Towards the Severn - Tixall to Stourport

Leaving Tixall 'Wides' after a couple of days lazing about in fantastic sunshine in that idyllic spot we decided to get a few miles under our belt and move along the Staffordshire and Worcester canal towards the midlands with the summer turning into a real heatwave -
or........ 'Phew , what a scorcher!' as the papers would say..............

'Phew, what a scorcher'...moving towards the Midlands from Tixall Wides on the Staffordshire and Worcester canal.

A Heron enjoys a bit of fishing on Tixall Wides.

Heading towards Autherley junction with the Trent and Mersey canal we continued on the Staff and Worcester canal passing the Aldersley  junction which leads down towards the Wolverhampton '21' flight of locks.  We were so glad we did not have to take this notoriously difficult route as a lock wall had collapsed, closing the whole flight to navigation. We negotiated this flight of 21 locks a few years ago in an afternoon of hard work not made any easier by lager swilling 'Scallys' throwing empty cans into the locks - certainly not a place I remember with great affection.

No problems on this occasion as we breezed passed en-route to Compton in glorious afternoon sunshine.

Essential summer headgear in the hot July sunshine. Staffs and Worcester canal.

Compton is described in Nicholson's canal guide as 'uninteresting' - an accurate description in many ways but it is a very useful place for the canal user.  This small place has everything the boater/walker/cyclist could need to sustain their travels. Two pubs are a few minutes walk from the canal together with a laundrette, two small supermarkets, a chip-shop, Chinese take-away, Pharmacy.
In addition the boater can obtain fuel, pump-out and chandlery from this 'uninteresting' but very useful place- if you ever think of passing in a boat  - Don't !!!!

'Bratch' locks - a flight of three manned by a lock-keeper who appreciates all the help he can get.

 Bratch locks are a flight of three that are often described as a 'staircase' but are separated by a miniscule 'pound' and fed by side ponds........care needs to taken so read the instructions given by the signage and the nice hard-working Mr lock-keeper.

Bratch locks. Staffs and Worcester canal

Debdale lock on the approach to Kidderminster

Approaching the centre of Kidderminster. 'San Serriffe' against a background of St Mary's church.

Kidderminster proved another invaluable place to stop with a Sainsbury's and Tesco superstores all canal side with plenty of moorings....... oh,yes we certainly know how to live........what can be better than trolling around supermarkets on a nice sunny day.


Oh, well, I suppose you have to eat ( and drink)  :)

Leaving the delights of Tesco supermarket a few pounds lighter in the wallet we moved towards Stourport - entrance to the River Severn.  We had been advised by a local boater to more before Stourport basin as there are only a few visitor mooring actually in the basin.  We found a mooring next to a pub called the 'Bird in Hand' and as they say a 'Bird in Hand is worth two in the bush' so we decided to moor just within a few feet of the pub...........

Treating ourselves to a 'day-off' being Sunday we took advantage of the fantastic weather to do a little washing which dried before our very eyes in the scorching sunshine......wow.......this is a perfect summer that we have not seen for the last few years.

A few 'summer' pics people enjoying the canals........

Straw hats......a visual image of a perfect summer on the canals

Heading for a pub lunch....a walking group near Stourport.

Keeping cool on the Staffordshire and Worcester canal near Stourport.

Leaving the 'Bird in Hand' we continued towards Stourport Basin locking-down the pair of staircase locks into the River Severn from the former glory of this once busy basin - once alive with commercial traffic and now just as busy with recreational boats of all sizes.

Morning sunshine for the customers of this tea-room' adjacent to the entrance lock of Stourport Basin

'Bresting-up' to wait for the busy water-point in Stourport basin

Stourport Basin.

All the fun of the fair......locking down into the River Severn.

Continued in the next post....... 'Sizzling Severn'.   

  There is a glitch with the Google software and  sometimes the 'Comments' box at the end of the post will not appear. If you would like to leave any comments just click on 'no comments' and the box will appear like magic....simples!!!!!      :)                      just scroll down.