The Stratford upon Avon Canal, Friday 20th September,
2013
Straight ahead we go, under a tiny bridge and along
a long narrow bricked wall on either side.... it's a huge wide sweep over to
our left to the water point, just above the first lock.
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| Our entrance to the Stratford Upon Avon canal, a long bricked wall led us to a sweeping basin |
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| ... and we're turning left! |
We were on the Stratford canal, smiles all round, and
it was beautiful. No wonder we were so happy!
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| A typical lock, bridge and side weir on the Stratford Upon Avon Canal |
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| There's space in the middle of the iron section to allow horses to carry on pulling without having to be untied |
It's so lovely here, cute and small and friendly!
Lovely iron topped bridges (typical only of the Stratford Canal) still have the
gap in the centre for the horses rope to go through when the boats were tugged
through the locks. The bridges and bridge holes have no spare room either side
of the boat, there's no room for mistakes here, neither have the locks, it's
all as snug as a bug on this canal. Bash marks show where people have not been
too careful going through the bridges and locks!
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| Our starting point on the Stratford is in the middle, we head south, then turn and go all the way up |
We're joining the canal somewhere in the middle at
Kingswood junction and heading South towards Stratford upon Avon. The southern part
of the canal is 13 miles long and there are 35 narrow locks in total to the
junction with the river Avon. Then we'll be turning round and heading north, all
the way back up the canal 25.5 miles and 54 locks to Kings Norton junction in
Birmingham.
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| Filling up with water at the junction with the Grand Union |
At the water point we fill up the tank and watch a
pair of hotel boats make their way through the cute narrow lock. They're
waiting to get on the water point too, and another boat comes up the lock, also
waiting to fill up!
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| Pair of hotel boats being tugged over to the water point |
Quite a queue is forming, were done now so I reverse
out, the hotel boats are tugged over to the tap, the other narrow boat comes
out of the lock and we cruise nicely into our first lock on the cutest canal we've
been on yet!
The suns shining now and we take our time looking
around us as we make our way down the locks and canal, tree lined grassy towpaths
and banks, the oldest ricketiest bridges we've ever seen.
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| What a beautiful old canal.... |
There's three locks together, then three more; Paul
and Jack go off together to set the locks ready for me to go straight in.
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| Jack and Paul set the locks together, pause for a bit of fuss! |
It's a very peaceful canal until we come to the next
lock, right by a huge bridge going over the M40, so noisy it really doesn't
belong any where near this rural and tranquil part of our countryside!
We get through 17 locks today, all in the space of 4
miles, about 4 locks a mile then!
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| The side weirs can cause strong side currents as you enter and leave the locks |
The locks are all very old and some in need of repair.
There's fast overflows coming from side weirs at the bottom of each lock that
knock you about when you leave.
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| Rickety old bridges and worn out locks keep in tradition with how things used to be! |
After getting through 11 of the 17 locks of the day we
stopped for lunch, we needed to fuel up and eat, this was hard work!
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| Stopping in a beautiful spot for lunch just below Lowsonford |
The locks were all against us, all empty, so Paul was
filling and emptying them all! There were cute 'barrel roof' lock cottages too, only seen on this canal.
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| Nearly every lock had a cottage just like this, except this one sold home produce too |
The last lock of the day was at Preston Bagot, there
was a tunnel-like exit from the lock - this was actually three bridges, two
road bridges and a footbridge, all at strange angles to the canal!
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The view from under the road bridge, not much room either side!
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There were moorings here, with rings to tie up to.
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| We tied up to the rings and were happy in our chosen spot |
So we pulled over and decided we'd done enough for one
day. It was perfect to carry on painting as the towpath was on the right side.
We could also get a telly picture here, and there were shops within cycling
distance. The road was a bit noisy, but we could live with that for a few days.
We found some amazing walks here, across fields and
woodlands, we even found the site of an old fort, now wooded over but clear enough
to wander about in, Jack scampering around loving all the new smells!
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| We go exploring and stumble across this old woodland, originally an old fort |
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| We've got fields galore to explore! |
The next couple of days we spend our time sanding down
and painting. The two top coats are now on, just the yellow lines left to do.
