Not used to this wet stuff!

Rain! Not had any of that for a while. And yes, I know we need it and all that, but why can’t it come at night when we wouldn’t notice it as much?

We’d intended quite a long day today, and that’s what we got, but progress wasn’t as good as planned.

It was just a light wetting as we left Hinksford Lock, which got heavier and heavier as we headed for Greensforge.

Beautifully decorated boats at Hinksford.
We pulled up at the services at Greensforge in heavy rain, and decided to wait it out, so pulled back onto the moorings. We were tempted to call it quits and stop the night there, but the sky lightened and the rain eased about 11:30. So we decided to get going again. Trouble is, everyone else had got going by that time as well, and we finished up queuing at every lock today apart from the last one.

Queuing at Rocky Lock
Our 8 o’clock start was a complete waste of sack time.
At this lock the red sandstone ridge that runs on the east bank of the canal makes it’s first appearance.
Where the “rock” in Rocky Lock comes from…
The navigation winds back and forth to Kinver, sandwiched between the ridge and the river Stour. At one point it cuts through the sandstone, in the rough-hewn Dursley Tunnel.

Dursley Tunnel, only 25 yards long.
Stourton Junction.


The Stourbridge canal heads off to the left here, climbing steeply up 29 locks to Netherton Tunnel and the Birmingham Canal Navigations Main Line.




Stewponey Lock and wharf are a short distance south of the junction.

Stewponey. The building nearest the lock is the restored toll office.
We were surprised to get an email from Amy on NB Black Briony over the weekend. She’s moored near Hyde Lock. We didn’t know she was down here. So we kept a look out and pulled in for an hour’s catch up chat.

Amy and NB Black Briony.
Hyde Lock
The lock cottage has a beautiful front garden, inspired by it’s location.
It’s a fine spot, but we decided to shove on a bit further, to the other side of Kinver.
We dropped down Kinver Lock with it’s modified balance beams to clear the widened road bridge.
Kinver Lock, bottom gates.
Then down Whittington Lock and stopped just below the lock bridge on a nice quiet mooring. There was only one other boat here when we arrived, but they must have wondered what was happening. Another three followed us down the lock and moored as well. The “nice quiet mooring” suddenly got busy!

Locks 8, miles 7