River YoYo

Aka River Severn!   Whilst we were in Stourport the river was up and down, up and down ---- in the red, amber and green depending which hour you looked!!   So, in the end, we turned around and are now making our way back up the Staffs and Worcs Canal to turn right at Stewponey  ---- then 60 million locks up into Birmingham.


Stourport is a funny sort of place.   The High Street is a bit old-fashioned with a big Co-op and Tesco Metro at the end and then Lidl on other side of the canal.    Then down at the bottom end of the High Street are cafes, sweetie shops and fish ‘n’ chips as you get nearer to the River where the permanent funfair is next to the canal basins.    We have always really liked Stourport but talking to other boaters, some love it, some hate it.   I can understand why - it’s certainly different!


Talking to one single-handed boater who we helped up the 2 x 2-staircases in the basins -
He had left Worcester on the River that morning and what should normally take about 2.5 hours had taken him about 5.5 hrs going against the flood water coming down from Wales.     Before that he’d been on the River Avon at Tewkesbury tied to scaff poles and a tree and couldn’t get off his boat for 5 days unless he wanted to swim!


We are now back at Kinver waiting for the rain to stop and the sun to come out - seems like it’ll be a miracle if it does.    Arh well - last year we didn’t have a Summer, this year we aren’t having a Spring.   We are still having to have a fire in the evenings - madness in the middle of May.    As you’ll see from photo below - even Foxxie is still curled up in her bed with extra covers on.   Poor thing - she has been losing her winter coat like crazy these last couple of weeks and is obviously feeling the cold now!


Since last blog we have done … 10 miles and  9 locks
Total since Setting Off ….. 1748 miles and  1359 locks

Who told the Cuckoo that Spring is here?

Sitting on the boat on 5 day moorings just before the first Stourport Lock into the basins --- sitting indoors cos - oh yes - it’s raining.   Water level from the canal onto the River Severn was in the green yesterday but wonder what it will be tomorrow??!!    We (or rather the Captain of the Ship) decided not to go out onto the river with all this rain about,  but take the long way round to the Droitwich Canal.    I don’t much like rivers though cos the levels come up in no time and then it can be pretty scary.   Plus the fact that you can’t just moor where you fancy.


Had a good day last Saturday when Glyn and Linda came to tea and then up to one of the pubs in Kinver - The Plough and Harrow, a Bathams own pub where two pints was less than £5 ---- usually we have to pay at least £6+ for two pints !     Glyn and Linda also bought us some of their homegrown rhubarb so guess what was for pudding with Sunday dinner??    You got it - rhubarb crumble, to go with a superb leg of lamb I picked up in the Bullring meat market on my travels back from Nottingham late last week.


Heard the first cuckoo on Monday - mmmm, who told him that Spring was here?    


Foxxie went swimming in the canal just as I was about to open the sluices at Kidderminster Lock - thank goodness she fell in before I started on the paddles and not afterwards as she was right by the gate ---- and thank goodness she fell before the gate and not down into the lock!    Silly moo.


Since last blog we have done … 10 miles and  7 locks
Total since Setting Off ….. 1738 miles and  1350 locks  

going into Cookley Tunnel
Hope they not banging about too much
in the houses above!

At Debdale Lock.  
There is a "shelter" dug out of the sandstone by
this lock.    Some say it was a stable for the canal
horses (but how do they get down those steps and
over the balance beam?).   Others say it was a
shelter for the navvies when they were building
the canal.   I say its a den for magic making

Don't care much for the new footpath bridge
built over Debdale Lock

Filling the lock.   It has been rather noticeable
that all the locks since about The Bratch on the
Staffs and Worcs Canal going south are
leaking like crazy - they empty minutes
after you leave the lock going up

Another Sandstone Cutting on the Staffs and Worcs Canal.
I think it's a really pretty canal going down into Strouport
(if you forget about Kidderminster!)

Who's Supervising??

just love this name as you go into Stourport !

Lovely new canalside apartments in the Stourport Basins

But they obviously don't want to clutter it with boats
Just put the jetties in to complete the waterside setting

Turning off the River Severn onto the Staffs and Worcs
Canal at Stourport.    There are 2 sets of 2-staircase locks, then
one more single lock onto the canal from the Basins

One of the Stourport Basins.
There is only overnight mooring for 2 boats visiting
(well, we couldn't see anymore)

How many canal basins have a helter-skelter
and other funfair rides??

