 |
| Falling Sands Lock |
 |
| looking back at Falling Sands |
It was warm rather than hot when we set off but Lottie was
still determined to have her cooling morning dip. At Falling Sands Lock, our first obstacle of the day she made her way into the brook that ran next to the canal. However as she came out she slipped and slithered down the bank into thick mud.
 |
| Brand new bridge under construction |
 |
| Steam above |
When she came back wagging her tail she didn’t understand why we wouldn’t let her back onto the boat. As there were no boats around we left our boat in the lock and gave her a bath. The mud was thick and gluey but we got the worst of it off before moving off.
 |
| lock below the sandstone cliff. |
 |
| hand plough |
We passed beneath the viaduct as a steam train crossed it, the
Captain snatched his camera up to capture it. The steam delight caused him to
wax lyrical about the merits of that particular steam engine. After that an old hand plough caught his eye. as a camera man he liked its curves.
 |
| Kidderminster Church |
 |
| What rain? I asked |
Two locks further on, by Kidderminster Church, the weather reverted to the English norm with a sudden heavy shower. I was protected in the tunnel under the road waiting for the boat ahead to ascend but the Captain and Lottie were up working the lock. By the time I drove the boat into the lock the rain had stopped as abruptly as it began.
 |
| time to shop |
 |
| leaving Kidderminster |
We moored at the supermarket. Another heavy shower occurred while the Captain got our provisions but it stopped before he left the shop, and the weather got brighter and warmer as the day went on. As we neared Wolverley we met more boats than we had done for days.
Lottie met a young black lurcher and played with it while I worked Wolverley Court lock. We moored just before Wolverley bridge as the visitor moorings were full.
 |
| new waterside houses |
 |
| spot the boats |
After a three hour lunch break the Captain decided to cruise on another couple of miles. It was peaceful apart from working Wolverley Lock. The pub on one side was bustling with customers in its lock side garden and the cafe on the other side was also busy. Lottie had to be kept on a short lead as she wanted to investigate the local cuisine. The gongoozlers also included a herd of cyclists and a bunch of motorbike enthusiasts.
 |
| carved birds |
 |
| following a boat to the last lock of the da |
Nobody admired her which I think dented her pride, of perhaps her hang dog expression was due to being unable to scavenge under the picnic tables. You would think we never fed her from her “I’m starving,” look.
After tackling the second shortest tunnel at only 65 yards we eventually moored at a quiet spot not far from Sleepy Mill. The only thing we saw moving all evening was a lonely cyclist.
 |
| the car park at the busy cafe |
No comments:
Post a Comment