Hairy Animal goes to Worcester: A new friend.

Last night, Ruby was wandering up the towpath looking lonely and decided she liked the look of our boat, so invited herself in. After exploring Saros from end to end and sitting around for a while, she decided to move on, probably to someone else's boat we thought.

Then at about 5am, as I (Charlie) was up early again, she must have been aware of the slight movement of the boat and came to the back door and called. I felt I couldn't leave her out in the cold damp morning air so invited her in again. She again checked the boat out from end to end, and then decided the armchair next to me was the best place in the boat and had a very comfy snooze until it was time to move on down the canal:

After some slightly iffy weather, we stopped for breakfast in a very green and pleasant valley:

In due course, we got to Stourton Junction with another of the impressive signposts typical of the Staffs & Worcs Canal:

Kinver Lock, a few miles further on, seemed very colourful so I took another photo:

The wildlife was less prolific this morning, though we did see another kingfisher, and these cows clearly found something in the canal very interesting:

The weather was a bit mixed, occasional heavy showers but pleasant sunshine much of the time. Here's a sunny bit:

In due course we got to Wolverley, which seemed like a good place to pull up for the night. Close enough to Kidderminster for what we're planning tomorrow, without the noise and bustle of the town.

The mooring is conveniently close to the imaginatively named pub, "The Lock":

with its attendant audience for all boats going through the lock:

Visible across the Stour valley from the towpath beside the boat is St. John the Baptist Church, overlooking the village, most of which is shrouded by trees.