On Tuesday 2nd June 2021 we set off through Dunsley Tunnel, only 25 yards, and Stewponey Lock.
The old Toll Office stands beside Stewponey Lock, and today a Canal & River Trust van.
We passed Stourton Junction where the Stourbridge Canal branches off.
We went through nine locks that day. It is hard to spot the stylish wire mesh deer grazing in this canalside garden. There were lots of fledgling wildfowl birds on the canal, ducks, coots, moorhens, swans, Canada geese, fluffy bundles following mummy along the canal. Only grown herons were seen.
We stopped for water at the Canal & River Trust Services at Greensforge, but didn’t stop to sample the Ensville Honey Ale in The Navigation, as recommended by the traditional narrowboat that we followed through the lock.
We passed the impressive old pumping station.
The sun brought a smile to Hilary’s face today.
We moored up at Wombourne and walked up to the Waggon & Horses pub where Hilary, now a master of the Martston’s online ordering system, got us some drinks in the beer garden surrounded by marauding school kids who’s parents, fresh from the school run, were having a quick sharpener and filling the kids with chips, chicken nuggets and fish fingers.
There is also convenient Sainsbury’s alongside our mooring. On Wednesday 2nd June 2021 we had another sunny start and negotiated 10 locks passing some very pleasant countryside.
By the locks today there were mesmerising water control systems in circular brick wall structures.
The Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal passes through some beautiful countryside.
We also passed through the Bratch Locks which is a system of 3 locks, each one emptying into the one below in a staircase. It was originally built by master constructor and genius James Brindley and opened in 1772 as a three lock staircase. Later it was re-engineered as three separate locks with 6 gates. Their operation is unusual as there are in effect double gates between the locks.There are also two bridges, a toll house, and a keeper’s cottage.
We passed Aldersley Junction and our chance to head for Wolverhampton and continued to Autherley Junction where we turned left, hindered by a boat coming out.
We were now back on the Shropshire Union Canal and we pulled in to Napton Narrowboats to fill up with diesel. Steve bought his second windlass today, a lightweight Walsh short-throw alloy one to add to the 2nd hand short-throw metal one that he bought at Bratch Locks for £7.50. Volunteers at the locks said that they called the long-throw windlasses “knuckle grinders” on this canal.
We moored up at the same spot alongside Wolverhampton Sewage Works (screened by trees and bushes) where we had been on 21st March this year. We did a family walk into Dovecote, which is a bit rougher than it sounds, and went to the Premier Convenience Shop where an alarming number of customers appeared to be exempt from wearing face masks. In the park area outside children played while their parents looked on swigging from cans of lager.
Back on the boat we watched “Before We Die” episode 5 and “Coroner” on All4 via Roku. There is a good circular walk along the canal towpath across the bridge and back through the park on the other side (Vera found that she could jump into the canal here on Thursday morning!) to Autherley Junction and back to the boat, which Steve and Vera did before going to bed.
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