The weather stays dry and warm and we explore the walks
all around us, Paul goes off to Henley-on-Arden to get a few bits from the local
Co-op.
We also have a visit from our new stalker! Its a guy called
Andy who I spotted ages ago at Woodford Lock, naked outside his narrow boat! We've
seen him several times since, (not naked!) he moves boats for Whilton Marina,
picking them up and delivering them to the marina for sale. While we were at Napton
on the Oxford canal he walked past us and stopped for a chat. A week later he
came by again on a boat he was delivering and moored up in front of us. And
then again we were sitting outside in the sun shine admiring our newly painted boat
and he came wandering down the towpath, familiar white skimpy shorts and shaved
legs! Hed spotted our boat and stopped above the lock, walking down to our boat
twice while we were out walking Jack until finally the third time we were there!
We just wonder where he'll turn up next ......
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| We spot this red kite in a tree, not the feathered variety! |
On Monday we set off again, heading towards Wootten
Wawen. (Yep, that really is the name of a place in Warwickshire!). It's only a
couple of miles but its a lovely little cruise.
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| On our way to Wootten Wawen.... |
As we turn a bend we hear someone shout out at us.
Looking over I see its a familiar face, it's the lady we met at Cassiobury Park
on the Grand Union Canal, Jackie, and her Staffy Boycey! Shes off for a walk
but Phil her hubby is moored up at Wootten Wawen, and we soon spot him and
their now all purple (it was a bit purple and a lot undercoat grey before!)
boat moored up on the 24 hr moorings opposite the Anglo Welsh hire boat wharf.
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Our little spot in Wootten Wawen
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We pull over and have a good chat about where we've all
been and what we've all been up to on our travels. We then go to a Farm Shop just
down the road from the canal and buy the best pork pie and sausages weve ever
tasted! We also get cake!
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| We spot this small wood store near the Farm shop, I don't think anyone's going cold this winter! |
When we get back Jackie and Phil leave for their
travels, they're on a mission getting to the train station in Warwick to visit
old aunts and sons and nephews! Lovely to see them again tho!
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| Leaving the basin at Wootten Wawen |
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| Going over the small aquaduct as we leave the basin |
We move off and find a quiet spot just about a mile down
the canal. For the next couple of days we stay here in Wootten Wawen finishing off our painting
and adding the yellow line to the side.
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| Our little spot we chose to finish off the painting... at last it's all done now! |
The weather is turning very autumnal now, misty first
thing, not much heat in the day now. There's amazing walks here, a beautiful woods called Austy Woods we go and explore, and we're out over two hours!
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| Jack has the most amazing walk here over the stubble fields and into the woods.... |
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| And we're loving it too! |
It's really quiet here, we find some great
walks for Jack and a brilliant little shop in the village.
Wednesday 25th September and were on the move again. It's
misty, still, silent and a little eerie as we come round a corner and see a
boat appear out of the fog.
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| Sort of eerie in a spooky kinda way, the early morning mist takes ages to clear |
The trees drip mist as we go under them, chills go
down your back. We get to Bearly lock and there's a C&RT man there, he
helps us through as he's doing his inspection of the lock and weir.
On the horizon we spot the Edstone aqueduct, a 200
metre trough going over a road, a railway line, another road and a stream.
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| It's a misty day but we can make out the aqueduct here... |
It makes
your legs go wobbly looking over the side, but the boat steers a straight line
through and onto the other side.
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| Going along in the trough, straight down to the right, and a towpath to the left |
The
towpath runs alongside on one side, your eye level is on the level of the water,
and on the other side is a couple of inches of steel holding you and all the
water up on quite a high level!
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| The two little dots you can see were people waving at us from below! |
Sort of great fun but weird feeling too!
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| Looking back across the 200 metre aqueduct... |
The canal is surrounded by trees, making it feel damp
in the misty morning, all the way to Wilmcote.
