(Stratford upon) Avon calling!

It has been a great year cruise wise, but sooner or later, you have to take a reality check, as the real world impinges.  We have to be home at the end of the first week in October.  With jobs to attend to, the reality is, we need a week back at base before this.  So the end of this month, we really have to be back.

My new knee has been tested and not found wanting.  Ok, not as good as a real joint, but a vast improvement.  So looking good for next season.  Gosh this sounds rather glum, but at the moment we are anything but.  The weather is fantastic, a bit of cloud in the morning, sunshine and hot by the afternoon. 

We left our mooring below Knowle locks a little later than usual as we had a wash load to do.  This entails engaging the travel power.  The washer is power hungry when heating the water, despite adding hot water, so we let this cycle complete whilst moored, in order to maintain constant rev's and supply the machine with a steady supply.  Once the cycle was complete, we were off.  There are many moored boats between Kings Arms bridge and Black boy bridge, so we chugged past with ner a ripple.  By the time we were at Rising bridge, the wash had completed and we took the opportunity to replenish the water.

We picked this water point as it is easy to use and quiet.  Last night we debated and decided to head for Stratford upon Avon.  This means turning off the Grand Union at Kingswood junction and we know from past experience that the services can be awkward if busy.  It had been very quiet boat movement wise until reaching the junction, in fact we had only seen one boat moving!

Turning caused no trauma, despite having to avoid a boat somewhat haphazardly exiting the basin. As anticipated, the services were busy.  But a boat was coming up the first lock, so as soon as it was out, in went we!

These are narrow locks, some very narrow!  As are the bridges.  Something of a challenge after the wider locks and canals we have become used to.  But how beautiful it is.  It was steady boat wise, rather than busy and today had a very rural feel, despite briefly passing under a major road.  The barrel roofed former lockeepers cottages are also a feature of this canal.

By mid afternoon, the sun shone and boy did it get hot.  This belied the season. Autumn is nearly on us, evidenced by falling leaves and the unmistakable sound as you walked through drifts of them on the towpath, dry and crunchy underfoot.

By late afternoon we had reached Wooten Wawen.  The visitor moorings had but one boat, so in we went, just prior to the aqueduct.  Bake off on Tv tonight...........

Miles 9.5
Locks 17

Left Brum and locked out!

We have enjoyed our sojourn in Brum.  Another clean and tidy city centre with a vibrant cosmopolitan feel.  The whole environment feels and looks so clean and nonthreatening.  Manchester could do with learning a few lessons from both here and Liverpool. 

Anyway.  Up and off by 0825.  First priority was to water up at the excellent services above Farmers Bridge locks at Cambrian Wharf, very slowly though due to the water pressure.  Then we started down the thirteen locks which make up this flight of narrow locks.  We developed a system.  Ali opened the gates then made for the next lock to prepare it.  I motored in, closed the gate and opened the paddles.  By the time I was down, Ali was back to open the gates and drop the paddles.  And so we went down using this system.  Leaving the bottom lock we saw the only litter swirling in the water.  Mainly plastic bottles.  Cyclists can be a menace hereabouts, travelling at speed, so it paid to keep your eyes and ears open for the blighters.

The sun shone and all went well. We motored down and then turned onto the Digbeth branch.  Six more narrow locks and a short tunnel.  This caused us a slight problem as the water level was abnormally high and the tunnel was between locks.  Entering it was ok at first, but as it twisted slightly, the corner of the starboard handrail ground against the roof.  More work for Ali! 

At Bordesley junction we began the climb and onto the Grand Union canal proper.  I know not why, but we both envisaged that the five locks here would be broad, but they were narrow locks, so all the easier to tackle. As a boat had just left the flight, most of the locks were in our favour, but there was apparently a boat ahead of us.  Not that we saw it!  In fact, we saw no more than half a dozen boats moving all day.

It clouded up a little by late morning, but stayed dry. Leaving the locks behind us we passed through the rest of the urban area either on a tree lined embankment, or cutting. Very pleasant it was too, in fact we hardly saw a dwelling and the commercial area closer to the city centre had been largely re developed, so there was very little deriliction visable.

