A walk up the Stourbridge 16 locks and back through the Buckpool Nature reserve was the last walk of what has been a varied and interesting season of walks for the BCS.
Member John Smith had expressed a wish to lead this walk. A born and bred local lad he was aware there was some local history but until he began researching he did not appreciate how much. John’s planning was interrupted by the untimely death of his wife Dee who died suddenly at the beginning of May. Dee was a regular attendee at many of the BCS events and her cheerful presence will be missed.
Any road up John did come up with some interesting facts about this contender for the unofficial seven wonders of the Black Country competition making it possible for narrowboats loaded with coal from the coalfields above the Western Boundary Fault to join the Staffs and Worcester Canal at the Stewponey junction.
A surprise awaits for our return journey which took us through the Buckpool nature reserve. Very little if indeed anything can be seen of industrialisation. Once again evening sunshine, trees and bird song, highlighted by John’s noble act to protect a young fluffy Blackcap that had found itself on the path with a sixty to one chance of being trodden on. I could hear its mother not too far away so I think it all ended happily. Just like our 2023 Walks season. A full report will appear in the Magazine.
