Geograph - photograph every grid square

A narrowboat on its way towards Wombourne is leaving the lock. The crew member from the waiting boat is winding down the ground paddle of the full lock to prevent more water passing through.

The Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal was opened in 1772, engineered by James Brindley. It joins the River Severn at Stourport to the Trent and Mersey Canal at Great Haywood Junction in Staffordshire. There are 43 locks (45 if you don't fancy the deep wide locks at Stourport) and the canal is 46 miles in length.