Kidderminster
A lazy morning start, then back to our permanent mooring in Kidderminster, pack up and back home.
Still at Kinver
Didnt move today.
We spent the time doing odd jobs around the boat and wandering around Kinver shops.
A pleasant, relaxing day.
Kinver
In the morning we went on a pleasant walk along part on the trackbed of the old South Staffordshire Railway. We walked back up Bratch locks along the towpath to Mops Farm Bridge, No 54. From here a footpath crosses several fields and emerges by a crossroads. If you go through the picnic site you can get down onto the old railway track which is now a foot/cycle path. From here we went back to Wombourne and back to the boat.
It was a pleasant, warm afternoon and we chugged slowly down to Kinver.
Below Bratch
After the toing & froing for the pumpout we did a short chug down to just below Bratch locks and moored on the non-towpath side by the picnic area.
We stayed here for the rest of the day and part of the the next day.
In the afternoon I made a small folding table for the front deck area. I had previously bought the wood and had it on board. I used the picnic bench as a work bench, not quite the right height but it was OK.
Compton
Turned round and back down the Shroppie to Autherley, stopping at Turner’s garage on the way to pick up some diesel at only 77p/litre.
We called in at Limekiln Chandlery for some odd & ends then went through the bridge and round the corner to stop for the night.
We saw several people walking their dogs in the Smestow Valley Country Park across the canal, so we went on a walk to investigate. Starting from Wightwick Mill Lock No 30 we walked through the park and found the path on a disused railway line that took us back to the bridge by Limekiln Chandlers.
Later in the evening we discovered that the holding tank was full! We have a Techma macerator loo, so you cant see into the tank to see how full it is. There is a red light that is supposed to come on when the tank is nearly full, but it hadnt come on.
The nearest pumpouts were at Kinver, nearly a day away, or about 1/2 a mile behind us at Limekiln.
So the next morning we went down through Wightwick Mill Lock, winded just before Wightwick lock, all the way back up to Aldersley junction (after trying to wind at a couple of wide places on the way) and back down to Limekiln. This took almost two hours. It would have been quicker to reverse the 1/2 mile back up!
High Onn
When we got to Wheaton Aston lock the wind was blowing very hard across the canal at right angles. There was a queue of four boats in front of us. They were all have great difiiculty getting into the lock in the wind.
The technique used by most was to have someone on the towpath hold the bow rope as the boat approached the lock to stop the front from being blown across the canal.
We eventually got down through the lock (using the above rope trick) and moored up for breakfast in the cutting opposite Turner’s Garage. It was much more sheltered here.
We stayed here for most of the day. In the afternoon we went for a walk, starting off along the Staffordshire Way at bridge 17. Then towards Lapley and back across the fields to Wheaton Aston
At about 4:00 we moved on to High Onn wharf and moored just after bridge 25.
We decided to put on the BW reg numbers that we had got from “Stick on Signs”. Whilst we were doing this Bob & Sue Woodgate came past on Symphony. They waved and called out but didnt stop.
On the Shroppie
We stopped for water by the old Water Travel base near the stop lock. It was getting cold and the wind was picking up so we decided to stop for the night on the mooring by bridge 4.
The are rings here but it’s difficult to moor up as there is an underwater ledge.
Had to put off the BBQ again as it was too cold.
Above Bratch
Early start as it’s a lovely morning. A pleasant day chugging along the beautiful Staffs & Worcs.
We get to the bottom of the Bratch locks at about 3:30. We are third in the queue and the lockie says that there are two coming down, so it will be about an hour before our turn.
Heddi sits reading in the lovely sunshine, an I mess about with a few odd jobs.
Up through the staircase and out the top by just after five. We moor at the end of the visitor’s moorings. We had thought of having a barbecue, but the temperature has dropped off little so we leave that for another day.
I hear thunder!
Arrived about 5:00, quickly unpacked, up through Kidderminster lock then stopped at Sainsburys to stock up for the trip.
Moored for the night just before Wolverly Court lock. Speaking to daughter Liz on the phone she said that they have just had a terrific thunderstorm. About an hour later we are stood at the back of the boat in the dark and can hear thunder a few miles away probably the storm following up the river valley. We see the occasional flash of lightening. Then we hear a strange whooshing noise apparently approching us along the canal. We suddenly realise what it is, it’s rain - great big spots!. It must have been the edge of the thunderstorm and has passed by 10 minutes later.