Leaving the Staffs and Worcester for the Stourbridge

Saturday 26^th April; Wolverley to above Stourton locks

The early grey chill was wearing off a bit as we cast off at 9, only to notice Soudley, an ex-Ownerships boat, coming round the bend above the lock, so we waited for them to go past.  It wasn’t far to Debdale lock, winding our way round the steep sandstone cliffs.

Luckily no-one was coming the other way, it's a bit tight here for passing another boat

We knew that the approach to Cookley tunnel was dodgy to say the least, so we were pleased to be warned by a walker of a 'bit of a problem' before we got too close.  Soudley had met another boat as they emerged on the other side, and had obviously warned them we were probably close behind.  So we waited for them to appear before rounding the bend to the tunnel, and had no problem at all.  We needed a couple of things in the shop so moored briefly beyond the tunnel and I popped up to the village perched high above the tunnel.

Yes, the path up to the village is very steep.  You would have no idea from the road that the back gardens are so dramatic

There is a Tesco Express, a pub, chippy and Indian take-away, so a useful village.  We went on to Whittington, one of the very pretty spots along here.

Whittington lock and cottage

The bywash runs beneath the lock cottage.  A boater I met later at Kinver once asked the owner how he got insurance.  Apparently the bywash widens out under the cottage and there is some arrangement so that if branches etc are washed in there should be no risk of a complete blockage.  We caught up with Soudley at Kinver, where they had moored below the lock.  Having set off at 6 this morning, they were treating themselves to lunch at the Vine, a restaurant at the lock.  Once up the lock, we pottered on to the facilities block where we took on water and disposed of rubbish and recycling.

Our first sighting of a food waste bin.  It contained 3 mouldy fairy cakes and a banana skin.

A single-hander went by as we were there, and very kindly said we could go ahead at Hyde lock if we wanted – but I helped him through, as we would soon be turning off the Staffs and Worcester and he wasn't.  While we were creeping past the long-term moorings I started making the sandwiches for lunch, and while Dave was waiting for the lock he finished them, so rather than moor on the extremely tempting stretch above Hyde lock we ate on the move. 

The garden gate of Hyde lock cottage is a miniature set of lock gates

For various reasons we have less time for this trip than we would like, so on we went.

Like Cookley, Dunsley tunnel is cut through the red sandstone

Once through Stewponey lock it wasn’t long before we reached Stourton Junction, where we turned right up the four Stourton locks.

The bottom pound has a lot of duckweed as well as a sunken boat

I put some rubbish from the top lock in the bow to dispose of later, and we cruised on for a bit to find a quiet mooring for the night.

The traffic cone had been left on the lockside, and I hooked the green thing out of the water with my windlass.  I wonder what it is, it looked like a dog toy when I spotted it as only the handle was visible.  (The hose reel is ours).

Tomorrow we have the 16 locks of the Stourbridge flight, so we won’t go that far today.

7½ miles, 9 locks, Cookley and Dunsley tunnels