A tearoom walk! Kinver to Wolverley along the Staffs and Worcs Canal

A brilliant walk for a crisp Autumn/Winter day, with several excellent places to eat.

It's 10 miles but if that's too long there are plenty of shorter variations See below for details.

I began at the Vine pub, at Kinver, with lovely scenery from the start. 

There are some remote houses high on the sandstone cliffs, with electricity, but little access by car

Almost all the walk is along the Staffs and Worcs Canal. The towpath is in great condition

Whittington Horse Bridge (you can start here to shorten the walk)

The Nail Mill Near Whittington Lock  - the area was once noted for mills

...all based on the fast flowing River Stour which runs next to the canal

A marker post told me I was now in Worcestershire


The canal was lovely in its Autumn colourings,...

...but this stretch puzzled me - did the trees not get the Autumn memo? They remain resolutely green here!

The much mended Caunsall Bridge  - (Another possible joining place - with good parking)

Boats and caravans near Cookley...

...complete with a heron on a boat. Not seen that before

Cookley Tunnel

The only industry on the route still visible - the rest has disappeared. This was an Industrial Revolution steel works but it later moved to Brierley Hill once canal/river transport proved too slow. It is now Titan Steel Wheels

The Tollhouse and Debdale Lock

The sandstone has been hollowed out to provide stabling for narrow boat horses,with a second hollow to allow the lockgate to open

From Cookley onwards, the canal is even prettier

...with beautiful waterside houses

Through the trees, I heard a noise...

...a couple of buzzards wheeling overhead

The trees made some of this walk rather shady - but ahead, in sunlight, Wolverley Lock. My goal.

Did you think canals just stayed neat on their own? A CRT worker (Canal and River Trust) strimming the lockside

I turned off the canal towards Wolverley, with its hillside church, and crazy golf course in front. The yellow blob turned out to be a camel when I got closer

It was about a quarter of a mile into Wolverley

...passing the Stour on the way

...with a rather worrying flood depth indicator nearby

A late lunch at the Old Village Store Tearooms (click to see more)

This was my first visit - my brie and fig chutney toastie was fantastic! The cakes looked good too

For the return journey, I took the same route

This time the heron was on a different boat (that's a model swan on th eroof, not a real one!)

This boat name is based on a local estate agent called Doolittle and Dalley, which always amuses me.

The shadows were lengthening

As I returned to Kinver, the clouds were rolling in

...and it was dropping dark as I returned to the Vine pub at the start of the walk

Today's walk: 
Park in (or bus to) Kinver. Start at the Vine pub, walk under the bridge and follow the canal towpath to the Lock Inn Wolverley. If eating in the tearooms, turn right onto the road, and then first right into Wolverley (about a quarter mile) return by the same route. 10 miles (or with cars either end, 5 miles!)
Options:
Start at the Whittington Horse Bridge takes it down to approx 8 miles return  - but parking is limited
Start at Caunsall  - good parking by canal. approx 6 miles return
Start in Cookley good parking approx 4 miles
Places to eat: 
Kinver: The old house tea rooms, Kinfayre Coffe Houses, Olga Dunn's cafe. All fantastic
Plus the Vine Inn and its all day cafe
The Manor House of Whittington - meals and snacks
Wolverley: The Lock Inn ( hot meals)  tea room: 
the Old Smithy Tea Room (by the canal)
Old Village Store Tearooms as visited on this walk