Stourton and “Stewponey Locks”, at the junction between the Stourbridge, and Staffordshire and Worcestershire canals, 11th August 2022 (Author’s Collection).
My brief preamble will be a simple one for this edition of my Summer travels in an English heatwave Summer: I have driven past and through Stourton on far too many times to remember and finally this morning I stopped to actually take in and enjoy this short, quaint intersection of two canals and all centred around the typically English sounding Stewponey Locks.
This edition, and the one sure to follow it from just a few miles away at Bratch Locks, will both heavily centre on the early morning sunshine casting the most magnificent of shadows and reflections and being a sucker for such reflections, I can’t help but make these and the images captured on this very morning, the central theme of this article.
20 images follow of a short two mile round trip amble and my reflections from both Stewponey Lock and the nearby Stourton Locks.
*All images captured by me on Thursday 11th August 2022*
A heavily cropped image (due to building works and traffic) from Stewponey Lock heading south under both Stewponey old and new bridges toward the Locks of Wolverley and ultimately Kidderminster. This particular walk is covered in a separate article and can be found within my archives.
Stewponey Lock and Stewponey Wharf, sadly ruined by the works van. Alas!
A rare “Perfect Moment” as these pleasure boaters head for Stewponey Wharf.
Reflections from Bridge Number 33 or “Stourton Bridge”.
Reflections from atop Bridge 33 and straight on toward Wolverhampton on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal or right toward Stourbridge and ultimately Birmingham, but first, the three canal Locks of Stourton.
(1) Two views from Stourton Lock Number 2.
(2) Two views from Stourton Lock Number 2.
The eerie reflections from beneath “Four Locks Bridge”.
Yet more beautiful reflections as we round the canal bend toward Lock Number 1 or “Stourton Top Lock” straight ahead.
(1) Four reflection filled views from Lock 1 or “Stourton Top Lock” as we return toward the central hub of the canal.
(2) Four reflection filled views from Lock 1 or “Stourton Top Lock” as we return toward the central hub of the canal.
(3) Four reflection filled views from Lock 1 or “Stourton Top Lock” as we return toward the central hub of the canal.
(4) Four reflection filled views from Lock 1 or “Stourton Top Lock” as we return toward the central hub of the canal.
Captured at the edge of the canal where you can veer right toward Wolverhampton or back left and from whence we came toward Stewponey Lock and ultimately Stourton.
A final reflection filled image from Stourton Locks.
Every point on this particular compass has been covered in my Summer 2022 travel journals. Both the major cities of Wolverhampton and Birmingham have been covered in “special” issues as I walk into and around the cities, and both Stourbridge and Stourport have been recorded in journal form here more recently and will be published soon.
Two last reflections from Stourton and Stewponey Locks — Part 1
Two last reflections from Stourton and Stewponey Locks — Part 2
Your humble narrator larking around inside the ruins of Lilleshall Abbey, early August 2022 (Author’s Collection).
Thanks for reading. My “Summer Project” has taken me to the waterways and many historical castle ruins as I’ve crisscrossed the border between England and Wales and my three most recently published travel articles are linked below:
