Stourbridge Canal

Definitely a link rather than a destination, the canal leaves the Staffs & Worcs at Stourton Junction near Kinver to climb towards the Birmingham plateau by two flights of locks: four at Stourton and 16 at Stourbridge, before joining the Dudley No 1 Canal at the bottom of the Delph flight of eight locks. It passes through pleasant scenery as far as Wordsley Junction, where the Stourbridge Town Arm leads off to the attractively restored Bonded Warehouse.

Stourbridge Locks offer some unusual features including a Bratch-like ’staircase’, traditional boatyard facilities at Dadford’s Shed, and Stuart Crystal glass cone. At the top of the flight, straight on leads to the navigable feeder known as the Fens Branch, which in turn leads to the Stourbridge Extension Canal, now little more than an extended basin. The main line winds round Brierley Hill to the bottom of the Delph.