Visitor mooring on Stourbridge & Dudley canal

[frangar]

It's  been a few years since we last ventured down the bottom of the BCN area....

 

The OH has decided a visit to Red Cone glassworks might be in order and from what I can gather it has 2 visitor moorings....does anyone know if you can use these overnight and if not if it's ok to moor on the towpath.....I vaguely recall that's there's moorings somewhere on the flight.....however I would like to find the boat as I left it.....

 

We are thinking of a night in Hawne Basin and maybe the waterfront at Merry Hell as well...

 

Any thoughts on this area....good moorings...places to go...welcome!

 

Many Thanks

 

[roland elsdon]

Just did canal 3 weeks ago. Went right through from gas street to bottom stourbridge. Kinver looked ok to moor windmill end lovely . Didnt even know merry hill existed its not on our current 1980 nicholsons. It looked ok but we dont do retail. The anti vandal keys are a pia.

with our 3ft draft it was slow, so we cycled back on towpath to look at the loops  dudley no1 and features from stourton. From stourbridge arm south its superb.

[nicknorman]

33 minutes ago, frangar said:

It's  been a few years since we last ventured down the bottom of the BCN area....

 

The OH has decided a visit to Red Cone glassworks might be in order and from what I can gather it has 2 visitor moorings....does anyone know if you can use these overnight and if not if it's ok to moor on the towpath.....I vaguely recall that's there's moorings somewhere on the flight.....however I would like to find the boat as I left it.....

 

We are thinking of a night in Hawne Basin and maybe the waterfront at Merry Hell as well...

 

Any thoughts on this area....good moorings...places to go...welcome!

 

Many Thanks

 

You don’t really see boats moored on the flight, apart from the EOG above bottom lock and of course Dadford’s yard, but it’s always seemed a reasonably pleasant area. The moorings at the Cone are offside, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a boat on them so I wouldn’t have thought spending the night would be a problem. Why not phone the museum?

There are visitor moorings at the end of Stourbridge arm, and once you pass the arm junction heading for Stourton it gets very rural and pleasant.

[john6767]

We stopped on the offside mooring to visit the cone, I think there is only length for one boat.  Did not stop overnight, and would be surprised if you would be allowed to as you are inside their premises which presumably are locked up at night.

 

Once below the Stourbridge arm, you could moor anywhere that you can get into the side, we have stopped in that area a couple of times and have come from the moorings at Merry Hill to there in one hop.

[starman]

Mooring is good at the bottom of the Stourbridge Arm - it's a modest walk back to the Red Cone and an easy walk into Stourbridge for shopping plus there is (or was) an interesting junk/antiques place opposite the Bonded Warehouse.

 

[colmac]

Kinver, very nice mooring and Merryhill, although busy, very safe. Short hop to the Delph flight.

[Derek Porteous]

We tried to moor in the basin at Stourbridge a couple of years ago. It was full. There was ample moorings on the approach, but quite frankly we did not like the look of them. That is just a gut feel and not based on any knowledge whatsoever. We pushed on and eventually moored at Merry Hill. Really liked it there. Felt very safe and, although a tad noisey mid evening, soon settled down and a peaceful night was had. Merry Hill is now our mooring of choice in the area.

[dave moore]

Let us know when you are in the area. There are still pubs to be had..

Cheers

Dave

[noddyboater]

3 hours ago, dave moore said:

Let us know when you are in the area. There are still pubs to be had..

Cheers

Dave

Indeed, like the ‘Bird in hand’ near the glass cone. I’ve moored on the towpath opposite Dadfords wharf quite safely to enjoy a few pints in there.

[Sea Dog]

3 hours ago, Derek Porteous said:

We tried to moor in the basin at Stourbridge a couple of years ago. It was full. There was ample moorings on the approach, but quite frankly we did not like the look of them. That is just a gut feel and not based on any knowledge whatsoever. 

I understand why you'd get that impression Derek, but we've moored there a few times and it's been just fine. Never been able to moor inside the basin fence.

[Neil2]

3 hours ago, Derek Porteous said:

We tried to moor in the basin at Stourbridge a couple of years ago. It was full. There was ample moorings on the approach, but quite frankly we did not like the look of them. That is just a gut feel and not based on any knowledge whatsoever. We pushed on and eventually moored at Merry Hill. Really liked it there. Felt very safe and, although a tad noisey mid evening, soon settled down and a peaceful night was had. Merry Hill is now our mooring of choice in the area.

We had the same experience and as we were the only boat there at the time I wasn't totally happy about staying overnight, but we had no choice as it was quite late.   It was fine though, and actually very quiet even though it was a Saturday.  

 

If I was going west to east though I'd stay at Kinver, or the stretch between Stourton and the Stourbridge arm, overnight then go on to Windmill End the following night. 

[Sea Dog]

2 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

If I was going west to east though I'd stay at Kinver, or the stretch between Stourton and the Stourbridge arm, overnight then go on to Windmill End the following night. 

Stewpony Wharf is also a good stop before hanging a right to head up towards the Stourbridge locks.

[frangar]

4 hours ago, dave moore said:

Let us know when you are in the area. There are still pubs to be had..

Cheers

Dave

Dont worry!! I’ll be in touch! Still on the shroppie at the moment...

