Mid Warks YC to Hockley Heath Wharf

We had to leave the wonderful hospitality of MWYC at 0900 in the morning. This was the arranged time even though it was raining we had to leave. We said a gratefuk goodbye and The Best Mate took the tiller with Suepercrew and navigated to Kingswood Junction

where I waited under an oak tree and met them with a bike. 

We moored up in the space vacated by 118 year old M .58 ft out and 57 foot in! We had a cup of tea. 

The sky brightened up and we decided to ascend Lapworth Locks.

The rain started again after the first lock, lock 21. A Bottom paddle is broken and has been since April. Apparently they have no stop planks and cannot drain the pound because of moorings. 

By lock 17 the sun broke through and we had the company of two CRT Vlockies, Roger and Judy.

They stayed with us until lock 6 where we stopped for lunch.

The rain had started again and we did not get going for quite a while after the meal on board.

In sunshine, The Best Mate and Suepercrew continued through the two lift bridges to a mooring at Hocley Heath. I cycled back to the car and drove to the Wharf to meet them.

8 miles,  19 locks, 2 lift bridges, 5.1/2 hours

BCN EXPLORING

26 June 2024 Refueling 

We had returned to the Quay to refuel Sonflower. I had 240 litres of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) delivered to the Quays and ALex heloed me to put 160litres into the tanks. 80 litres are stored in the boat for adding later.

This fuel is hailed as the greed future of diesel propulsion as the fuel comes form regeneratable sources such as olive and rapeseed oils.  There are no "nasty" additives and this is definitely not the first generation biofuel with its diesel bug problems.

2 July 2024 Heading South.

We have never been through the Netherton Tunnel before. After the excitement of the BCNS Explorer Cruise in company we were back on our own with Alex as the muscle in the crew.

We left Tividale Quays  heading east then turned north through the Brade Hall Staircase No 3 and 2 and Brade Hall Lock No 3. At the end of the Gower branch we turned west to Dudley Port Junction and turned south on the Netherton Branch. The tunnel was nothing to be feared and we came out into full sunlight to find an overnight mooring on the Bumble Hole visitor moorings. We did try to get neat to Griffin Bridge but the verge is not deepo enough toget a pin mire than six inches into the soil. We backed up to the moorings.

From here we had easy acces to walk the kilometer to the Old Swan Inn, known locally as "Ma Pardoes". Here we had good food and drink. The dinners were very good. I dined on a plate of faggoits and mash, a real treat.

We got a taxi back.

 4 miles 1 tunnel 3 hours/

3 July 2024

Dudley No  2 and Dudley No 1 Canals and Stourbridge Canal to Stourbridge.

We waited for the fine rain to stop before setting off down the Dudley No 2 Canal to Parkhead Junction. Here a very friendly Volunteer Lock Keeper told us the way to go and assisted us through the first of the Delph locks.  

We had to fill every lock on oour way down and were happy to arrive in Merry Hill Waterside for a well earned bacon and egg brunch. There are certainly plenty of moorings here. The guides tell us that it is also noisy until about midnight. 

We decided to go on and targeted Stourbridge, another six hours and 16 locks further on. We really enjoyed the trip. The Best Mate flagged a little after eight locks and went down for a rest but Alex and I carried on. We had the company of some school children who took "How do locks work leaflets" and were likably interested. We must find ways to interest the next generation. These kids were really intersted in the boat (40 years old: that's almost as old as my gran!), the locks and the history pointing out the date of construction on the lock keystenes: 1865.

We moored up on 7 day moorings and went to the Old Wharfe Inn for our evening meal.

11 miles, 25 locks,  9 hours

 

After a pleasant night I retrieved the car from Tividale Quays (2 buses, approx 1.1/2 hours) and we went home to vote.