Thursday 20^th September

Left the boys on Chance to explore Kinver and headed for Stourport. The Staffs and Worcester is a lovely winding canal with some very narrow sections due to the overhanging sandstone rock.

As we left Kinver we passed houses on the canal side which do not have road access so all the furniture etc has to be brought to them by boat.

* Kinver Cottage

At Debdale lock there is even a large cave cut out of the adjacent rock. Ideal kingfisher country and we were not disappointed as we saw two.

There are a lot of Mobile Home sites dotted along the canal and at Austcliff they have their own railway signal.

* Austcliff Signal

Next came Cookley tunnel which goes right under the village, we had thought we might have stopped there but there was no mooring.

* Cookley Tunnel

* Nice Lockside Cottage

We entered Kidderminster through some nice new housing developments much improved on when we last came this way 35 years ago. Plenty of nice shops and mooring including M&S, Tesco, Sainsbury etc.

* Lovley view of Kidderminster Church as you pass under the ring road.

The locks through Kidderminster have anit-vandle keys so just beware.

We found a nice mooring for the night between bridge 5 and the lock into the basin at Stourport and then went to Limekiln Chandlers to collect the Water Can June had ordered from Sam.

* Stourport Mooring

* Water Can

Later the boys on Chance joined us after they had picked up Adam at Kidderminster and came into Autumn Myst for Tea and Biscuits.

A major search was required to find a suitable eating place in Stourport as there seemed to be a dire shortage of places. The boys picked out The Steps Inn in Gilgal Street and after drinks aboard Chance we walked down to Steps. We had a great meal at a very reasonable price, 2 courses for £10. The evening was the usual fun affair with the boys and Phoenix joined in by chewing yet another lead in half. Fortunately this time there was enough left to get her home without resorting to my belt.

Nightcap aboard Autumn Myst.

Onward to Kinver

Wednesday 19^th September

Awoke to a cold, bright, frosty morning with the autumn mist rising off the canal.

* Morning Mist

* Autumn Myst

We followed Nb Chance through the first lock and pootled after them as they were to take on water at Greensforge Services.

* The deligthful Nb.Chance with Doug and James entering a lock

 Just below the lock it is very narrow and we had to wait for a boat coming the other way because there were a group of boats travelling together moored along the towpath. As we passed them the last boat decided to release his mooring lines and drifted across the canal forcing to run aground. We managed to clear the obstruction but he then jumped in between us and Chance who only a couple of boat lengths behind. Neither of us were happy and he reluctantly let them through so that we could continue on together.

When we reached Stourton Junction we waved our goodbyes to Chance as they turned and headed up towards Stourbridge their next port of call.

* Stourton Junction

We carried on through some lovely country side with the canal cutting its way through sandstone rock until we reached Hyde Lock where Geordie Jim was waiting with the lock ready for us to go straight in. He cycles to the locks and helps boats through for the fun of it. A really nice and friendly chap.

* Lovely Canal

* Front Gates of House in form of a Lock

* Geordie Jim - Lock Assistant

As we entered Kinver we could see St Peters church high up on the Edge.

We moored up and after lunch took a walk around the village which has a couple of supermarkets, a bakers and numerous tea and coffee shops to cater for the tourists.

* St Peters Church

* Kinver High Street

Later in the afternoon I took Phoenix a walk up Kinver Edge and had fantastic views over the Malvern and Cotswold Hills. We then walked down to the holy Austin Rock where there are series of house cut into the sandstone rock. At this moment Phoenix decided to chew threw her extending lead and it zipped back into the handle leaving me leadless. As we had a mile or more to walk back to the boat along narrow lanes without footpaths I was in a bit of a pickle. However ingenuity came to mind and I took off my trouser belt and used that as a lead and walked back through Kinver with the dog on the belt in my right hand and holding trouser up with my left. I don’t know what the villages thought!

* Malvern Hills from Kinver Edge

* Rock Cave Houses

* Musical Logs in the woods.

When I got back to the boat Doug and James were having tea with June on Autumn Myst. Apparently their journey to Stourbridge had not been as successful as hoped and they decide not to stay there and came on to Kinver. It was  lovely suprise for us as we thought that we would not see them again on our trip and Phoenix went mad when she saw Doug as she idolises him. Just hope Oscar does not get too jealous.

We had a quiet night in listening to the Church Bells being rung.

How to save £50k

Tuesday 18^th September

Set off with Nb Chance on our way to Swindon. Made good progress to Bratch Locks where we were able to go straight down as they are a unique group of three locks which appear to be a staircase but with gates between each lock. They actually have side ponds but they are not readily visible.

* Bracth Locks

Carried on to Wombourne Bridge where we moored up and visited Sainsbury’s supermarket adjacent to the bridge, very useful store.

* Chance waiting at Lock.

