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
left hand down a bit
The two lines run parallel to each other for quite a stretch,
Swiped from CRT’s maps
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.
Smethwick tunnel
And also reducing the workload for the Smethwick pumping station
Smethwick pump house, now a museum
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.
Netherton Junction
And we were able to moor up in the very pretty and peaceful Bumblehole
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
Bournville village
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.
Where’s all the water gone
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
The Cube (rooms from £130 a night)
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,
Gas street Basin
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
Old Turn Junction
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
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.
Dickens Heath
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.
a few spoiling it for many
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.
A buzzard
Even more unusual is a Guillotine Lock at the end of the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal.
Kings Norton Stop Lock
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
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 which way should we go to Birmingham,
Birmingham or Stratford.
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.
Kingswood Junction
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.
Up the Lapworth flight
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.
bridge 32
We made it up to Lapworth top lock and settled in to enjoy a few days of sunshine at Hockley Heath.
top lock 2
And the prospect of more than 20 miles without any more locks.
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.
He’s a willing volunteer
As his reward, he was allowed to take the helm as we cruised
on through the haunted Shrewley tunnel.
no ghosts today
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.
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.
screenshot from ACCcanal planner
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,
The Two Boats
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.
Rudi and crew
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)
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.
Bridge 100
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.
homemade chocolate fudge pudding
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.
Ventnor marina entrance
Then joined the queue waiting for CRT to let us on our way.
The first thing we do these days is look at the weather forecast. Moan, groan or grin, debate whether to move or not, weigh up the pros or cons of our current mooring to our potential destination then make a cuppa tea whilst we agree to look out of porthole after breakfast, then decide. It seems nothing is predictable. However, we had agreed to meet up with our friends John and Martina on Burnt Oak, who were travelling in the same direction as us. And despite the grey sky we’d been promised 16 degrees so a good day to cruise.
Norton Junction and the Toll House
We had suggested meeting up on the other side of the tunnel
The Eastern Portal of Braunston tunnel
However we were being chased as John and Martina arrived just after us
And half an hour later, they followed us out, and we got to see their new paint work. (I’ll leave it to them to share any details)
Luckily they trusted our boat handling skills enough to share the flight of 7 locks down into Braunston
sharing a lock, doubles the fun and halves the work
We even had a choice of mooring once we arrived in Braunston
Nice spot to moor, but poor tv and internet, and a very muddy towpath
The promised 16° didn’t happen, despite the tantalising glimpses of blue sky, but the clash of warm and cold fronts did produce some tropical downpours and 40mph winds which kept us in Braunston an extra day. We still managed to get to one of our favourite shops on the system, Tradline, the rope and fender specialists
We said farewell to our friends and continued up Buckby flight on our own.
Leaky Locks Falls
The bottom locks were scheduled to start winter repairs from 6th to 17th and we knew our route onward had closures at Stockton until 17th so we weren’t in any hurry. We liked the view of this house below top lock and knowing the forecast was iffy, we settled in for a few days.
And oh boy did it turn miserable
Poor Sheep
Then to our horror, we discovered that, in their wisdom, CRT had decided to chain up the top lock despite it not being included on published closure. Pretty though it was, we weren’t prepared for another 10 days stuck there.
Chained and padlocked in
To be fair, CRT didn’t want anyone descending the flight, but surely a poster on the lockgate would have sufficed. We weren’t the only boats moored below top lock not expecting to be imprisoned. Luckily CRTs yard is right there and we found the man with the key who let us out. That 20 minute cruise was more than enough with snow falling. And it wasn’t long before we were snug under a snowy duvet.
Think we’ll stay put today
a bit of blue sky would have made for a better postcard.
the top lock, lock cottage and New Inn
Which is what we woke to the next morning
what a difference a day makes
We were expecting to meet up with some more boaty friends coming down the Leicester branch so we enjoyed another day on the Norton Junction waiting for them.