Glyn to the rescue

You’ve heard of Postman Pat ---- well, what about Coalman Glyn?    Last time we bought some coal we thought “plenty now to see us through”.    Oh no!!   We are down to one spare bag and nowhere to get some until next Tuesday and they’ve forecast overnight frosts for the weekend!    We are moored at Kinver and Dai’s brother is planning to visit us over the weekend so we’ve begged him to get a couple of bags of coal for us on his way.    Surely, oh surely, that will now last us until Spring decides to arrive?


Sorry blog is 2 days late ---- I travelled (via bus, 3 trains and a tram and then the same in reverse) back to Hucknall - my home town - on Tuesday and didn’t get back until last night.   No, the journey didn’t take that long, it’s so I could see my daughter who has returned from 6 months in Thailand !    It was SO good to see her and get big hugs in the flesh- Skype is good but its not flesh!!    Amy is planning to return to Thailand in September to carry on teaching English out there.    This time her boyfriend Andy is going with her who will also be teaching English.   At same time of course, it was lovely to see my mum, brother and his family who all live in Hucknall.


Since seeing our first ducklings last week, we haven’t seen any since.    Is anyone else noticing this - a real shortage this year ----- or maybe its just on the Staffs & Worcs canal.   Thinking of that, we haven’t seen hardly any kingfishers this year either although did spy one last week - see if you can also see it in the photo below!!     However, we do see loads of buzzards everywhere and the other day we saw the third type of woodpecker so have now clocked up all three in the last couple of months.


Here at Kinver the Vine pub by Kinver lock has been closed apparently since Christmas.   We have now heard 2 different tales of why it is closed ---- probably the truth is a third tale!    Surprised someone hasn’t picked it up quick as it must be a goldmine during the summer months - it has been packed every time we have passed by before.


Our plan is now to go down to Stourport in the hope that the river lock onto the Severn will be open ---- not looking that likely for a while yet as, although it hasn’t yet today, its rained either all day or off/on each day for the past week still.    If not, then we’ll just turn around and rethink the Plan!!


Since last blog we have done … 6 miles and  4 locks
Total since Setting Off ….. 1728 miles and  1343 locks  

Now all together "we are the Ovaltinees ....."

Rocky Lock - so named, we assumed, by the rocky steps
or --- because it is in a cutting through sandstone?
Probably both!

beauty, surprisingly not too deep
into the foliage for a change!

Red Paddle, Blue Paddle

No, we didn’t go up the Wolverhampton Flight - we are still on the Staffs & Worcester Canal making our way to Stourport.   We are now moored at Swinton having passed through  Compton, Wightwick and Wombourne.   Last Monday was like the “olden days”!   We only did about 2.5 miles but went through 8 locks!!   Including the 3 at The Bratch and the 2-lock staircase at Botterham.   


Stopped for a supplies replenish at the Sainsburys in Wombourne which is right by the canal so very handy.    There was a lock-keeper at The Bratch to help boaters as it could be quite daunting for first timers as you have to be careful about opening paddles although there is plenty of info how to work them with blue and red paintings on each set as there are side pounds in use here.  According to Nicholsons ---- with their octagonal toll office, attractive situation and unusual layout, these three locks are well known among students of canal engineering and architecture.   At first sight they appear curiously illogical, with an impossibly short pound between the bottom of one lock and the top gate of the next; but the secret of their operation is the side ponds hidden behind the towpath hedge, and the culverts that connect these to the intermediate pounds.”


Hurray - first ducklings sighted --- we must be the last boaters to find them as they were a good 3 weeks later than our first 2 years on Jandai !


It’s quite a nice mooring here - 3 pubs, little supermarket, bakery and a chippie.   We’ve been spoilt for this delicacy lately as we had a fish ‘n’ chip supper when moored at Compton last Thursday night.   Good width of towpath with a proper path although not had much opportunity to take advantage as, like everywhere else, we have had lots of April showers and a huge amount of the wet stuff today.


