Cheryl – Page 12 – Narrowboat Firecrest

Locking down

After 28 glorious lock free miles we were about to be brought back down to reality. We waved goodbye to the beautiful Bumblehole.

And set off, only one lock at Blowers Green pump house where the Dudley 2 meets the Dudley 1. (If we had turned right we would have reached the dudley tunnel which is restricted access only)

Blowers Green lock, junction of Dudley 1 and 2

And just as we were safely in the lock, we heard sirens and a police car skidded to a halt, 2 officers leapt out, luckily they didnt consider our windlass a deady weapon, they were chasing a suspect on a motorbike last seen on the towpath, fortunately not by us, and they declined a ride on firecrest when they realised they could walk faster than we cruise. We carried on south for an overnight stop at Merry Hill because despite the beautiful blue sky we were being buffeted around by some force 9 gales.

Tempting though the M&S food hall is, if you have too much of a good thing it stops becoming a treat. And sadly we also experiences some unwanted attention from the locals. We heard a suspicious sound outside the boat and found 6 lads in their 20s sitting on the roof taking photos. There was nothing malicious in their intent, just obliviousness to it being our home. They were very apologetic. And then a school kid, who was with his family decided to kick the boat as he walked past, he got yelled at and ran off before I got the chance to throw a bucket of water over him cause he was anything but apologetic. Where are the police when you need them – chasing proper criminals we hope. We’ll give this mooring a miss in future. But now fully fuelled with adrenaline, we set off. The plan was just to do the Black Delph flight,

can’t see the bottom, but its only 8 locks

8 locks dropping 85′ but we struck gold with 2 volunteers and between us preparing the lock ahead meant we were down in well under an hour.

We thought we’d found a safe place to moor

But the sun was now shining and we were intent on going down not up. The Stourbridge 16 isn’t the most salubrious areas at the top,

But again we struck gold, not with an official volunteer, just an old guy with a windlass who liked to work locks, he didn’t stop to chat, he just walked ahead to prepare the next lock leaving us to work our way down. We did persuade him to accept a pint to show our thanks, because not having that extra step of having to fill the lock ahead, made all the difference between us enjoying the journey and it becoming a hard slog.

The flight drops 145′ and it does get prettier and the industrial heritage more interesting. Stourbridge was known for its glass making and the Red House Cone is a prominent feature. Built around 1790 the 100′ chimney is designed to draw the heat from the furnaces below so the temperature reaches 1000°C. Originally the glass was used for windows but in the 1830s production changed to bottles and tableware. Stuart Crystal was made here until 1930s.

The Red House Cone, one of the last remaining chimneys.

There is visitor mooring outside the cone, but with the last off the locks in site we decided to make the most of our helper and continue to the bottom.

24 locks over 5 miles all in 1 day. I could have done with a fish and chip super, but we made do with a dine in for 2 from M&S instead. 158miles to go and 118 locks

Where only the brave go, or the intrepid….

We do like the mooring at the Bumblehole, but curiosity got the better of us, wondering what we’d find down the Hawne Arm.

We had been warned that the Gosty Tunnel was low and the water shallow, but the rewards would be cheap diesel at Hawne basin…. Paul and his crew from Waterways Routes, were moored next to us, and encouraged us to give it a go

A lot of effort has been put into encouraging people to make the most of the canals around here, and local artist Luke Perry has a series of 31 sculptures that represent the people and heritage of the Dudley 2, This graffiti artist is telling us that this was the Tollmans office, where he would set the toll fee using a notched freeboard stick to calculate the weight of the boat.

Sadly there’s a lot of derelict neglect to be seen around here, despite some gems, the sculpture we liked the most is the elephant, who was found frolicking in the canal in the 1900s. I wonder how CRT would have handled that one…

For a backwater only 2 miles long there was plenty to make us smile,

And the geese don’t mind building their nests amongst the rubble

Then the entrance to the notoriously low Gosty Tunnel

Which isn’t all that long, and didn’t seem that low…..

At first…

But there was a nice friendly fella distracting us from the warning white paint

Or perhaps not so friendly

And yes we really did have to duck

But we followed the light at the end of the tunnel and made it out, without becoming victim to the rocky sides or count dracula. We were treated to some impressive old brickwork. This stretch of the canal had been vital to the former Stewarts and Lloyd’s steel works.