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| More crumbley old bridges... looks like one bash from a hire boat and it's in the water! |
There are
no road bridges, no houses and no people. In Wilmcote there's some civilisation
with a very old traditional train station, a couple of pubs and a little
village shop that sells all local fresh fruit and veg and farm produce.
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| Old Bill Shakespeare's mum didn't actually live here then! |
Wilmcote also boasts to have Mary Ardens'
(Shakespear's mother) house in the village, but when you read deeper into the
story it was actually a farm workers house which was built 5 years after Mary
Arden left the village! But they're still making money out of the story,
selling tickets to go and view the house and farm!
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| The 48 hour moorings at Wilmcote |
We moor up on the 48 hr moorings and go and explore,
avoiding the house!
There's a few boats moored up here, and as the day
goes on the moorings get full. We go wandering the fields with Jack and find a
fantastic yellow plum tree, full of big juicy plums! We collect a load more
blackberries and some apples too! Crumble for pudding later!
The sun comes out in the evening but doesn't last long,
it soon gets chilly and we settle in for the evening and light a fire.
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| Leaving the 48 hour mooring, it got busy later on and there's not much room to pass a boat coming the other way! |
Thursday 26th September its cold when we get up. Paul
walks Jack the mile or so down to Wilmcote Locks and I take the boat down to
meet them.
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| Top lock at Wilmcote, 11 in total.... |
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| Going down.... |
It's a flight of 11 locks, they're small but tough, the
gates are stiff and there's side weirs coming at you as you leave the locks
pushing you completely off course.
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| ... and down |
It's a damp cold day today, we get through the flight quite
quickly, Jack's ran up and down several times going from me to Paul and back
again!
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| ... till we get to the bottom |
At the bottom of the flight we stop to fill up with
water and enjoy bacon sandwiches for breakfast. About a mile ahead we pull over
at Valley Cruises, another boat hire company, and buy a bottle of gas. There's
4 more locks to do as we get into Stratford, all fairly tough, but the area is
pleasant enough.
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| Grafitti is starting to appear on the bridges, not so cute now hey! |
It's getting busy now, cars speed over the 'not so
cute' canal bridges and big factories and huge bill boards are lining the canal
towpaths now.
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| Going under one of the town bridges in Stratford Upon Avon |
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| The last lock on the Stratford.... |
At the bottom lock there's a sharp left corner and
then a long narrow bridge hole and we're through into the canal basin, known as
Bancroft Basin, and at the end of the Stratford Upon Avon canal.
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| Going under a road bridge on our way into the Bancroft Basin, Stratford upon Avon |
It's a wide modernised basin with pontoon finger mooring,
loads of tourists around all taking photos of our purple boat thats just pulled
up!
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| Moored up in the basin, so busy... |
We tie up along the pontoon and try to take in where
we are, what's happening around us. Jack gets out of the boat as usual and is
immedeatly the photo subject of all the Chinese tourists!
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| It's not too busy with boats at the moment though |
They swarm around him, and us, like bees round a honey
pot! They don't want to touch him, but are so curious of him! We have Chinese
people taking photos of the boat, trying to point the camera inside the
windows, wanting to have their photos taken while on our boat!
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| "Im keeping out of their way", says Jack from the safety of the boat |
There are Shakespeare tours taking place all around
us, big, big groups of foreign tourists all looking slightly bored with the
whole thing! The sun's out now, and so are the crowds of people!
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| Most of the buildings in Stratford are tudor in style.... |
After settling down with coffee and cake we go and
explore the town, wandering the streets and looking at all the shops, all
designed with the foriegn tourists in mind.
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| ... and here's the Peter Rabbit shop |
Theres a Christmas shop, Peter Rabbit shop, lots of
Union Jack printed stuff. So many street cafes and gift shops, resteraunts and
sandwich bars ...... all a bit much for us!
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| When we get back the basin's filling up with boats now |
We head back to the boat and take Jack over to the park
and play ball by the river Avon, only a lock away from us but in another zone
completely!
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| Jack has a rest away from all the people.... not the normal fields he's used to! |
So much quieter, with lovely grass and trees by the
river. No tourists here, just people walking their dogs, kids playing on the
grass.
