Some Days do not Improve

Monday morning saw us leaving Norbury junction at sparrow fart, as we had a long way to go an early start was essential. The canal for the main part was very quiet the weather was fair but a strong wind meant extra caution was required on this very narrow and bendy canal . We progressed through the day and only got hit by one very heavy show and of course that was when Noreen was preparing a lock. Battling though heavy wind seems to have become the norm on this trip every time I came to a bridge or a lock you could guarantee the wind was either starboard or port side on never to the stern or forward I suppose thats the way it goes. Monday afternoon we arrived at Aurtherly junction thats were the Shropshire canal meets the Trent and Mersey , we did not want to proceed any further though I was not keen on the security of the mooring however Noreen had a word with two passing community police ladies who said we would be safe and we were. Tues we set off again at sparrow fart heading now south on the Staffs and Worcester Canal from here its all new territory as we have never been down here before, to our surprise its a very nice canal granted the first part is through the outskirts of Wolverhampton but it soon leaves the industry behind and chugs along very calmly and sedately through some very interesting countryside the route now is down hill so all the locks are down which makes it easier for me. The locks are spaced out meaning you are doing one every 20 min or so we prefer the locks in flights were you do 20 in one go then its over with, anyway we trudged on through to a place called Greenforge were we found a very nice mooring alongside a retirement village , this morning Weds again we were on the move by 7.30 and intending to make Kidderminster but we only got as far as a place called Kinver. Were again we found a nice mooring one reason for the enforced stop was I am knackered and this morning I went to jump from the back and missed the bank which meant the level of the canal rose a few feet with the introduction of Big Al. On entering the canal I managed a beautiful back flip co-ordinated with a swallow dive which in a world Olympics would have gained at least a seven. Whilst performing these new feats of diving prowess I lost the stern line which was the only way of retrieving the boat, So like a little dog chasing a stick I had to swim and retrieve the line. Not wanting to make a fuss I started to call Noreen (the way little boys do who know they have done wrong, )who by this time was 100 yards away attending to the lock when she eventually turned around she said she couldn’t see me only two men looking into the canal at the back of our boat. Anyway a kind gentleman oiked me out and somehow after swimming to retrieve the boat going under a few times, when I eventually appeared on the bank I was still wearing my flat cap which Noreen considered very funny. So a quick shower change of clothes and off again by lunch I thought I had had enough for one day . I had read that the village of Kinver was a very nice medieval village so we decided to take the afternoon off and do some exploring, in the guild book it says that there are some Rock Houses (houses built into the rock so suitably attired we set off to find them, we were given some instructions on how to find them by two ladies in a 4x4, I should have realised when they drove off laughing that we were in for it. We duly followed the rout that we had been given and true there were signs for the Rock Houses, We had been instructed that at the junction we were turn left and head up Camber Road (remember that name ) But after two hours walking up hills of 1 in 6 crossing a heath where we saw wild deer, 5 cwt of Rabbit droppings and a fantastic few of the Worcester country side, we had had enough . We followed the noise of screaming kids and found a party of school kids their teacher or leader whatever, said we were on the right track and in fact they were just below us Off we set again this time down hill it wasn’t long before we found the eighth wonder of the world guess what its Wednesday and SHUT. Two other disappointed people were there too who had taken the easy way and less environmentally friendly way and come by car I enquired the quickest way back to town he said “oh thats easy he said that road 100 yards below us is Camber Road just turn left its five minutes from there“, OH no shit I said . Anyway on passing through the village again we spied a Indian Restaurant that was advertising a Wednesday special Buffet dinner, we have just returned from there and a lovely meal it was too, I am now retiring to my bed.




Good night God Bless



I’m Knackered

The Rock Houses