Back in July our Active 60 group went on a narrowboat trip from Stourbridge to Stourton. SVI member Stevie has written the following article about it for our website.
Our first port of call was over the road from the old Billiard Hall in West Bromwich where we assembled to pick-up the mini-bus and taxis that were to take us to our embarkation point ‘The Bonded Warehouse’. This is the headquarters of the Stourbridge Navigation Trust. It’s just off the ring road where it heads
towards Amblecote and Wolverhampton.
We boarded the narrowboat, the Blackcountry Man, very carefully as the towpath wasn’t very wide and only three or four steps would have landed us in the ‘cut’ if we weren’t careful. The boat has a hydraulic lift for anyone less able to get aboard. Waiting for us on board, armed with banjo and wash-board were ‘The Black Country Busketeers’ (Billy Spakemon and Tim Martin)
Our cruise started on a cloudy but warm evening and as we gently chugged along, the flowering water lilies slowly curled themselves under the water out of harm’s way as they felt the ripples from the boat.
The passing wildlife took to their nests and burrows. Those natives of Stourbridge who had gone out to enjoy a quiet evening’s stroll with the dog, have a jog or a bike ride or were just sitting there quietly contemplating their fishing were slightly taken aback as we found our voices to join in with renditions of ‘Country Roads’, ‘Sloop John B’, various Beatle’s songs and ‘When the Saints go Marching in’. They all heaved a sigh of relief as a tranquil peace descended when we stopped at one
of the bridges and a ‘Just Eat’ delivery bike arrived laden with our supper.
As the boat resumed its journey and we ‘stuffed our ‘odges’ with fish and chips there was only the murmer of, “Pass us the vinegar!” , “Who’s got the salt?” and, “Kelly! Is there another slice of bread and butter?” to disturb them.
A little further on the boat was turned around and we made our return journey only by this time alcohol had been taken and the dancing had started. To the dulcet tones of “Sweet Caroline” …“SO GOOD! SO GOOD! SO GOOD!” We arrived back at the Bonded Warehouse for our journey back to West Bromwich.
I don’t think Stourbridge will ever be the same again….
Thanks so much to everyone at SVI. The evening and the company was lovely and we had a great time.
A bit of history
The original canal was built in 1667 but destroyed by floods three years later. It wasn’t rebuilt until nearly a century later when a canal was cut from the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal from Stourton into Stourbridge and then later joined the Dudley Canal. After many years bringing coal and supplies to more than 20 glassworks that grew up in the area, the Canal became derelict in the 1960s. Until a group of volunteers managed to restore it and save it from closure and formed the Trust.
The warehouse was built by the Stourbridge Canal Company in 1779 and used to store wines and spirits. It was saved from demolition in the 1980s.
Thank you Stevie for writing this lovely piece about the trip.
Find out more about the Blackcountry Man boat trips on their webpage.