Its going to cost us £10 to go through the lock and
moor up on the river for one night so we decide to try out the canal basin for
one night and if its too noisy we may move tomorrow.
We went out for a curry night at Weatherspoons, great
food, free beer/coke, we were stuffed at the end of our meal, all for £6.49
each! Well worth it!
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| Boats moving all night, busy with night revellers |
We had a terrible night, so noisy! There were bright
lights shining in the boat from the street lights, noisy people and niosy traffic
all night, resteraunt boats turning in the basin, motor bikes revving, party
goers all hours of the night, road sweepers and sirens blasting away in the
morning and it was bearly light!
That made our minds up, we were moving onto the river
later, we needed a good night's sleep!
Jack had a good walk, we discovered a great field that
led onto a stubble field, he had lots of fun.
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| Jack's happy enough walking over the park.... |
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| Its a really lovely place, but he prefers the stubble fields |
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| The stubble field Jack could run and run in |
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| Back at the boat the chinese were there again! |
We got back to the boat and the Chinese had already
invaded!
Like ants they were! Everywhere!
Paul and I went out on our bikes to find some sensible
shops! We needed a Maplins, Homebase, Pets at Home, a supermarket would have
been good but that was a bit too much to ask for! There was a little Sainsburys
Local in town, that would have to do!
We went to the office for the National Trust, they're
in charge of the river Avon and issue out the licences and mooring permits. £10
later and we had paid for one night's stay on the river bank, just one lock
away from the basin.
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| We moored up on the banks of the River Avon, peace and quiet at last |
We went into the Avon lock, a big double lock that
separates the river Avon from the Stratford upon Avon canal, and went on about
half a mile.
There's mooring rings so we pull over under a lovely
willow tree and tie up. It's so much nicer here, peaceful, green, no Chinese!
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| Benches lined the river banks, people walk their dogs and relax here! |
There's benches and picnic spots and a few people
walking their dogs. We went for a lovely walk with Jack and came back to the
boat and settled down in the evening with a film. Phew! It was quiet outside! Peace
again!
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| Rowers cruise past our little boat early in the morning, but we're already up walking Jack! |
In the morning, Saturday 28th September, after a much
better night's sleep; we were woken up only by ducks and rowers!
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| We cruise past the Royal Shakespeare Theatre on our way back to the canal |
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| Leaving the Avon lock, back on the Stratford Upon Avon Canal |
We set off up the river and back through the Avon lock,
making our way through the busy canal basin, under the low bridge and back on the
Stratford upon Avon canal.
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| ... and under the low bridge that takes us back out of the basin |
We go up through the 4 town locks that take you out of
Stratford, back into the peace and tranquility of the canals once again.
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| One of the town locks, Paul struggles with this odd right angle steel constructed lock gate |
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| Paul and Jack make their way to the flight of 11 locks |
We stopped for lunch before the flight of 11 locks,
fuelled up on bacon sarnies and made our way up the flight of the 11 Wilmcote
locks.
The locks were kind to us, the side weirs were gentle
and didn't push us around much.
Jack walked the flight with Paul having a lot of
fun on the way up. We met a few hire boaters still out and about so some of the
locks were empty and waiting ready for us.
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| It looks a bit daunting, but the locks were gentle and easy to get through |
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| Making our way up the locks |
We cruised on a mile after we got to the top of the
flight and moored up at the 24 hr moorings at Wilmcote again.
The season is really turning to Autumn now, leaves are
dropping off trees, turning beautiful golden yellows and reds, fruit in
abundance still clings onto bushes and hedgerows. Acorns ping pong as they land on the roof of the boat,
crab apples crunch under foot on the narrow towpaths. the weather definately
has a chill in the air, its damp and misty now, chilling you all the way to
your bones.
We visit the little village shop once again, stocking
up on local fruit and veg and meat and bread.
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| Dressed for the chill of Autumn, making our way back over the aqueduct |
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| And we're high over the train line in our little trough of water! |
The next day, Sunday, we cruise on the 3.5 miles to
Wootten Waven, going through the one lock and back over the aqueduct again. the
canal is pretty, the colours of the leaves are beginning to change here and the
air is cool and damp.
