Getting there...

We're continuing our gentle cruise down towards the Severn. A quiet night at Gothersley on Monday led to a fine, sunny day yesterday.

We had about an hour at not much more than tick-over speed before we got to the first lock at Stewpony (or Stewponey, depending on which map you look at...) It's quiet bendy along here, but that's only the prelude to later...

Just around the corner we passed the strange wooden door set into the base of a sandstone outcrop.

No-one seems to know what it was built for, or how far the tunnel extends into the rock face. It's known as the Devil's Den.

We've been following the course of the Smestow Brook for the last couple of days, but after crossing over a small aqueduct the canal starts following the Stour instead.

We passed Stourton Junction and the route up to Stourbridge, then arrived at Stewpon(e)y Lock to find a boat just leaving.

Another was waiting to come up so I was invited to get back aboard while the lock was emptied for me. 

Sort of settles that debate, then!

A little further on and Dunsley Tunnel takes the canal through that sandstone ridge.

It's stable enough to be self-supporting, with just brick arches at the ends.

Hyde Lock is picture-postcard, with a well preserved lock-keepers house alongside. 

Below here the canal skirts along the edge of Kinver, a popular stop and well worth the visit. But not for us today although there was plenty of mooring space to be had. Instead we pushed on and moored below Whittington Lock, with another cottage that has lasted well - much like the lady on the tiller!

Rain in the afternoon and overnight cleared by morning and we had a quiet night until Amber went ballistic at 6 this morning. Nothing to be seen when I got up to investigate, but outside I noticed cat pawprints all over the fore-deck...

Sunny spells came and went, slowly warming the day as we wound our way generally south. We crossed the county boundary near Caunsel, following which the canal gets seriously bendy!

Splendid, eh!

Heading into Cookley, around and almost under Austcliffe!

The village is built on top of Cookley Tunnel...

Debdale Lock had boats coming up so that made life easy...

Followed by some more tight bends which made life interesting.

Lovely spot just before Wolverley.

We called it a day after dropping down Wolverley Lock. There are good moorings on the straight below.

Into Kidderminster tomorrow.

Locks 6, miles 8