so novice boaters.

Deepest rural Wolverhampton

A narrow part of the canal - single track with passing places

Below Wightwick Mill Lock - 2.5 miles from the centre of Wolverhampton

One of the many joys of travelling the canals is the journey into major cities. Often the scenary is remarkably attractive with minimal instrusion from the noise and hustle of the outside world. Todays journey was a perfect example of this as we travelled through the suburbs of Wolverhampton.

Unfortunately Orange seems to have been affected - the best connection I have been able to get this evening is a painfully slow zero-bar GPRS link. Usually, even in the depths of the countryside, we are able to get a 3G connection. Despite today's problem I must admit it's not bad for £5/month.

Back to the journey. We started at 9am. An hour or so later we were delighted to see a familiar boat moored by the towpath - Greenfinch owned by permanent live-aboarders Barry & Tracy who we met a year ago at Wigan on the Leeds & Liverpool canal. After a happy hour over a cup of tea chatting about our adventures during the past year we waved goodbye and set off again.

The canal went through a very narrow single boat-width section with only a couple of passing places. Of course we met a couple of narrowboats going in the opposite direction, it really was a very tight squeeze to get by. It seems that Brindley decided to minimise his costs on this section as it required expensive cutting through hard rock.

Soon after we moored for lunch and a quarter mile walk to the local Morrisons. The logistics of ensuring we always have sufficient groceries can be difficult as we have no transport and must carry all our purchases back to the boat so we take the opportunity to shop at supermarkets close to the canal whenever possible.

After stocking up we moved off again past the major canal junctions at Autherley and Aldersley and have moored in the outskirts of Wightwick, a suburb of Wolverhampton. There is an attractive pub nearby where we plan to eat this evening - my first chance not to cook!

Out into the countryside

Densie on the Staffs & Worcestershire

Gailey Wharf with circular toll-keeper's watch tower

Anyone who believes we live on a crowded island should take a trip along the staffs & worcestershire. After leaving Penkridge at 9am we have travelled through empty farmland along the delightful tree-lined canal. Apart from a section where the canal runs close to the M6 we have seen no road traffic and little sign of habitation other than a few farmhouses.

The S&W, being one of the earliest canals, is a perfect example of a contour canal winding in extravagent curves to minimise the need for cuttings, tunnels or aqueducts. At one point it nearly doubles back on itself. The bends prevent any speeding (ie more than 3mph) which together with the oaks, alders, willows, hawthron laden with blossom and many wild flowers along the bank makes for a very relaxing journey.

As a contrast perhaps I should also mention the large chemical works at Calf Heath, an interesting (to a chemical engineer) rather than scenic spot alongside the canal.

We are seeing quite a few swans, some on nests though with very few cygnets yet, mallards often shepherding groups of up to 10 fluffy balls of duckling and moorhens, again with chicks. What we usually see every few days and have yet to see at all this year are Kingfishers. I understand that they have been very badly hit by the very cold winter.

Penkridge

Tixall Wide

Firstly correct some duff info from yesterday. Alert readers will of course will have noticed that we were previously at Tixall Wide in April this year, rather than last. Boating has that effect - things go by in a blur. Also, my guide book says that Tixall Wide was probably created by the canal company to provide the local landowner living at Tixall House with a good view. Tixall House no longer exists, but from the Wide one can see a magnificent gatehouse, the size of a 3 storey mansion, so the house must have been very grand indeed.

This morning we finished off a spot of painting where the boat gutter had begun to rust and when this had dried we set off south down the Staffs and Worcestershire Canal. Progress was rather slow as the canal is shallow in places, narrow and far from straight. The canal is a fairly early one opened in 1772. It was engineered by the great James Brindley as part of his grand plan to link the Mersey, Trent, the Severn, and the Thames.

After stopping for lunch at Acton Trussell we visited Midland Chandlers just outside Penkridge, where we were able to buy a replacement aerial for the one that was broken in Rugeley. At the cost of a mere £5 we are now back fully operational.

A further mile took us to Penkridge, a small town built around the canal near the M6 north of Wolverhampton. During the afternoon we walked into the town centre where there is a coop, butchers, bakers, several other shops and a number of pubs, one of which I must admit we did visit.

Tixall Wide

Moored at Tixall Wide on the Staffs & Worcester Canal just after Great Heywood where we left the Trent & Mersey. We previously moored here in August last year on our way back from our Pennine trip. Despite its familiarity it remains a favourite spot. The canal has been transformed into an attractive reed edged lake. Whether this is due to mining subsidence, pre-existing marshy land, or a "special favour" for the local landowner, I dont know.

Rewind the clock a bit to yesterday. We were annoyed to find late in the afternoon that our radio aerial had ben snapped. It was certainly OK when we moored up in Rugeley a couple of hours earlier, and I had been on the boat all the time and hadnt noticed anything unusual. A mystery really as there was no sign of the aeral having been bent, just a clean snap. I guess it was a bit of random vandalism, though a beat policeman we met later on the towpath said that the area was safe.

We left Rugeley at 9:30 this morning after a leisurely breakfast and pottered slowly up to the locks at Colwich and Great Heywood. The area was rather busier than I had expected for this time in the season. Our journey was somewhat delayed by four or five canoes full of very young children who were being directed by instructors on the bank. We had to wait until they were safely alongside the bank and had disembarked - 15 ton narrowboats and small canoes dont mix well.

Summer holidays start today!

We are on the move again. This time we will be out for a couple of months during which we plan to cruise down the Severn to Gloucester and beyond, returning via the River Avon to Stratford. After then who knows, depends how much time we have.

Denise has got the packing process well sorted. Clothes for a month and food for 3 days were all packed in a couple of hours first thing this morning. After unpacking and eating lunch at the marina we started up the Trent and Mersey Canal. We are now moored at Rugeley once again.

Nothing much to say about this part of the journey, we have done it many times before. Unusually, Rugeley power station was working with steam blowing out of the cooling towers, but that's not very interesting. The journey was very pleasant however because of the perfect weather - sunny and warm, but not too hot. Being sat in the open at the back of the boat in very hot weather can be uncomfortable, but today there was a cooling breeze.