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| The leaves are changing now, crisp cold mornings too! |
We arrive at Wootten Wawen at the 24 hr moorings and
go to the Farm shop, stocking up on pork pies, sausage rolls and chocolate fudge
cake! When we get back we move the boat about a mile onwards and we stop just past
bridge 50.
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| The sun comes out. We had already chosen this spot for the night on our way up to Stratford! |
This was a planned stop, a quiet little spot very near
to Austy woods where (on our way to Stratford) we found the most amazing walks through
the woods and fields. Not only did Jack have the walk of his life, so did we! And
we wanted more!
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| We went to the lovely woods again, what a lovely place! |
After our lovely walk in the woods we all got home exhausted.
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| We were very happy moored here, such a lovely spot |
It was cold and blustery now, so we shut the curtains,
lit the fire and shut out the cold evening. It was cosy in our little boat, as
dark as dark could be! So peaceful and quiet. Exactly how we like it!
We woke on Monday to the cold wind again, it's a very
grey day. We all walked around a bean field and saw two deer watching us from a
distance away. We stared them out and they ran away! Jack knackered from yesterday's
walk he soon zonked out on the sofa while we started the engine and cruised off
from our little spot by bridge 50.
We had 8 locks to do today before we reached
Lowsonford, our destination for today. We made our way up the locks, following
a hire boat that didn't close any of the gates, or shut the paddles behind them!
More work for Paul!
We got through the locks quite quickly despite this,
Paul and Jack going ahead getting the locks ready and I stayed with the boat, closing
the paddles and and shutting the gates behind us (thats how you're supposed to
leave the locks!).
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| Moored opposite the Fleur de Lys pub |
We reached Lowsonford and moored up opposite the Fleur
de Lys pub, it used to be an old bakery but is now a pie and ale house. We were
going to have a pie supper here but we changed our minds after our walk. We
were having a great time out exploring, finding some heavily laden hazelnut
trees, and even a walnut tree! We collected two bags of nuts and made our way home
to the boat.
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| Our little stash of nuts! |
On our way home there was a woman spraying something
along the fence of her property, bordering on the public footpath. She
continued to spray as we went past and I casually asked her what it was in case
Jack was taken ill further on and we had to get him to a vets. She totally
refused to tell me what it was, adamant I didn't need to know! I continued to
ask her, over and over again, but she refused to tell me, I can only assume it was something she wasn't supposed to be spraying!
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| She was a wicked woman with something to hide! |
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| ....but she carried on regardless, spraying secret poison! |
It was obviosly something she shouldn't be spraying
and allowing to go on a public footpath or she would have told me! She then
turned to me and said, "Oh, go and get a job!" Really wound up by
then I took a picture of her and she continued to spray, ignoring me totally. Paul
had just taken Jack away from the 'soaked in something' grass as he does like
to munch on it frequently! So we stayed in to keep an eye on Jack and I cooked
dinner for us and I went to bed early! Thankfully he was ok.
That's why we didnt get a pie supper, by then I wasn't
in the mood to go out!
On Tuesday its cold again, grey skies and damp in the
air.
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| We enjoy a lovely walk in the hills and fields |
I took Jack out over some lovely cow fields avoiding
the wicked woman and her spray gun while Paul pumped out the toilet into
containers, ready to dispose of at the sanitary station situated at the
junction with the Grand Union and the northern section of the Stratford canal.
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| Its so pretty here, love it! |
The locks are soon on us, we've got 9 to do before we
make our minds up if we're going on to do another 15, there's nowhere else to
stop so its either 9 locks and stop, or 24 locks and stop!
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| M40 looms on us again, peace and tranquillity lost for a while |
As we go up the 9 locks we meet another boater who
decides for us! He tells us of his noisy night at the top of the 9 locks on the
Lapworth link, and we decide there and then to carry on and complete all 24
locks in one go! When we get to the junction we fill up with water and Paul
empties the toilet containers.
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| All watered up and our toilet all sorted and empty once again, were ready for the off. |
After cake and pork pie we make our move.
