Black Country Ring (plus a bit):
Stafford to Autherley Junction
12 & 13 June 2009
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-12-091906.jpg)
Mary at the tiller as we continue to ascend the Staffs & Worcs Canal
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-12-091921.jpg)
Lucy waits for the lock to fill
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-12-111004.jpg)
Crossing underneath the M6 motorway
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-12-115112.jpg)
Twin bridges at Penkridge allow the boat and pedestrian/horse to
continue. This must have been very inconvenient for horse-drawn boats.
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-12-120925.jpg)
Above the lock, Lucy keeps an eye on things as we fill up with water
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-12-142504.jpg)
Lucy looks down into the lock, with Cannock Chase behind her
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-12-154145.jpg)
Alan at Gailey Lock, which raises us to the summit level.
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-12-154524.jpg)
The roundhouse has a good shop and an excellent bookshop.
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-12-154609.jpg)
Merry prepares to take us out of Gailey Lock
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-12-162927.jpg)
Mary at the tiller as we approach Hatherton Marina
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-12-164103.jpg)
Looking up the Hatherton Branch of the Staffs & Worcester, largely
derelict but with the first section in water for boat moorings
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-13-074305.jpg)
The Fox & Anchor is our destination tonight - good enough that we went
there twice, meeting up here beforehand on Saturday
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-13-082044.jpg)
Saturday morning sees Lucy at the tiller taking Victoria through
the rocky narrows
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-13-082130.jpg)
The canal was built narrow here because of the difficult band of rock
that had to be blasted to create a channel.
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-13-083914.jpg)
Alan, Stephen and Sheila as we approach journey's end
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-13-084106.jpg)
Autherley Junction where we must turn right. Another boat from our
boatyard is already waiting to use the lock that is immediately through
the bridge, so we have a little wait.
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-13-085517.jpg)
The last heron of the holiday sits on the junction signpost.
![](../../images/2009/2009-06/2009-06-13-085808.jpg)
Stephen steers Victoria around the junction into the stop-lock.
Total for a day and a short morning: 15 miles 6½ furlongs including 12
locks
And so it was over. The weather was definitely not up to the standard of
previous years, with only Friday being a t-shirt day and a lot of use
being made of waterproofs. Nevertheless, it was once again a very
enjoyable week. Where next?
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