* Doug and June walking Phoenix between locks

At Marsh Lock one of the top paddles would not go fully down and it was a slow decent but fortunately we were both able to get through ok.

* Botterham Staircase Locks

* Canalside Cottage

* Doug Working the Locks

On route we spotted this Tree Boat which if it had been put to good use in Birmingham would have saved C & RT £50,000.

* Natural Tree Boat

Reached Swindon but there were no spaces at the official moorings so motored on towards the next lock and found a nice spot, later Nb Dolly Blue joined us.

We had afternoon tea and home made coffee cake aboard Autumn Myst while June showed Doug how to complete the crochet mooring pin covers which he was making  out of Supermarket Bags whilst Bob and James discussed boats.

After dinner we gather in Nb Chance for a great evening, their hospitality is second to non and we now realise why they have made so many friends on the cut.

Chance Meeting

Monday 17^th September

Later start to day motoring down to Autherley Junction where we filled up with water just before the Napton Hire Boat base. Bill & Jackie this is another option for the 4 counties ring.

* Napton Hire Boats

Whilst we were filling with water we spotted a large shoal of fish in the outflow from the Sewage works. Presumably this is because the water is crystal clear and well oxygenated.

* Fish in sewage outflow.

Went through the stop lock and turned right down the Staffs and Worcester Canal. Gave Doug and James a call on Nb Chance as we had arranged to meet them at Wightwick as they were coming from Coven. It turned out that they were ahead of us at the 2^nd lock.

We called in at Lime Kiln Chandlers for a pump out (£10) and a bottle of gas and I did my usual trick and let my foot drop in the water as I was opening the bow hatch, will I never learn.

Moored up behind Nb Chance and invited the boys for coffee and home made biscuits and chatted away about all sorts of things until lunch time.

After lunch we all went across the road to visit NT Wightwick Manor, the home of the Mander Paint empire.  Although the house was only built in the late 1800’s it was an intriguing place to visit and they even allowed us to take Phoenix into the house.

Well worth a visit if you are passing this way.

* Wightwick House

* Wightwick gardens

* The Nb Chance and Nb Autumn Myst teams

We returned to the boat about 5pm and later went across the road to the Mermaid Pub for a meal together. By the time we got back there were boats moored either side of us.

Heading Back

Sunday 16^th September

Made an early start as we had to travel to Norbury Junction to wind.

* Crew at helm

* Norbury Junction

As we neared the Junction spotted Yew Tew the Sandhills boat built just before ours and which we went to see launched. Had a quick word with David as we passed by.

* Yew Tew another Sandhills Boat

Motored on back through Gnosal and on to Wheaton Ashton where we passed Taylors garage the supplier of the cheapest fuel on the cut.

* Taylors Garage

June walked Phoenix up to the lock as I trickled through the moored boats, She ended up helping the boat in front through the locks and then showing two hire boats how to operate a lock as this was the first that both had encountered even though they were travelling in opposite directions.

The following stretch of canal travels through some lovely tree lined areas and in some parts you feel that you are going through a tree tunnel.

* Canal of Trees.

Moored up at bridge 7 and cleaned the roof of bird poo which the kind crows at Gnosal had deposited overnight.

Charlie Beere moored behind us and it is different to most boats in that the engine is in the bow and the drive is via hydraulics. Make sit very quiet at the stern.

* Charlie Beere

By the time we went to bed there were at least 5 boats moored outside the 48hr moorings including Yew Tew which was in a group of 6 boats from their maraina

Friday 14^th September

Took Phoenix her early morning walk and spotted three Kingfishers between bridges 9 and 10. a lovely sight and as usual no camera.

Left the mooring and motored the short distance up to Brewood where we stopped and walked into the village to go shopping at Coopers, Co-op and Spa.

Moored just in front of us was this lovely little Caraboat which we had been moored near to at Tixal Wide.

* Caraboat

Note for Bill and Jacky, we passed the Countrywide Cruiser base at Brewood whose boats also look quite nice and it makes a good starting point for the Four Counties Ring.

* Countrywide Cruiser

Carried on to Wheaton Aston where we were lucky enough to see a boat leave the mooring at Turners garage as we approached the bridge so nipped in to fill up with diesel at 75.9p \ ltr.

Followed two very slow boats all the way to Gnosal but with lovely scenery and bridges like this one it did not matter.

* Balustrade Bridge

As Carolann said that Graham could have a new boat if it was something totally different to the lovely boat they have now I thought that this hull would be the ideal candidate; so Graham get your skates on before it is snapped up.

* New Boat for C & G

All along the canal we were spotting herons wading in the canal, on the adjacent fields, or sitting on the moorings resting a leg.

* One Legged Heron

We also seem to be encountering a large number of boats with the name Phoenix, funny how we never noticed them before we had our Phoenix.