No wonder Tolkein got inspiration for Lord of the Rings from here

Hawne Basin had been the rail interchange for transhipment of S&Ls huge steel tubes, and is now the end of navigation. The original line had gone a further 5 miles to Selly Oak cutting out the centre of Birmingham

We picked up fuel for less than £/l wishing we had had an emptier tank. The reception was welcoming, and the community spirit obvious, I am sure they would have found us space for an overnight stay if we had asked. But we’d decided to make the return trip to Bumblehole the same day. Eric had promised me a black country speciality for tea, battered chips. Yes they really were that orange, and yes there was a huge piece of fish under them. Another good reason to plan a return trip this way.

Moving swiftly on

We have mixed feelings about being in built up areas, sometimes they appeal and other times we yearn for the countryside. And having explored Birmingham last January the busyness of the Easter Bank Holiday encouraged us to move on after only one night.
Last year we had travelled into Birmingham on the Old Line, so this time we decided to explore a new route and leave on the New Main line

The two lines run parallel to each other for quite a stretch,

The advantage being that the improved new mainline tackles the summit with a tunnel instead of 6 locks, making it a much quicker and easier passage for the barges.

And also reducing the workload for the Smethwick pumping station

And whilst I’m sure they weren’t built at the same time, the M5 motorway provides a canopy over the Old line for quite a section, whereas the New line creeps underneath the two, although you cant see it, there’s also a railway line crossing at the same point.

Duck, going under the Old line and the M5

Last January we had taken 3 days to do this journey on the Old Line it was cold and bitter and section’s of the canal were still frozen. This time we had reached the Netherton tunnel branch in 3 hours.

And we were able to moor up in the very pretty and peaceful Bumblehole

Reflections on the skyline, Birminham

Perhaps Easter Weekend wasn’t the best time to travel through Birminham- it was busy, but its when we arrived so off we set. The trip from King’s Norton Junction starts off depressing, with seemingly miles of graffiti,

Mindless graffiti, although the reflections ahead of us do at least look colourful

But it isn’t all bad as we made our progress north, “look at all those roof tops” Eric said

So I dutifully turned my head to the right to look, only to realise he was cruising as fast as he could (metaphorically cause 3mph isn’t fast) past what was on our left, a chocolate factory, and at Easter, but I suspect the Easter bunny was as busy as Santa’s elves so we didn’t stop.

Just imagine the smell, if you lived here

We’d arranged to pick up our friend James at Selly Oak, because he used to work at the University, in an office overlooking the canal. It was his dream to look up rather than look down. Of course we were too busy chatting to record the fantasy with a photo. But he enjoyed the experience. And Eric and I were still enjoying our lock free stretch, although this meant more tunnels

Seeing the light through Edgbaston tunnel

Edgbaston tunnel isn’t too long and as there is such a high footfall the towpath is always lit, which creates a rather weird impression that the the canal has run dry.

Many years ago Eric also used to work in Birminham, in the BT tower which we could see in the distance, although as an 18 year old I doubt he commanded a penthouse office with a view of the waterways.

looking up at the skyline -whilst we were being snapped by a gongoozler

We rounded the corner past one of my favourite buildings The Cube

And straight through Birminghams icon canal quarter

End of the Worcester and Birmingham canal and start of the Birmingham Old line canal

Where old and new seem to complement each other artistically,

Where we negotiated the giant plug, and tempting though it is to pull it out, who knows where we might end up if sucked down the vortex

And moored up just beyond St Vincent St Bridge. We prefer a quieter mooring, and we got full sun here.

Where the daffodils outshine the graffiti

And it was a good time to stop for a bacon buttie

Next time we’ll make sure there are some locks to work us through

29 lock free miles….almost

After completing 71 locks in 33 miles (out of 220 locks in 230 miles on our journey north) we are looking forward to a glorious 29 miles of locks free cruising through Birmingham, to let my achey muscles recover. Hockley Heath was a useful stopping off point with a fantastic, if expensive butchers, a good Coop and providing dreams of a faster mode of transport at the Maclaren garage.

If you cant see the price tag, you cant afford it.

Once we had passed Dickens Heath, a pristine new town created in the 1980s as a dormitory serving Solihul.

