Good locks and a horrible shopping mall

Thursday 20th April; Stourbridge Extension Canal to Bumblehole

We awoke to blue skies and bright sunshine, which was lovely, but once we’d reversed out of our mooring and retraced our route to the canal that biting wind was still there.

Reversing out

It was a couple of miles to Delph locks, and it’s very attractive in parts.  We saw several Canada females sitting on their nests as we travelled.  We reached the first of the flight - again going up, and not set for us,  but there are only 8 today.  We ascended the first, and could then see the rest of the flight ahead of us.  Last time we came this way, the bywashes were running with spectacular waterfalls, but not today.

Looking towards lock 6

At the third lock, I was just preparing the bottom gates when a jolly volunteer turned up, with two more on their way.  What joy!  All the locks were being set for us, with another couple of volunteers joining in further up.  Here is one of them as Bonjour passes the old stables.

And here are another couple

And the last two!

Then I had the experience of getting on board and going up a lock entirely worked by others.  It doesn't happen often and only when you have volunteers!

So we were up in an hour and a quarter, very good going.  We arrived at Merry Hill in time to do some shopping before lunch.  The wind made mooring a bit of a game – how thankful I am that we now have a bow thruster!  It didn't help that two passers-by wanted to chat as we tried to get moored up.  Down we went to the loathsome shopping mall.  We only needed a few things, which we could get in M&S, and we thought we could avoid the rest of it.  The food was easily done, but Dave also needed a new T-shirt which was in ‘our other store’ – just women’s wear next to the food, I wonder why that could be?  He got his t-shirt, but we still managed to go out by the wrong exit.  I can’t imagine why some people go to these huge malls for fun.

Perched high up away from the rush and bustle

After lunch we moved on towards Blower’s Green lock, where if you continue up the Parkhead locks you will reach the southern portal of the Dudley canal.  You can’t see it at the moment – it is totally obscured by sheeting, presumably for some works being done.

We topped up the water tank and disposed of rubbish, before moving on.  I spotted the first coot babies of the season, but they were hiding behind the drooping towpath plants and I couldn’t get a picture.  Not long after Blower’s Green, at Cattle Bridge, is an arm which used to be a short-cut between the two Dudley canals.  Kniown as the Two Lock Line, it closed in 1909 due to subsidence.

Once the Two Lock Line

We made it to the moorings at Bumblehole by about 4.30.  We had to use mooring pins, as the bollards were taken, and the wind made it tricky, but the sun was still shining and it was all fine.  We walked up to the Cobb Engine House, which we've visited before

then took the path on the left to cross back over the canal and explore some paths and woodland walks we hadn’t seen before, finding a large lake in the process.  Back at the boat we inspected the cabin bilge – even less water today.  So we deployed the first of the nappies and we’ll see what transpires.  It was a beautiful sunny evening, though not terribly warm, but the forecast for tomorrow is horrible.

6 miles, 9 locks, Stourbridge canal, Fens Branch, Stourbridge Extension canal, Dudley canal numbers 1 and 2.