Bad night, good day

We've made it to Stourport. There's always a feeling of achievement in getting to the end of a canal, especially when you've done the full length of it as we have with the Staffs and Worcs, but it's particularly so today as we've been operating on a distinct shortage of sleep, especially yours truly. This is because the calm serenity of the rural canal was shattered last night by a mixture of campanology from Wolverley church and what we think must have been a private party (wedding reception or the like) complete with live band at the pub.

Outside at the pub... In the car park by the towpath...

OK, so they finished before eleven but various characters still wandered about for some time, up until twelve, in fact. Earlier, we'd been charmed by the sight of young men using the towpath hedge as a urinal, in a couple of cases right alongside Sanity Again.

Sheila managed to get to sleep before it was all over but I stayed awake for quite some time and then came to again a bit before four in the morning, only dozing thereafter. The thing is, we had quite a bit to do today and wanted to get away by seven. As I say, we managed it, but readers will understand that, despite some catch up kip after lunch, I'm not at my brightest and best.

So we'll have lots of photos instead:

The beauty of the Staffs and Worcs

Approaching Cookley Tunnel

Cave type stable at Debdale Lock

Inside the stable: poor horse!

Wolverley Court House

Wolverley old village centre

 

Wolverley Church

Clock warehouse, Stourport Basin

The Tontine, former hotel, now apartments

River Severn

Lower narrow staircase into the basin