Back on the Waterways again

We've been home for a few days partly to watch the Tour de Yorkshire as the first three days of the Tour de France seem to have been renamed this year.  Here is our picture of the peloton passing close to Ripley heading into the finish on Stage 1:

On Sunday the cyclists came through our home town of Knaresborough and we were there to cheer them on.

Anyway back on Leo by Monday afternoon we were on a mission to catch up with son David and girlfriend Victoria on Pas Mèche.  They did not come back to Yorkshire with us and have promised to cruise slowly until we catch them up.  On Monday we came out of Worcester Marina where we had left Leo and followed some Viking hire boats down the Diglis Locks.  We spent the night in the pound between the two broad Diglis Locks, though the lock keeper, Mike Thompson, advised against it.  There are mooring rings inviting boats to moor and in fact we were fine.  On Tuesday we came upriver to Stourport and came up the staircase locks to moor above the basins.  The lock keeper at Bevere Lock (seems to be pronounced 'Bevery') on the Severn took issue with our use of VHF radio to tell him we were coming.  Other lock keepers have welcomed use of radio.  It really isn't clear whether one should call ahead or simply hover below the lock until spotted.

Approaching Stourport Bridge - the canal turn right past the end of the floating pontoon

Wednesday we had a long day through Kidderminster and moored in a lovely spot just above Hyde Lock just beyond Kinver.

There is one remaining old mill in the centre of Kidderminster though it is now a Debenhams Store.  Sainsbury's above the deep Town Lock is right by the canal and very convenient or if you prefer Tesco that is equally close to the canal below the lock.

Much of the lower part of the Staffs and Worcester Canal is cut through red sandstone.  This curious cave is beside Debdale Lock.  It was apparently used for stabling horses, though as it is on the side away from the towpath it must have been difficult to get the horses in.

Today we are on new waters which is always fun.  After coming up Stewponey Lock we turned right at Stourton Junction and came up the four locks that begin the Stourbridge Canal.  After a couple of miles of delightful countryside you come to Wordsley Junction and turn right again on a short arm of a mile and a half into Stourbridge itself where we are now moored:

Leo is waiting below the Stourton Locks for Helen to open the gates.  Actually Helen is waiting for Ian to finish taking photos from the other side of the junction and get across the lock to drive Leo in!

Under this bridge a branch goes to the right to Stourbridge.  The lock straight ahead is the first of 16 up to Brierley Hill towards Birmingham.  Those can wait until tomorrow.

We love canal signs.  This is at the same junction.

The Stourbridge Arm is very weedy.  You can see there is a boat coming which means poor Leo has to move right into the weeds, clogging the propellor.

Is it a canal or an ornamental pond?  Very pretty but not so practical.

This is the end of the Stourbridge Arm showing the old crane and the Bonded Warehouse dating from 1790.  You have to pass through some private moorings to reach a tight winding hole to turn the boat by the warehouse.

Here is the view from on land looking up the arm from the end.













So what are our plans now?

We were planning on doing the Ribble Link at the end of July to get onto the Lancaster Canal.  However for a variety of reasons we are not going to do that until next year or after that.  So the plan now is to explore the Dudley Canals and then go through the one and three-quarter mile Netherton Tunnel and back into Central Birmingham.  We'll then follow the Wyrley and Essington Canal (part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations) to reach Wolverhampton by a circuitous route.  From Wolverhampton we will go down the 21 locks and join the Shropshire Union as we head North.

Later plans are for Chester, Ellesmere Port, River Weaver and perhaps even the Huddersfield Narrow and the Standedge Tunnel (the longest in the UK).  We are also discussing a short cruise along the Manchester Ship Canal.  So keep an eye on the blog and follow our progress.