The Stourbridge Lion: Back of beyond

After yesterdays baking hot day it was a surprise to awaken to a overcast day with showers which remained on and off all through the day. Nevertheless in many ways it was a better days boating. We were going from just south of Wolverhapton to Kinver by the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal which winds its way through the back of beyond apart from the small town of Wombourne. Set off 0800

The tiller problem from yesterday seems to have righted itself. No explanation but now seems fine. Maybe something like an old carpet had got jammed in it and had now freed itself although there was nothing obvious when I checked last night. First feature of the day were The Bratch locks. Three locks placed together with a complicated series of side ponds to make them work. A lock keeper was on hand to help and also explained something of the locks history. He also checked our licence detail.

Approaching The Bratch locks

Lock keeper checks our licence plate.

Bratch Locks

We passed through the other Swindon, Swindon Staffordshire, site of the last trade on this canal from Stourbridge railway goods station to Swindon forge. A trade in specialist metals it was replaced by road transport in the late 50's. The other trade on this canal in the 50s was coal from Cannock to Stourport but a surcharge on loading canal boats saw the trade switch to the railway.

We had lunch of jacket potatoes (Last of Ivor's potatoes)

After lunch I was stung by a bee.

After lunch we also entered the best section of this canal which we had to ourselves as the showers seemed to keep the other boaters tied up.

Gothersley Lock

This section of canal always feels almost prehistoric to me with Herons flying around like Pterodactyls and the large overhanging trees with outcrops of red sandstone adorned with flowering Himalayan Balsam. At one point there is a locked door set into the sandstone at a place called, according to Ordnance Survey, Devils Den. Is it an entrance into another world or just an old boat house. Probably the latter.