Debdale lock to Stourport-on-Severn and beyond

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Debdale lock is hewn out of solid sandstone and also is the site of a large cave with a door-shaped entrance, previously used to rest canal horses ?

The Staff and Worcs from here to Kidderminster is predominantly rocky with each lock having unusual by-passes.

Near Stourton Junction is Stewpony Lock ( ? ) I did not research the origin of the name but merely left it to your imagination.

At Cookley there is a solid rock 65 yard tunnel with terraced houses atop and then we moored for supplies from Sainsbury's in Kidderminster, a town boasting a pleasant mix of old and new warehouses, now home to several household name stores such as M & S, Next, Debenhams, Tesco etc. Having quietly admired the town design we then noticed the town centre locks were all fitted with ant-vandal locks or "water conservation keys", which says a lot. Luckily we had purchased one yesterday from a CRT volunteer.

Next stop Stourport on Severn where a series of  4 staircase locks led us to the River Severn , a seemingly endless expanse of water. It is fair to say the Stourport basins increased Lynne' tension levels but a very friendly and understanding CRT volunteer  was on- hand with excellent advice and expertise throughout our adventure.

For some unknown reason Lynne chose to ignore his advice to moor on a pontoon near the locks exit and we trundled past Stourport marina to Lincomb lock. Following advice from the lock keeper we headed for mooring next to the Hampstall Inn, site of the Hampstall ferry disaster in 1919, when nine people drowned as the ferry was swamped by the waves of a passing steamer.

Minutes after mooring we suffered a very heavy and prolonged shower, an unfitting end to a warm and sunny day.

Caves alongside River Trent allegedly used by bandits in the time of Oliver Cromwell.

I will publish this blog sometime tomorrow as we currently have no internet, TV or phone connections.