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| This time its straight ahead for Kings Norton, Birmingham |
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We get into the first lock and looking back we can see the southern Stratford,
and on the left is the entrance to the Grand Union |
Onwards to the northern part of the Stratford upon
Avon canal, lock after lock after lock!
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| We get to the top of the first 6 locks, still a really pretty canal |
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| Under a bridge I go, Paul ready at the lock gates, but a shove from the front of the boat and the gates open |
We go up 6 locks in one go, all okay and quite easy
really!
At the top of the 6 locks there's a built up area with
48 hr moorings with rings. Not to be mistaken for a nice overnight mooring we
tie up and go to find a shop.
We need bread and milk, but discover the shop that's
noted in the map book is no longer there, it's now a tile shop, called Sollihul
Tiles!
So we go back to the boat and after chatting to some despondent
holiday boaters and hopefully cheering them up we go on our way to the next set
of 9 locks.
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| This was a lovely little Canal shop, but it didn't sell bread or milk! |
As we get to the first one I spot a cute canal shop
and have to call in and have a look! When I come out of the shop there's a C&RT
volunteer at the next lock, he's getting the locks ready for us as we leave the
one were in!
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| Paul's got some help now, but he can't relax, there's 8 more locks to do here! |
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| So he gets back to the job, and puts his back into it! |
Happy days! He's a bit sour faced, but it's help all
the same!
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| Up we go, more and more locks..... |
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| ... and there's still more to come |
We're soon up the top of the 9 locks, some of the lock
pounds make it quite difficult to navigate in and out of the locks as they are
on bends and have very short pounds.
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| Some of the lock pounds are tricky to negotiate without hitting the side! |
But the
boat is made of steel, and a few bumps later we get to the top. We've still got
4 of the Lapworth locks to do till we complete the flight, but for now we find
an ok spot on the towpath to stop, were both weary and have done 24 locks and
3.5 miles today.
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| Our mooring spot above the Lapworh flight, a well earned rest |
The weather is cold and miserable and wet so we walk
Jack and collect some wood and settle in for the night.
On Wednesday 2nd October we set off in the rain, up
the remaining 4 locks on the Stratford canal.
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| Looking back at our spot we had for the night, just below the lock |
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| Our last lock on the Stratford Upon Avon canal, damp and dingy, but we've done them all! |
We then get to a lift bridge, Paul says its the
toughest he's ever had to do, about 40 turns of the windlass, he comes back to
the boat out of breath and very red faced!
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| The tough lift bridge, 40 turns of the windlass, hard going |
Onwards we go through the drizzle, its a narrow
shallow canal here with trees overhanging. Another lift bridge, its a draw bridge this time and not quite so difficult, we get to Swallow Cruisers boatyard
where we get filled up with diesel and get a few bits from the chandlery.
We get on
our way again and reach the small town of Hockley Heath.
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| Hockley Heath, no shops of any use here, just a very pretty place to stop! |
There's 48 hr moorings here and we pull over and munch
into bacon butties! Mistakenly we assumed there might be a supermarket here,
but all we could find was a Swimming Pool and Spa Shop, a Rolls Royce showroom
and a OneStop! So we only went into the OneStop shop and bought a few
essentials, and some fish fingers! We were getting desperate for something for
tea and that's about all they had!
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| The sun creeps through when its out, but its still dark and damp most of the way |
Once we get back to the boat we set off again, the
canal is in a cold, dark and damp cutting, trees shadow any light that may be
trying to get in and the banks tower over us.
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| The M42 bridge approaches, we hear it before we see it |
We hear a familiar roar of traffic coming from the M42
bridge before we even see it.
But somewhere just after is apparently the best bakery
ever, a few yards from the canal and theres mooring!
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| Moored up to go get our munchies from the bakery |
Several people have told us about this bakery at
Warings Green so we decide to go and have a look for ourselves - mistake no.1! Well
a bakery wasn't really the word! My god, they've got everything here! Mistake
no.2 - Paul gives me £30 to go and get some food! I come out with pies and
cherry cake and fresh fruit tarts and sausage rolls and pasties and scotch eggs
and bread and free range eggs and more cake and more bread, oh yes, leeks and
carrots to go with the pies! Amazing! I could have spent more if only we had a
freezer to keep it all in!
