Still Ahead of Schedule - Monday 22nd April 2019

To after B34 on the S&W - 5 day moorings
5.2 miles, 4 locks, 1 tunnel, 1 aqueduct

Well who would have believed it - 4 good Bank Holiday days on the trot!  Last night's mooring was a real gem.  So peaceful and the lambs made for excellent entertainment.

Monty and I walked to the first lock this morning

The Staffs and Worcs Canal is very pretty and considering it is Easter is has not been that busy

 First stop was Kinver where this heron was waiting to greet us

We moored up and plodded up the hill  to get the paper and also in the vain hope that the butcher might be open - he wasn't.  I don't think I would bother to make the walk up just for a weekday paper on a hot day in the future.

At Kinver lock this canoeist had quite a job to haul his craft round the lock - he did have a trolley, but it still required quite a lot of lifting.

The Vine is up for sale and was definitely shut.

We passed Perseus as we were leaving - I am sure we have seen her before - she certainly is a work of art and in tip top condition,

 

The lock cottage at Hyde lock has

Very appropriate front gates

A welcome sight as we were almost up Hyde lock

we approved of the name!

Then through the very short (25yds) Dunsley Tunnel

to our only queue of the day.  I guess that only being in a two boat lock queue at two locks over the Easter weekend we did pretty well.

Three years ago Monty refused to go over these bridges - he was tentative, but he did do it today!  Notice how close he is to the wall.

Although traffic was light you can guarantee there is always a boat coming through a bridge when there are many moored boats to avoid

On over an aqueduct over the River Stour

 There are two sets of 5 day moorings along this very pretty stretch of canal.  We had planned on stopping at the first, but there was only space for one and that had a fisherman slap bang in the middle.  We decided to move on and I have to say he did us a favour as this is much nicer.

Just us and very little footfall and bikes

and a pretty good view from the sidehatch

No lambs to watch - just one little squirrel.

To round off a fantastic Easter weekend we had our first barbecue of the season.  It is not a bad life!