Since last blog we have done … 10 miles and  15 locks
Total since Setting Off ….. 1722 miles and  1339 locks  

unusual bridge at Awbridge Lock 

Awbridge Lock where BW have erected
temporary scaffolding as a safety barrier.
Noticed this on most locks coming down
Staff and Worcs from Autherley Junction.
Last year a youngster rode his bike over the
admittedly very very narrow bridge and fell into the canal.
BW were not blamed by the subsequent inquest but
have obviously felt it morally right to put up
the barriers.   We understand they will be putting up more
permanent barriers but they have to be
"in keeping" with the rest of the lock

Warning notice near The Bratch top lock moorings

The Bratch Top Lock ----
look at the sky!!   Moments before a hail storm!

Blue paddle

Red paddles

What a wonderful step structure at The Bratch Locks

Side pounds at The Bratch

The octagonal toll office at The Bratch Locks

Oh, where oh where are the peanuts?

------ someone/thing was obviously VERY hungry as they weren’t content with just a nibble at the peanuts, they took the holder too!   Left the fatballs behind - now how strange is that?    So the poor old birds where we are now only have fatballs until we reach a shop to replace the peanut holder.


Funny old weather this last week - sun, cloud, rain, drizzle, wind and hail storms ---- perhaps next week will see something better!


Much boatie chaos at Wheaton Aston ---- boats, boats, boats everywhere.    There are 4 water points by the services there and boat moored overnights at all of them and at two of them boats were double breasted.    And we thought it was naughty at Gnosall the week before!


First sighting of (no, not ducklings!) grass cutters on Monday.    Yes, the towpaths do have to be kept neat and tidy (ha ha) but I wish they wouldn’t turn up when it’s wet.   Clumps of cut grass inside the boat are such a nuisance !   And you have to brush the side of the boat after the cutting or else it just sticks there.   Last year we had one set of grass cutters who came afterwards and brushed down the boat!    Only happened the once though!


Today we are moored between bridges 5 and 6 about 3 miles from Brewood (pronounced Brood so we are told) in the middle of nowhere.   When we move again we will be off the Shropshire Union canal and probably turning right to go down to Stour port (although the Captain may well yet change his mind and we’ll go up the Wolverhampton Flight, who knows?).


Since last blog we have done … 6 miles and  1 locks
Total since Setting Off ….. 1712 miles and  1324 locks 

lots of fields of golden rape now

oh no, wet grass cuttings everywhere now

how many boats need water today?
Glad we didn't !
Boatie chaos at Wheaton Aston

Thunderbolts of lightening

…. As I sit here writing this!   And we think this is the first thunder/lightening storm that we have experienced on Jandai!   We’ll be ok though because a steel narrow boat acts as a Faraday Cage.   Foxxie isn’t bothered at all - she’s snoring in her bed!!


Not moved a lot since last blog - just up to Wheaton Aston where we were surprised to get a mooring between Turners Garage and the lock as there are soooo many boats about.


We had a nice meal at The Navigation at Gnosall - Dai surprised himself by polishing off all his 20oz meat pie followed by apple pie (no, I won’t ask “who ate all the pies”!!).  They still have Rev. James ale so Dai was in seventh heaven!  Pies and Rev James, oh my.


I did get an Easter Egg this year from Dai - a Thorntons one no less.    Only trouble was that for the first time since living on Jandai, I must have picked up some weird bug that put me off chocolate for a couple of days.   We even postponed our Easter Sunday dinner to Monday when the Gnosall butcher did us proud with a beef joint which was delicious.


Dai was hoping for a set to when we were at Gnosall.   There are 2 water points and every night we were there, boats were moored blocking access.   OK, if there is nowhere else and you get there as daylight is fading fast and are off again in the morning by say 8am, then nobody really complains too much.   These were there well before sunset and not off the next day until at least 10 or 11 am.   Anyway, came the time for us to leave and we needed water, it was about 9.30.    It was a hireboat.   I asked them if the hire company had told them not to moor at water points ---- “no” was the answer (not totally unexpected); “but I know now”.   They then proceeded to water up so we had to wait because the second water point was out of order I discovered when I tried to open it!   In the end, no harsh words were exchanged, we just had to be patient which isn’t a problem to us as we aren’t on any timetable!



Inbetween the rain showers this weekend, we did manage to plant out some pansies - at least they got well watered in!   I have 3 containers on the roof and hope they do as well as they did last year.


