On to Kidderminster

Continuing my first trip along the lower Staffs & Worcs canal today I made the 10 miles down to Kidderminster where I'll spend a couple of days exploring between the rain showers.  The day started a little overcast but cleared up before turning to light rain in the afternoon.  The canal passes by Stourton where the canal of the same name branches off to the left and heads up into Birmingham.

This section of the canal passes through mainly open countryside with the occasional village along the way.  The canal falls gently through 11 locks fairly evenly spaced through the journey.  At one lock I noticed the lock cottage garden gates were a miniature version of canal gates.  What a great idea - they looked brilliant.

There are several areas where the canal has been cut into the sandstone leading to a few blind corners and requiring care not to scrape the boat. It was a little claustrophobic at times.

A highlight of the trip for me was finding a lock with a cave in the cliffside.  The cave is almost the length of the lock and has a low bench cut into the rock at the base.

It's not clear why the cave was built nor for what use.

Kidderminster lock is set below a large church offering a photo opportunity, shame it was raining.