Day 40 - onto the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal at Stourton and up to Wombourne

---

---

12 locks, 237 in total.







Worked the final 4 locks on the Stourbridge and turned right onto the Staffordshire & Worcestershire, which will eventually take us past the western edge of Wolverhampton so we can resume our route. We heard a real hard luck story today – a boat had been through 20 of the 22 Wolverhampton locks when the engineer decided the next lock was dangerous. They had to turn around, work the locks again and then motor for a day to get to Netherton Tunnel and come round the route that we did. Plus they had engine troubles – any change of speed and the engine cut out – they had been heading for their boatyard a little way beyond the broken lock!







The Staff & Worcs is a easy-going canal – locks are well-spaced apart from the staircase one, and there is usually something worth looking at – scenery, housing and gardens that took full advantage of the canal. We followed the R. Stour for quite a way, crossing it by aqueduct early on. We stopped at Swindon (the lesser known one) for the village shop. You are what you eat, so they say; well Swindon inhabitants must be all chocolate, crisps and alcohol. One pack of yellowing apples was the only fruit, potatoes and shrivelled mushrooms for vegetables and no meat of any description. Luckily there was a Sainsbury's a few miles further on but we would have preferred to support an independent retailer.







We stopped earlier than we'd intended – it's no fun if we're continually rushing and anyway, we're still a little tired. We descended 230' by lock yesterday with another 32' first thing this morning. On the Staffs & Worcs we're going uphill again and have risen 70' today.

---

Photos

Top Stourton Lock - 1
It seems to have been adopted by the neighbouring houses and it is beautifully planted with a bowling green lawn.

Stourton 2nd lock.....
.... not to be outdone!

Onto the Staffs & Worcs
This red sandstone is typical of the whole canal; sometimes the cliff rises 20 feet or more.

Out of focus rhododendrons.
I know they're invasive foreigners but all the bushes were so colourful.

Note the well-fitting lower lock gates.
It took quite a while to fill this lock up!

Staffs & Worcs side weirs - 1
Instead of the standard side pound weirs of other canals, most locks have these unusually shaped overflow weirs.

Either a smallholding or a house attached to a nursery.
The garden was magnificent - about 3 acres, planted with so many different varieties/species of plants and trees, yet it didn't look overdone.

Greenforge Lock
We have a watercolour of this lock on Dunlin and we were intrigued as to how it might have changed. I didn't get the angle right and the flowers aren't blooming as well as in the watercolour but the wavy hedge and the building are recognisable.

Building near Greenforge Lock.
It looks like a mill and it is by the R. Stour.

Botterham Staircase Lock
The top lock has to be filled and the bottom lock emptied before you can go through these. Normally the top gate paddles are raised quite slowly as the water flow can be very strong. As there was no-one in the top lock I raised the paddles quickly and stepped back to enjoy the spectacle!

Entry to the lower staircase lock.
It's crooked as I was leaning round a brick wall for the picture but this is how narrow these locks are - it's a very tight fit and can feel claustrophobic as the walls envelope the boat.

Bless!
No hand rails for this footbridge but I can't imagine that edging doing any more than tripping you up!