I can't believe I haven't updated the blog for a whole month. To be fair it's been a busy month meeting up with a few friends and covering most of the Avon ring - I'll complete the missing section later this month. To clarify there are several "Rings" on the canal network which are basically round trip routes as shown on the map below. So far I've done the Four Counties and Thames Rings and by the end of tis month will complete the Avon and Black Country rings.
However, I had better cover last month before moving onto November. At the end of September I left the East Anglian rivers and rejoined the canal network at Gayton Junction above Northampton. Then after a couple of days getting used to the lower engine power needed for cruising the canals at a respectable pace I made my way up to Calcutt marina where I met up with an old RAF mate Pete Billings who keeps his narrowboat there. A couple of days spent catching up with jobs on both our boats, taking his dog for walks and enjoying good food, drink and company.
Leaving Calcutt I headed north on the Grand Union passing through many locks including the Hatton flight of 21 wide locks which are hard work - especially when wet. Above the flight I joined the Stratford canal at Kingswood Junction from where the canal heads north to Birmingham os south to Stratford upon Avon - I chose to head south as I wanted to explore the river Avon which the canal joins at Stratford. The Stratford canal is very pretty as it falls through mostly open countryside. One of the locks has an an Antony Gormley sculpture along side, one of only 5 in his "Land" installation.
The final approach to Stratford is quite narrow and built up so views are limited until bursting open in the basin at the terminal which offers extensive views of the town and river Avon. This is the view from the final lock separating river from canal.
After enjoying a week in Stratford sampling the many traditional tea rooms I spent a thoroughly enjoyable few days cruising down the picturesque river Avon which offers stunning views and some scary weirs if you take a wrong turn.
The trip was marred slightly by my carelessly getting the rudder caught on a lock cill. I've only done this once before, earlier this year, when managed to relocate the rudder. Unfortunately this time it was well and truly jammed and needed to be lifted from the water to allow the repair to be undertaken. Thankfully I found a very good boat yard who lifted the boat out the following morning and the repair was completed by noon and I was once again on my way,albeit with a much lighter wallet. However, on the advice of the marina I checked my insurance policy and found it actually covered damage caused by underwater objects so my wallet has since been topped up - less the excess.
The Avon meets the river Severn at Tewksbury and I then headed upstream to Worcester. The Severn is still a working river with several large gravel barges trundling up and down.
After a days cruise I reached Worcester where the massive locks remind you of the large vessels that travel on the river.
The Worcester & Birmingham canal joins the river which would take me into the centre of Birmingham. I stopped here a few days to visit the pretty and very compact city before being joined by another ex-work colleague - Joanne Shaw and her lovely family Steve and young Cam. We spent a couple of hours cruising the Severn before turning onto the canal to head up a few locks and stopping for Pizza. Cam seemed to enjoy his trip and was a credit to his parents. Although he does pose whenever a camera is pointed at him.
The next few days were spent climbing up the Worcester and Birmingham canal. Birmingham seems to be atop a hill and the 30 mile stretch incorporates 58 lock - 30 of which form the longest flight on the UK canal system. It was with some relief that I passed through lock 58 and enjoyed the final 10 miles of lock free canal passing through the pretty suburbs of Bournville, the town created by Cadbury for his workforce and Edgbaston a green and pleasant area where the captains of industry chose to live well away from their factories. Even 2 miles from the city centre the canal still passes through a green corridor before it finally gives way to the city skyline.
The famous Gas Street Basin in the city centre where the Worcester & Birmingham canal meets the Birmingham canal main line. Although the canals were originally not connected due to disputes between the two companies so goods had to be unloaded from one boat at one side of the Worcester Bar only to be loaded onto another on the opposite side. Eventually the canals were joined via a stop lock following an act of parliament.
While in Birmingham I visited the Black Country Museum and the Dudley canal tunnels and mines which are quite impressive.
My brother Dave joined me for a few days as he was over from the Isle of Man. After viewing the tunnels we made our way through Birmingham to Wolverhampton and another flight of 21 locks as the canal drops down to join the Shropshire Union and Trent & Mersey canals.
And as October slips into November I'm now in the village of Hopwas and will shortly join the Birmingham and Fazely canal to head once more uphill into Birmingham city centre to complete the Black Country ring and then leave on the Worcester canal to join the Stratford and complete the last section of the Avon ring.
I will try to update the blog more often as my memory isn't up to recalling month long episodes.
