After an overdose of Batham's I could have been feeling very sorry for myself this morning, but as the beer is so extra special, and only 3.5% alcohol but I was just a little woolly headed. Amy went for a run so we were late starting.
Helen wanted to get some shopping so whilst she and Amy walked into Kinver I took the boat down to the winding hole to turn and come back. On Pearson's and Nicholson's it shows it a fair bit before the next bridge. I was starting to wonder where it was, and even tried at a wider bit than normal, as I didn't want to miss it as the next one was a lot further. I needn't have worried, it was just a lot closer to the bridge than the maps seemed to indicate. I was soon round and heading back for the girls.
The was a bit of a rockfall between the winding hole and Kinver and it does restrict two way passage, especially when somebody moors opposite it.
At Hyde Lock this little picture sort of encapsulates some of my feelings about the canals. A beautiful cottage, a Staffs. and Worcs. boundary marker and a breasting post (or what ever the real name of it is), along with the old textured engineering bricks for extra grip on the lock edge. All these point to old industrial skills and techniques that served usful purposes and that can still be seen on the network.
Above Hyde lock is this very photogenic cottage. Apparently it is all that is left of the large Hyde Iron works that was located here. It was the managers house by all accounts.
It is the red coloured house on this map at the bottom for the works. There is no sign of the short arm that served the works either, at least not from the canal. There was a spade works just to the north of the iron works too.
We stopped for water above Stewponey and then headed round the corner and then turned right up the Stourbidge Canal at Stourton Junction. There was a C&RT work boat on the lock moorings fixing the retaining wall. These first three locks are a bit of a bugger to keep the bottom gates shut, though not too much of a bother going up.
We passed three boats between Storton and Worsley Junctions so had high hopes of having the locks with us. We got to the bottom to see a boat going up one lock ahead of us. There were only two of them and it was their first hire boat holiday. They were doing very well but inevitably we caught them up. By the time we got into the second lock there was another hire boat behind us with plenty of crew.
Between lock 13 and 14 the old mill had mirrored windows so I couldn't resist.
Just past Dadford's Shed there is the old Dock pub/shop with what looks like a little arm but I think was a side pound.
This is the first of the new wigwam's that are placed over broken paddle gear that I have seen. I wonder how long this will be there. They look like miniature toilet tents!
Helen is just entering the third lock from the top. The sun had gone in which actually was quite welcome as it kept it cooler. There was a little sprinkle of rain, but not much. John (or is it David) the non C&RT volunteer lock keeper was ouyt and dashing back and forth to set the locks for everyone. It all helped and what I feared was going to be a long job turned out to be 5 minutes short of three hours, not a record but not too bad. The hire boat ahead of us had seemed pretty vague about whether they knew how many locks there were etc, and when they go to the top of the locks they went straight on at Leys Junction, instead of turning right towards the Delph. Fortunately a bloke on a bike sped after them and halted before they had too far to reverse back to the junction.
However when we got to the top we intentionally went straight on as we were mooring up for the night on stub of the old Stourbridge Extension Canal. We did tell everybody that that was our plan so they didn't feel they had to chase after us too.
I think the Staffs and Worc's and the Stourbridge canals are two of my favourites so with a bit of sun, and with two for lock wheeling we have had a great day. and
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