 

Thanks to all for the suggestions. We are heading from the shroppie heading into Brum but agree Kinver is a great stop if going that way

 

Think we now have a few options thanks to your good selves...will report back on what we do....I know such moorings are subjective but it’s good to have some feedback from those that have been there more recently. 

 

 

 

[Captain Pegg]

I once moored opposite the Red House glass cone overnight with a hire boat and just pushed across to their moorings in the morning.

 

I would recommend going to Hawne Basin and Stourbridge Town Basin if visiting these canals.

 

If you ring the Bonded Warehouse they will advise if there is space at Stourbridge, I have moored there twice but there is a cost and you will probably be abreast another boat. Quite possibly a liveaboard. I think the moorings outside the Basin are pretty much always occupied by one or more boats and I have seen boats moored along the arm. I don't think it's a problem. The path along the arm is well used.

 

Hawne Basin is technically free for a week but they are cause worthy of a donation. It also involves a trip through Gosty Hill Tunnel which is something you should do if possible. Not for those with claustrophobia or chiroptophobia though.

 

Jon

Edited August 8, 2018 by Captain Pegg

[frangar]

Just to add....

 

Had an incredibly peaceful night at Stourton before the junction...just the owls were noisy!

 

Went up Stourbridge arm...could have moored as there was space outside the basin for a couple of boats...it looked ok to me and an improvement on what I remember from 10 years ago...however it was early so decided to push on. 

 

Found the stourbridge flight mainly in our favour so didn’t bother stopping at the glass  cone in the end...there is mooring for one decent length boat but it is fairly shallow for us deeper draughted types....and it looks like a couple more rings wouldn’t go amiss. 

 

Made it up the flight in good time thanks to the locks being favourable and a chap walking the towpath who upon seeing us produced a windlass from his rucksack and set all the locks for us...sadly when we got to the top and turned to thank him profusely he shot off back down the flight leaving us both wondering if he had really exsisted...

 

 Surprised a few fishermen up the fens branch but it was deeper than I expected to the junction...wasn’t brave enough to go further on my own! 

 

Delph was fine too till the top lock where we wedged on something solid under the bridge..got off by flushing the Lock...then as  if by magic a CRT chap arrived...told him where it was and left him going to get the Keb from his van. Can’t fault that for service. 

 

Now tucked up on the waterfront at Merry Hell. 

 

Thanks again for everyone’s suggestions and advice. 

 

Next stop Hawne basin! 

[roland elsdon]

Just did canal 3 weeks ago flattened all lumps for you... Went right through from gas street to bottom stourbridge. Kinver looked ok to moor windmill end lovely . Didnt even know merry hill existed its not on our current 1980 nicholsons. It looked ok but we dont do retail. The anti vandal keys are a pia.

with our 3ft draft it was slow, so we cycled back on towpath to look at the loops  dudley no1 and features from stourton. From stourbridge arm south its superb.

[Scholar Gypsy]

I spent a quiet night moored just below the Delph, not far from a large supermarket. 

[Mike55]

Moored overnight on the (rather overgrown) visitor moorings on the offside of the Stourbridge Extension canal just round from Brockmoor Junction on the Fens Branch at the beginning of June. Had a very quiet night. The visitor moorings are supposed to be secured by a BW keyed padlock, but the gate has been carefully 'modified' to prevent any padlock being fitted (& the padlock's broken). You could use a chain if you felt the need - we didn't.

[frangar]

29 minutes ago, Mike55 said:

Moored overnight on the (rather overgrown) visitor moorings on the offside of the Stourbridge Extension canal just round from Brockmoor Junction on the Fens Branch at the beginning of June. Had a very quiet night. The visitor moorings are supposed to be secured by a BW keyed padlock, but the gate has been carefully 'modified' to prevent any padlock being fitted (& the padlock's broken). You could use a chain if you felt the need - we didn't.

Where exactly was that mooring?  I went under the railway bridge to the arm decided winding there was safer as it was getting a bit shallow for me...I did stir up some foul looking silt even so..but didn’t see the visitor mooring...

[Mike55]

Just now, frangar said:

Where exactly was that mooring?  I went under the railway bridge to the arm decided winding there was safer as it was getting a bit shallow for me...I did stir up some foul looking silt even so..but didn’t see the visitor mooring...

Not under the railway bridge, but under the footbridge on your left as you approach from Leys Junction. The mooring is then on your right, but hard to spot due to being overgrown.  There are mooring rings hidden amongst the nettles.

View of us moored there taken from footbridge:

 

[frangar]

23 minutes ago, Mike55 said:

Not under the railway bridge, but under the footbridge on your left as you approach from Leys Junction. The mooring is then on your right, but hard to spot due to being overgrown.  There are mooring rings hidden amongst the nettles.

View of us moored there taken from footbridge:

 

Cool!! Well spotted! 

[matty40s]

57 minutes ago, Mike55 said:

Not under the railway bridge, but under the footbridge on your left as you approach from Leys Junction. The mooring is then on your right, but hard to spot due to being overgrown.  There are mooring rings hidden amongst the nettles.

View of us moored there taken from footbridge:

 

I have to say that is one bit I have never moored on or seen - added to potential moorings list. Thanks

[nicknorman]

We stopped for lunch there once, seemed peaceful but didn’t find the rings!

[matty40s]

1 minute ago, nicknorman said:

We stopped for lunch there once, seemed peaceful but didn’t find the rings!

you weren't feeling hard enough......