Bag fulls of lovely fresh stuff, all baked on the
premises and fruit and veg from local suppliers. Mistake no.3, we pigged out on
pies and cakes for the next couple of days and felt so guilty! I've never tasted
such yummy fresh fruit custard tarts as these!
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| Its a beautiful part of the canal, spoiled only by the noise of the M42 |
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| Signs on the bridge tell us exactly where the cakes and pies are! |
We then take Jack out for an explore and discover some
grassy meadows, near to what seems like a tipping site, so he can stretch his
legs and have a run about.
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| We find a field, but it looks like a tipping site |
When we get back to the boat we decide to move off,
we can't stand the roar of the motorway, gotta get away from the noise and this
dark cutting we seem to have been in most of the way.
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| The edges of the canal hide any light trying to get in |
The canal opens up again and after a couple of miles we
get to a place called Dickens Heath on the outskirts of Birmingham.
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| This is Dickens Heath, in our map book its empty fields, but a new town has now evolved..... |
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... and its creeping over the canal! But we had no trouble at all here. It was a lovely quiet spot.
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Our lovely mooring spot just outside Dickens Heath...
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It seems a good place to stop, we've got telly here, internet and a phone signal! There's
dog walks over sheep meadows and lovely hay meadows that have been cut. As its going to rain buckets tomorrow were stopping
here out of the weather.
Some people we met at Stratford on Avon, Neil and
Chris, had the same idea and pulled up behind us later in the day!
Paul cuts up some of the wood we've collected and we
shelter in from the weather.
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| Setting off for our cruise to Gas Street Basin in Birmingham |
On Friday its still drizzling as we set off at 9.20am ready
to cruise the 11.5 miles and one drawbridge we need to do before we get to Gas
Street Basin in Birmingham.
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| Shirley Draw Bridge, BW Key operated now, getting easier all the time! |
We've been advised not to stop anywhere else on the
way so its a straight cruise into the city.
theres 5.5 miles left to do of the Stratford on Avon
canal but its not really nice. Its a narrow canal, we go past lots of built up
areas, it runs along the back gardens of some lovely houses and some not so
lovely houses!
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| Houses back onto the canal as we carry on regardless in the rain and drizzle |
The weather is miserable, the drizzle is continuous. We
have to pull over as there's something fouling our prop, it's a tangled mess of
shoelaces causing the problem, all tangled up around the prop shaft. I have to
cut it off as Paul holds the boat in on the side.
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| We struggle to get past these boats moored all over the place, only just enough room to get by |
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| Our approach to Brandwood Tunnel, only 352 yards to the end |
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| Our instructions on the rules of the tunnel..... if only we could read them! |
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| Graffiti covers every possible bit of this old disused warehouse. There's some history here, but no one cares anymore |
We get to Kings Norton Stop Lock and it starts to
chuck it down with rain. The lock is no longer in use but its been fully
restored, and then graffitied on!
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| Kings Norton Guillotine Lock, not in use any more but a lot of money was spent making it look nice! |
£300,000 it cost to restore, minutes it took to ruin. There's
not much around here that hasn't had some sort of graffiti sprawled all over
it.
Just after the stop lock is the junction with the
Worcester & Birmingham canal, this is our route to Birmingham. We get to the junction
about 12 midday in the pouring rain and do a huge sweep round to our right ....
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| Approaching the junction with the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, Paul keeps a look out..... |
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| Nothing coming.... except the rain..... |
We've completed the Stratford Upon Avon canal .... Were
now on our way to Birmingham on the Worcester & Birmingham canal, it's the heart
of the canal system!
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| .... and we make our turn on to a new canal, off the Stratford Upon Avon, and North onto pastures new. |
Leaving the Stratford Upon Avon Canal ........4.10.13
Worcester and Birmingham Canal to follow shortly.... thanks for reading!!
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