* Another in the Phoenix Fleet

Once we had moored up in Gnosal Heath and had lunch we decided to go and explore the village of Gnosal which is about 1 mile away. It is a nice little village and everybody seemed friendly and it has a Co-op, Post Office, Dentist and Café as well as a nice church. We spotted another guide dog pup up ahead but they were gone before we could get to them. As we wondered around the village a lady asked if we were lost and noticing Phoenix she said that she had a friend who was a puppy walker, it turned out that it was the one we had seen earlier. Apparently there is only one in the village and everybody knows her as it is a very dog friendly place. She told us we could take a nice walk back to the canal along the disused railway line which is well used by local dog walkers. You can in fact use it to cycle the 7 miles into Stafford.

We enjoyed the walk back and arrived just in time for tea and the home made cake June had made on our way here this morning.

Saturday 15^th September

Lovely bright sunny morning so walked Phoenix back into Gnosal along the railway to get the paper and some provisions. Arrived back in time to meet Chris and Lorraine, who had just arrived at their boat.

Put the provisions away and C & L joined us for morning coffee and home made biscuits. We spent the morning catching up with our boating experiences and then went off to the Boat for lunch. Had a good meal at a reasonable price (2 courses for £8.95).

After lunch we went back to C & L’s boat and spent the afternoon sitting on the grassy bank nattering away and enjoying the lovely sunshine until at 5pm when we returned to Autumn Myst.

June watched Strictly Come Dancing whilst I prepared the next 2 weeks of meals for phoenix.

As I was preparing the food in the open cratch this family of ducks came begging for food. They are so cheeky that they we almost standing up looking in the boat. Lorraine had told us that they had watched them grow up from tiny little chicks and they always brought food for them. Most unusual to have to white twins in the clutch.

* The Cheeky Sisters

Wednesday 12^th September

Left the mooring and had a good journey to Penkridge; the canal was quiet and we did not have to wait for any locks.

* Our Baby the Way to Travel

Passed Stafford Boat Club which looked very nice and had an excellent Painting Shed at the back.

* Stafford Boat Club

Travelled on to the lovely village of Acton Trussell  with its nice properties leading down to the canal. However its peace is shattered by the noise from the M6 which is just across the valley. The traffic noise was so loud we could not hear our engine above it. What a shame for the village.

* Acton Trussell

Passing under the M6 we had to travel through about 40 fishermen just at the time that June had decided to walk Phoenix along the towpath; it was like an obstacle course. We soon reached Park Gate Lock above which is Midland Chandlers as well as the Teddesley Boat Co.

* Park Gate Lock

As we reached Longford Lock a loady on a boat coming down told us about the Wednesday Market at Penkridge and said all you had to do was follow the crowds.

After lunch we set off to explore the village and visit the excellent Market. June saw many plants she wished she could have bought.

On the way back we bought a new collar for Phoenix as hers had almost worn through and called in the local Co-op for provisions and Jaspers bakers for fresh rolls and cake. It’s no wonder we are putting on weight!!!!

* Penkridge

When we got back to the boat we had a real heavy shower but were nice and cosy inside the boat thank goodness.

Thursday 13^th September

Boats were on the move early but we had a good passage to Gailey Lock passing a boat named after Phoenix.

* Risen Phoenix

The canal follows the contours and winds around the hillsides passing some lovely bridges and areas of canal.

* Typical Canal Bridge

Gailey Lock is overshadowed by the castellated Round House next to the Wharf above it.

* Gailey Lock

Once through the lock we stopped for water having to breast up with another boat as there were already two boats taking on water. We did not have to wait long however and whilst we took on water there seemed to be a host of Anglo Welsh and other hire boats pass us in both directions. There were a lot of Viking Afloat hire boats moored at the boat yard which made the passage out of Gailey very narrow and we had to wait for boats coming the other way.

We motored on along some very winding stretches of canal to Hatherton Junction which used to connect to the BCN, but is now disused.

* Hatherton Junction

* Boats Moored near the junction

We had initially planned to stop at Coven (Cross Green) but we had spoken to Chris and Lorrain last night and had agreed to make a detour up the Shroppie to have lunch with them at Gnosal on Saturday so decided to press on as the weather was good to the nice mooring at Bridge 7 on the Shroppie.

This meant that we had to negotiate the narrow cutting known as Pendeford Rockin. It is only wide enough for one boat and has a couple of passing places should you be unfortunate enough to meet a boat coming the other way. I certainly would not want to reverse any distance as it is very narrow and rocky.

* Pendeford Rockin

* Pendeford Rockin 2

Once we had moored up I took phoenix a walk up to bridge 11 and spotted a Kingfisher resting on a mooring pontoon. Why is it I never seem to have my camera with me when you have a good sighting!