Since last blog we have done … 16 miles and  12 locks
Total since Setting Off ….. 1698 miles and  1323 locks


At Wheaton Aston we are moored almost opposite the winding hole you can see in the old photo below.   There are some permanent moorings opposite which have obviously appeared since 1952! 

Wheaton Aston 1952: both pix taken from http://www.francisfrith.com/wheaton-aston/

When you look at the Francis Frith site, you are invited to comment on the photos and two comments by the canal picture say:

I Have a picture of my grandfather, Harry Evans, who managed the warehouse building in the background which was known as the coal wharf. He is unloading coal with the father of the schoolteacher, Sue Brereton. He initially lived with his uncle at the pub whose family name was Bowdler after he was orphaned when he was 9/10 years old (they died of TB). His parents came from Albrighton. In those days the Bowdlers also owned the garage. Eventually with my grandmother they bought Mileford Cottage on Wenlocks Bank and she (Gladys) lived there until the mid 1970s. 
       During the school holidays the canal and it's towpath became a playground for many of the village children. Several of us caught the fishing bug and used the canal many times throughout the holiday. We always looked out for a barge called the MENDIP. The bargee was a gentleman called Charlie Atkins. His route was from the CADBURY factory at Knighton to Bournville in Birmingham. This was the origin of his nickname (Chocolate Charlie). We always asked him for a bit of chocolate but it was the raw chocolate crumb before it had been milled and was all but uneatable. If he was in a good mood we were alowed a ride up the canal for about 2 bridges then it was Get off home to your mother. Can you see that happening today?

Happy Easter

What a mix of the elements this last week and now we are plunged back into “winter” with sleet, snow, frosts and gale force winds !  Good job we have plenty of coal and wood.

We have ‘done’ Market Drayton, Goldstone Wharf, Norbury and today are moored at Gnosall.    This stretch of canal is, for us, a blackspot for both internet and phone - hence the late posting of blog this week.   We have a 3 dongle which is brilliant 95% of the time and Vodaphone phones which is brilliant about 90% of the time - it just seems to be this stretch of water although here at Gnosall, internet access is back on.

Must say that we don’t like staying in Market Drayton - it seems to be such a sad place, rundown and it is the only place we have ever had any trouble.   Once we were moored here and were untied in the early hours of the morning. Well, almost because Foxxie suddenly went loopy about 3 in the morning and obviously woke us up.   Dai looked out of the window straight into the face of a young scrout who had untied the front rope and then proceeded to jump on the back to untie that rope.   Dai let Foxxie out and this waster legged it down the towpath at a great rate of knots!    This time we were there, Dai had his fishing rod pinched off the roof.   Ok, he really shouldn’t have left it there but it had been so for about a year.   Luckily it was a really cheap one he had bought - his ‘proper’ ones are safely stored indoors.   The canal is about 15 mins walk from the town with a big Morrisons supermarket about another 10 minutes away.   There is now an Asda but it is very small and not good enough for a Big Shop.    They have re-done the indoor market but, to be honest, it looks good but is now half empty (must be that they have upped the rent since revamping).  Talking to other boaters about Market Drayton, most seem to tie up for shopping and then go.    

We are noticing now a real upsurge in boat movement which, we predict, will only get more so on the canals north of about Birmingham due to the water shortages anywhere further south and then too is the Olympics this summer so a lot of boaters will be clogging up the canals we prefer!   Ah well, such is life - will have to cruise early and look for a mooring earlier before all the hire boaters want to stop!   Seriously, we do think there could well be a bit of the old argey-bargey this summer with more boats on fewer canals, more queues at locks and hire boaters struggling to find moorings in the more popular spots.    I am already counselling Dai to keep calm, breathe and keep his mouth clamped!!

No ducklings spotted yet - in our first year of cruising it was April 2 and last year April 4.  We did however have first sighting of a blackbird on our hanging fatball feeder yesterday!  It’s different types of tits 99% of the time.

Have a lovely Easter everyone and let’s hope the sun shines!

Since last blog we have done … 16 miles and  12 locks

Total since Setting Off ….. 1698 miles and  1323 locks  

owners of this boat don't have any
problems keeping indoor plants alive!