Fens Branch

Today's Canals - Staffs & Worcester, Stourbridge, Fens Branch and Stourbridge Extension

Weather still much the same although the showers were a bit more frequent and definitely heavier. On the other hand, the sunny spells were very pleasant and much warmer.

We did not have a specially challenging target today so did not aim to be away early. Mike walked to Church Hill. We had seen the church on the hill yesterday but the climb was a tad more effort than intended! Along the way could be seen a number of large houses - the central part of the village seems to have been quite a wealthy area at one time.

The church alas was not open but at least there is a great view over Kinver and into the distance.

Second mistake: Mike then saw that the road passing the church gate seemed to go downhill steeply so he thought that this might be a quicker way back down. After a while it looked as if he was almost back down until the road took an upward curve once more! In fact it was it was at least twice as far, going right around the edge of the new housing!

Back on the High Street a small Co-Op and Spar shops provided most of what was on the list and the independent bakery offered freshly baked products. As well as a loaf for lunch, croissants for a late breakfast and eccles cakes for a very late tea break were considered a hit.

The three remaining locks to Stourton Junction all had short queues - seems as if people have suddenly remembered the canals for the bank holiday weekend as we saw more than any other time this year. Above the first lock we made a brief stop at the sani station.

At Stewponey Lock we were surprised to see this variation on fitting handrails to the footbridges. No matter that it is not on the side that you might fall over, no matter that the wall provided a perfectly satisfactory handhold, no it was deemed necessary to add to the bridge a further hand rail.

As well as having a toll house and maintenance yard, this lock also had what looks like a warehouse. It has long been converted into dwellings. At one time it was two separate places but, so a local boater informed us, has been converted to a single house by the current owner.

At Stourton Junction we turned right on to the Stourbridge Canal, slightly surprised that there was boat ahead of us going up. Most traffic was going straight on.

The house alongside these four locks all have elegantly manicured gardens. As we moored above the top lock for lunch the sky, as the photo shows, was bright blue but a few minutes later a heavy shower arrived. Much of the afternoon was like this.

The short section to Wordsley Junction, where a branch heads right into Stourbridge itself, is quite rural although the fring of the town occasionally pokes its head over the hilltop just one field away.

So here we were at the bottom of the Sixteen. The locks are fairly close together with huge ponds to even out the water level as boats pass through. We were joined by John, a local gentleman who spends his time, as he has for the past six years, helping boats through the locks. We met him last time through here but only as we were completing the flight.

Several of the locks in the flight look as if they will soon need some intensive care and attention but one of the balance beams on the bottom gates of lock 13 really does seem not long for this world!

Dadford's Shed is now a boat building and repair yard - a boater we spoke to earlier said that he was coming here for re-painting in the new year - surprised that the boat nearest the canal is from the Manchester Ship Canal Company.

In the middle of the flight two locks are very close together, but not quite a staircase. In order to feed water into the lower lock there is a side pond hidden behind the lock cottage and the only indication of it is a culvert between the locks where water flows in or out as needed.

Shortly after this a very heavy shower arrived - including hail. It is surprisingly difficult to take a photo that proves the hail whilst operating a lock in very heavy rain! (The blurry bit in the middle is a drop of rain on the camera lens!)

At Lock 7 the top ground paddle was not working so we had to come up using the gate paddle only. Important to keep the boat well away from the strong water flows.

Top Lock - just two hours and ten minutes to complete the flight - and we thanked John and bade him farewell.

Limit of navigation on Fens Branch

Normally we would have turned right at the junction just above the lock but it was now time to find an overnight mooring and we wer4e not confident that the section ahead would be easy. Nicholsons indicated that there might be mooring on the Stourbridge Extension Canal, off the Fens Branch and, since we have not ventured up thee before, we opted to take a look. The Extension canal is not very much abbreviated, only around 300m remain but it is isolated and very quiet. We easily found a mooring spot.

Visitor Moorings

Later we discovered that the bank opposite was fitted out by BW in 2004 as semi secure moorings but they are now rather overgrown and less than obvious at a casual glance.



Current end of Stourbridge Extension Canal

Another small cruiser did arrive for a short while - they had tried to continue up the Fens Branch beyond the limit of navigation (which is not signposted) and rapidly became entangled in weeds which they then needed to clear.

5.6 miles - 23 locks