NB CATNAP: Day 20 - 28 Wolverley to Stourport

Thursday 18 July moored at Wolverley and not cruising today as both of us have dental appointments in Beeston. That means spending most of the day travelling by train and taxi. It's hard to believe how long it takes to travel relatively short distances on public transport in the midlands!

The first leg of our journey took us by taxi to Kidderminster Station and a nice surprise. We walked into the 'station' only to find ourselves transported back in time. We had, in fact, entered the Severn Valley Heritage Railway station. We left promising to come back for a trip and headed to the far less interesting modern one.

Ticket office and waiting room

Every detail of the station meticulously created

Friday 19 July and still moored at Wolverley, weather grey and drizzly. Today we're making a reconnaisance trip to explore Stourport before cruising there tomorrow. First impressions are of an interesting and historic place, a mixture of seaside town and inland port.

In the 1700s Stourport was built by James Brindley, as the 'port' at the southern end of the Staffs & Worcs canal where it joins the river Severn. The layout hasn't changed much in 250 years.

The route from the canal (top of picture) to the exit onto the Severn via the narrow locks is somewhat tortuous, involving two sharp turns to the first of four staircase locks. However, the last pair of locks isn't in line with the first pair, so for a boat our length, some gymnastics are necessary.

View into upper basin from the final lock on the Staffs & Worcs canal

Now apartments, this was once a swanky hotel for the owners and shareholders of the canal companies

Former warehouse with clocktower and bell which rings every hour, but 10 minutes early!

Inspecting the narrow locks

Pretty cottages overlooking the basin

View up river, pontoons on the Severn, just outside the locks

Saturday 20 July and we set off for Stourport via Kidderminster, intending to moor just north of Stourport before starting south on the Severn the following Friday. A convenient spot was found near the Bird in Hand pub while Jan went on a training course.

Friday 26 July and setting off again in cooler conditions after the heatwave.

First lock of the day

Historic working boat Phoebe, with painting of bottle kilns instead of the usual castle

Upturned tiller was a feature allowing easy access to the cabin

Coming into Kidderminster

Catnap with Kidderminster cathedral backdrop

Descending the lock

The narrow lock exit, under a major road, required a bit of shuffling with oncoming boats to fit through

In the 18th and 19th centuries Kidderminster was the main manufacturer of carpets in the UK

Entering the lock at Falling Sands

The lock cottage, now demolished, was the home of the Godson family - an evocative account of life there was written by David Godson who grew up there in the 1940s and 50s