It took some time to leave the conurbation behind us, but by mid afternoon we reached bridge 78A, and urbania gave way to fields.  Reaching Catherine De Barnes, we sort of thought we would stop, but decided to press on as the moorings were full and shaded by trees.  The sun was out again so we carried on.

Passing under the M42 and then arriving at the top of the Knowle flight, we decided, what's five more locks!  These however are broad locks. Two boats were just exiting the top lock as we arrived, so most of them were in our favour as we descended.  These locks are somewhat open and the breeze certainly entertained me as I passed between the locks,  Using one gate and one paddle to empty did make life easier, but the the paddle gear was stiff and at the end of a strenous day, they told on Ali.

So we moored just before Kings Arms bridge.  And what did Ali do after a knackering day?  She got the paint brush out to touch up the war wounds!

Tomorrow we have to decide which way to go.....

Miles 14
Locks 29
Tunnels 103 yds

Phew! Brummagem.

We decided on an early start, well for us it was!  By 0730 we were off from our moorings at Autherley junction.  A cloudy but fine start and pretty much the same most of the day.

Early morning fishing

High bridges

We were soon at the pleasant leafy junction with the Main line of the Birmingham and Worcester at Aldersley, left turn as a hire boat exited and into the first lock of this flight,  the Wolverhampton 21. The name says's it all really.  The early start was really in the hope of finding the locks set in our favour, empty!  This would mean that we could motor into each successive lock without emptying first.  The exit of the hire boat somewhat confounded us, until we realised they had moored for the night in one of the lower pounds, as had another hire boat on the landing of lock 18. Think we may well have woken them up!

The first nine locks or so were very pleasant, the route still with a rural feel and the water clean. Herons abounded and we did spot the odd Kingfisher.  By lock 10 though, it was getting distinctly more urban, with signs of alcohol abuse and associated litter on the banks and numerous plastic bottles plus the odd traffic cone in the water. Up to this point, all the locks had been in our favour, but after this Ali had to empty the locks to some extent, indicating that there must be a boat ahead of us, possibly starting the day from mid way up the flight. Not unpleasant though and the locks themselves were in good order.  In just under three hours we had reached the top.

We had decided that we would head for Birmingham on the Wolverhampton level, as this was new territory for us, rather than the main line. Our route was less direct and more contoured, but a change from the dead straight we had navigated last time.  So it was past Deepfields junction and through Coseley tunnel. At Factory junction it was right turn and past the arm to the Black Country Museum.  The waters in this area were disappointingly untidy with litter, but again apart from this, the journey was pleasant and meandering.  Passing Dudley Port with its newish housing, we soon passed over the route from Netherton tunnel onto the main line and then passed the Gower branch. Just after Seven stars bridge, the canal passes under the M5, which straddles the canal for some distance. Odd to see an old original bridge now sheltering under this elevated concrete roadway..

Over the Netherton Tunnel Branch (tunnel in the distance - just!)

Under the M5

Over the Birmingham Main Line Canal

The scenery though, as you wind in and out has an almost rural feel, if you don't look up!  The canal crosses the Birmingham level, then dropping down the three Smethwick locks, joins the main line at  Smethwick junction.  The route is now wide and straight into central Birmingham. The waters to appear much more litter free.  Whilst we saw few boats moving during the day, as we neared the centre numbers increased somewhat.

Signposts under the M5

Hard to believe this is about 3 miles from the city centre

By 1600, we were moored just before Old Turn Junction and an easy walk to Gas street.  There are plenty of moorings in this area and whilst overlooked by many a tall block of flats or commercial buildings, it remains very pleasant.  So why do some boaters spoil it by lighting fires in such restricted and built up areas?  Rant over!

So a busy old day.  Day off tomorrow whilst Ali goes shopping after meeting her sister.

Miles 16
Locks 24
Tunnels 360 yds