Busy doing a few things

I can't believe it has been over two weeks since I wrote anything. We haven't done anything exciting, just a few bits and pieces.

We travelled through the Netherton Tunnel on Saturday 17th and moored opposite the old wharf at Windmill End on the Dudley No 1 canal. We had considered going through Gosty Hill tunnel to Hawne Basin but it is so low it would have meant taking everything off the roof which we weren't in the mood to do.

We stayed at Windmill End until Tuesday and spent our time collecting blackberries and apples, we now have a gallon of each wine brewing. On Tuesday we travelled to Merry Hill for a shopping stop and overnight stay. Too much of a concrete jungle for my liking, I was glad to move on.

On Wednesday we moved on to The Fens Branch, a short length of largely unexplored canal that is only navigable as far as the Stourbridge Extension Canal which is a mere 300 yards long where we spent a couple of nights. After that we made our way down through the Stourbridge Sixteen and along the Stourbridge Arm to the town. This had brought us to the start of the bank holiday weekend and with a bead fair at the Bonded Wharehouse on the Sunday we weren't going anywhere for a couple of days.

The weather on Bank Holiday Monday was so good we succumbed to the temptation to move.There was very little other boat traffic on the Stourbridge Canal but once we were on the Staffs & Worcester we encountered traffic and queues at the locks but we managed to reach Wolverley. We took a stroll and went to meet Tracey and Ray on board their floating cafe, Tea Junction. We have been Facebook friends for a while but it is the first time we have actually met.

Last week I was really suffering hayfever type symptoms, I'm a little better now but it has slowed us down and caused a change of plans. We travelled down to Stourport but rather than heading onto the River Severn we have turned round and are heading back to Birmingham the same way as we came. We are moored at a little spot that was totally overgrown when we reached it on the way down but Ray took a scythe to the undergrowth and it is now a nice mooring spot  It has the added bonus of the remains of a tree that fell across the canal, some of which is now cut up and on our roof ready for the winter.


Over the past couple of weeks we have travelled  28.1 miles, 41 locks and 3 tunnels

This year we have travelled 393.6 miles, 381 locks, 7 swing bridges, 15 lift bridges and 16 tunnels

In 2012 we travelled 876.9 miles, 675 locks,  55 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 31 tunnels

In 2011 we travelled 461.4 miles, 444 locks, 3 swing bridges, 34 lift bridges and 15 tunnels

During 2010 we travelled 740.3 miles, 642 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 25 tunnels

Since Ray retired we have travelled 2472.2miles, 2142 locks, 118 swing bridges, 76 lift bridges and 87 tunnels