Two canals, two sunken boats - and a dog

This is one of my favourite walks. two canals, and a nature reserve.

Park at the canal by the Stewpony Locks ( (DY7 6RL), and walk up the hill. Opposite Greensforge Lane, turn left down the path to Chance Wood Nature reserve

The woods are currently full of snowdrops - soon there will be bluebells

The path is very clear

Turning left at the end of the path, to the bridge over the River Stour

Then this, the site of the old Kinver to Stourbridge light railway track. The first tramway in Britain.

I turned away from beautiful Hyde Lock, on the Staffs and Worcs Canal

...and followed the towpath back towards my car

Dunsley Tunnel. Very short, but definitely a tunnel: it's carved from this sandstone

This is such a sad site - a sunken boat

It's been like that for about a month

Stewpony Lock

Carrying on to Stourton Bridge

I walked up the Stourton flight - the most beautiful in the country (in my opinion)

The weather got cloudier as I walked along the Stourbridge Canal, and up ahead was the other sunken boat. which has been slowly rotting for years

At Prestwood Bridge, I turned off along this unmade road

Crossing the A449 and straight over to the path through Prestwood House's grounds (it was once a TB hospital and is now a care home)

The path crosses the River Stour again

Some lovely crocuses in the grounds - admired by Poppy the dog who is stopping with me for a month while her owners are in New Zealand

Next, along a stony bridle path

...past some sheep

...and on to the Staff and Worcs Canal again.

A good day for fishing

This is a lovely stretch of canal

The Smestow Brook runs right next to the canal. Not so long ago, there was a lot of industry - nail mills and so on, along this valley, both on this brook and the river Stour

It's quite wild now though

A good display of hazel catkins this year.

Little red sandstone cliffs like this appear all along this section of the Staffs and Worcs, right to Kidderminster

By this point, the Smestow has joined the Stour

Almost back at the start.

The last 1/4 mile is retracing the route to the Stewpony
A fantastic route, full of interest. About 6 miles, but nice and flat, so you can do it pretty quickly if that's what you want. Or take your time - the preferred option!
Today's walk: Park at Stewpony, up hill, A458 to f/path sign opposite Greensforge Lane, path through woods, turn right at T junction, then left at the Hyde. Follow private road past chalets to canal. Turn left along towpath. At canal junction, turn onto Stourbridge Canal. At Prestwood Bridge turn left onto track. Cross A449 and continue on path through grounds and beyond. At bridle path turn left. At canal bridge turn left onto towpath to return to start