Top of Astwood Locks to The Queen's Head pub, Stoke Pound (Worcester & Birmingham Canal)

Beautiful night sky at Astwood

Into the lock they go

Sunny morning on the canal

After a couple of days at Astwood chilling out and doing some really nice walks we are on the move today and the sun was shining.  We set off along the canal and stopped at the water point to fill up.  We then carried on along the canal and soon came to our first lock for today, we have six to do, the Stoke flight of locks. 

Smugs in charge again!

The lock was empty so I went and opened the gates and Kev and Smugs brought the boat in.  We were soon at the top and on our way again. The next five are quite close together so when we got to the next one, Smugs and I got out and he stayed with me up the flight.

Luckily today all of them were set for us, so it didn’t take that long to do the flight although there was a lot of water coming down and running over the lock gates in places.  We only met a couple of boats, the canal is very quiet now after the Easter rush.

Working up the flight

We came out the last lock, went under the bridge and moored up opposite The Queen’s Head pub at Stoke pound, it is at the bottom of the Tardebigge locks which is 30 locks but we are saving those for another day!

Not many more to go thank goodness!

Nearly at the top

Coming back from our walk

We had lunch then went out for a walk.  We walked back to the last lock as there was a cache there but no luck finding it today. We then walked down the lane to find another cache and we were lucky with that one.  We walked across a field but then turned back as there was young cows in the next field where the path went and they all came to the fence they were interested in Smuggler so we went back the way we came and then took a footpath to take us to the canal.  Unfortunately the stiles were not at all dog friendly and the first one Smugs managed to jump over with a bit of help from us, the next one he squeezed through the bars but the last one which took us to the canal was really high so Kev and I lifted him over with a bit of help from him, mind you it was like lifting a small horse or donkey!  We then walked down about five locks back to the boat.

We then just chilled out and Smugs was soon fast asleep outside at first but then made it to the chair where he stayed until his tea was ready!

We are now staying here for a couple of days then Tardebigge beckons!

Moored at The Queen's Head