We noticed the amount of graffiti and debris in the canal starting to increase. When this fridge sinks its going to be a real hazard to boaters.

But urban areas always have the potential to surprise and interest us. We’re used to seeing Buzzards soaring in the skies but rarely get a chance to see them sitting watching us sail by.

Even more unusual is a Guillotine Lock at the end of the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal.

It wasn’t built to chop off the heads off any boater not paying their toll, but as a Stop lock to conserve water between the Stratford-upon-Avon canal and the Birmingham and Worcester canal. (And as a pinch point to force boaters to stop and pay their tolls.) These space-saving locks were quicker to opperate because they didn’t need paddles opening to alter the water level.

Goodbye Stratford-upon-Avon canal and hello Birmingham and Worcester canal

149 locks in196 miles still to go to reach Liverpool

Packwood House

We don’t take advantage of our National Trust membership as often as we should but Packwood House in Lapworth was a mere 20 minute stroll from our mooring. The sun was shining so off we set.

Moored just below the Drawbridge farm lift bridge

Originally built in the 1500s this grade 1 listed manor house fell into neglect until it was bought and restored by Graham Baron Ash in the 1920s. He donated it to the NT in the 1940s. Baron (his name not a title) continued to live there until he moved out to Wingfield Castle taking a fair bit of the best stuff with him. However, as with a lot of this magnificent old buildings the bathrooms remain and continue to fascinate us.

oh to be able to soak in a bath like that

Baron had been a keen traveller and great collector of things that pleased him. And nowadays the volunteers bubble over with enthusiasm to share their knowledge of the artefacts. We particularly liked this intricate lacquered chest.

And the great hall that had been transformed from the cattle byre into the party annex

But you had better behave yourselves because you were being watched

However Packwood is known most for is the Yew garden.

From the entrance its very imposing and formal , but once you’re inside, its quite surreal, we felt like characters from Alice in wonderland walking through a giant chess game. The oldest trees date back from the 1600’s, but alas they are showing their age and a lot of work is being done to restore and repair the garden.

impossible to capture without swiping a photo from the NT website

But grand though the yew trees were, you can’t beat a field of daffodils

Decisions, Decisions…

Decisions decisions
which way should we go to Birmingham,

Plan A- carry straight on up the Grand Union Canal via Knowle and Aston Junction exploring a new stretch of water

Plan A to carry on up the Grand Union canal

No, it looks like Plan B via Lapworth

Or Plan B turn left onto the Stratford Canal

We’d heard a rumour about a stoppage along planned route A so decided not to risk it. And besides, choosing route B cut 11 locks off our total journey. Despite the mindless graffiti on the bridge, Kingswood junction is a very pretty place with the Kingswood link branch joining the Stratford upon Avon Canal.

And the Stratford canal is all single locks

I know I’m a bit obsessed about the number of locks we’re doing, but that’s my achy muscles talking and I knew there were 19 to get to the top of the Lapworth flight. But as if to encourage me, the clouds dispersed and spring sunshine spurred us on.

This is the route we took last year coming south on our way to the Thames. And the Lapworth flight is where my phone took a leap in for a swim, never to be seen again, it didn’t stop me peering into the infamous lock 8 just in case I could rescue it.

surprise surprise the naughty phone remains in Navy Jones’s Locker. So we were able to marvel at some of the interesting historical structures instead. The bridges on the Stratford canal are metal and split to allow traditional horse drawn boats to pass through efficiently. On Bridge 32 there is a rotating wheel that helps guide the pulling ropes from one side of the canal to the other as the towpath changes side.

We made it up to Lapworth top lock and settled in to enjoy a few days of sunshine at Hockley Heath.

And the prospect of more than 20 miles without any more locks.

Helping hands at Hatton

With the mighty Hatton Flight looming ahead of us and with the prospect of company we didn’t linger to enjoy the delights of Royal Leamington Spa. For such a historic Georgian spa town, the canal through Leamington is a bit of a perfunctory back water. At one point we wondered if we would actually get through when we saw this leviathan looming ahead. Ok, we knew we’d fit, but there wasn’t clearance for a similar 14foot widebeam to pass. We really don’t know how they would have handled that situation.

