Apart from the noise of the work being done refurbishing Sainsburys all was quiet last night, in fact I don't think anyone went up the towpath after 1900 so we survived our night in Kidderminster with nothing but the Canada geese
to disturb us, 'orrible things, the towpath is thick with their droppings, yeuch.
But this morning, after a fine kipper for breakfast, we dropped down the lock and into the tunnel under the road, this has always been a dark and dreary spot but now they have brightened it with a new mural.
It seems to consist of several pictures of Barak Obama, at least it's better than the old grey concrete.
Caldwall Lock has an impressive rock overhang at the top and at the bottom the amount of rubbish our prop. picked up was equally impressive, a sock, a length of boot lace, a pair of swimming trunks and a length of fishing line with a leger weight still on it, well that'll come in handy. Also the compulsory plastic carrier. Five minute down the weed hatch and that was sorted but my nice clean shirt was looking a bit scruffy, oh dear.
A bit further down we passed the site of Pratt's wharf
where there used to be a lock down into the Stour,
the boats worked down the Stour to the Wilden Ironworks, now just a distant memory.
At Stourport the old gasworks basin, recently re-dug as part of a housing development looks splendid, but sadly underused.
The Tontine has really been smartened up but of course it is no longer an hotel
but a development of "Exclusive town houses and apartments". It still overlooks the river and the old barge locks.
Of course the one thing that changes little
is the fun fair, welcome to Southend on Severn.
Watch this space..............
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