Nice to live in, just not ideal to cruise in

The mile or so between Leamington and Warwick is a gift for boaters with Morrisons, Lidl and Tesco all having mooring right outside. We languished at Lidl whilst the passing storm clouds attempted to deal with the water shortages

myton visitor mooring, (aka outside Lidl)

We cruised through Warwick only stopping one night. Another place where the canal is not valued as an asset to the town if the state of the towpath is anything to go by. Until you get to the Hatton Flight, which is a real gem for gongoozlers and historians. Although boaters know it as the Stairway to Heaven because 21 double locks is such hard work. We struck lucky, no rain and finding ourselves a lock buddy to start the day.

We’d planned to moor up on the armco after the fourth lock so our family could join us, but the lock keeper told us to moor after the eleventh, on the bollards at Asylum Wharf. We were a bit reluctant because it was the lock landing, and it’s not good etiquette, but he assured us traffic was light and he’d make sure the gates were open so if anyone came through they wouldn’t need to stop. And a spectacular view

Heather and Ant were just passing through so they stayed for breakfast and we were on our way an hour later

I cant think why, but they didn’t offer to crew for us up the remaining 10 locks but we had another secret weapon. Friends who live locally. Ironically because of how well maintained the flight is, and the willing volunteer lockies, we flew up the remaining locks in super fast time

and James only arrived in time to do the last 3 locks, but never the less, we set him to work.

As his reward, he was allowed to take the helm as we cruised

on through the haunted Shrewley tunnel.

All in all we’d had a fantastic day, all our stars aligned

5 miles, 21 double locks, 1 tunnel and 2 lots of visitors- we slept well that night.

Sharing the load

There’s a lorra lorra locks between us and Liverpool, which is our summer goal. From Norton Junction, its 228 miles and 229 locks into Salthouse dock . We’re not planning the most direct route, this way we can call in on friends and experience a new canal on the journey.

So far we’ve done about 20 miles and 29 locks But thanks to delays with overrunning maintenance its already taken us just over 2 weeks, Perhaps we need to make some friends in Long Itchingham, who seem to have learnt something we haven’t.

However we have enjoyed our journey so far, sharing every single one of these heavy double locks. The Cheeky Pig did the Stockton flight with us.

and the guys who had been repairing the locks were happy to take a break from clearing up their equipment to help us on our way.

I doubt they’re going to sort the tow path out though.

We moored up by the Two Boats at Long Itchingham,

home to Colecraft boat builder, and a pretty village. Of course we’d rather not have the need for these, but its nice to see a contempory war memorial remembering our fallen.

Snatching a gap in the wind and the rain we completed our journey into Leamington under the watchful eye of Rudi and his crew on The Vicount.

Happily trundling slowly along the canals, preserving this gentle way of life, as HS2 looms large at Longhole, by Bridge 31

next stop Hatton Flight, anyone want to come along for the ride, we’ll be going up in the world. (And I have a plentiful supply of bacon butties)

Trapped again

We said goodbye to Braunston and turned left onto the Oxford canal We had a real spring in our step cruising in the sunshine.

looking back to Braunston from the oxford canal

And moored up at the beautiful bridge 100, to absorb the rays.

But winter wasn’t done with us yet, as there was a frost with ice on the water when we woke the following morning.

And to add to the gloom, we got an email notification from CRT informing us that the planned winter repairs at Stockton locks were overrunning due to the winter weather. Instead of a leisurely 3 day cruise to the locks we were trapped again for another week. And the weather was decidedly iffy. Nothing else for it but to get the jigsaws out.

With dwindling food supplies, and the towpath too muddy to trudge back to Braunston, we moved up to Flecknoe and walked up the hill…

…To the Old Olive Bush pub for Sunday lunch. It happened to be Mothers day so we pushed the boat out and treated ourselves to pudding as well. Really fantastic meal, and warm welcome from landlady Linda and the locals. We’ll visit this pub again.

With just 2 more days of captivity we moved on to Napton Junction, and turned right towards Warwick along to Grand Union Canal

Shared the Calcutt locks with another inmate bemoaning the delays.

So much more fun doing locks with company

The fuel boats had also been caught up with the extended stoppages so we popped into Ventnor marina for diesel. (£1.30l) It always seems a very welcoming marina especially with their golden daffodils outside.

Then joined the queue waiting for CRT to let us on our way.