Fri 14th Sep
Tardebigge to Alvechurch
We only had one lock to
negotiate today, and as we approached, another boat was approaching from the
top. They emptied it for us, as it was about a third full.
Tardebigge Top Lock
Waiting for Tardebigge Facilities
Lime
Kilns
Old
bricks
Then we were off through
Tardebigge Tunnel in the direction of Birmingham. This was followed by Shortwood Tunnel.
Tardebigge
Tunnel
Hugo
enjoying the cruise
Shortwood
Tunnel
Emerging
from Shortwood Tunnel
As we approached
Alvechurch Boat Centre there was a newly painted boat swinging around on very
long mooring lines.
Lack
of mooring skills
The visitor moorings before
and after Bridge 60 were all full, so we had to go on and moor after bridge 61.
There were two spaces available. We tried the first one, but couldn’t get close
in to the side. As we pulled out again,
something stopped our propeller. We were drifting in mid stream, and James and
went down the weed hatch to see what was caught. It was a piece of carpet.
We managed to get going
again and pulled in to the second space, which was on a slight curve so the
bows stuck out. We were opposite a new
marina entrance, so there was plenty of space.
The
bit of carpet from the prop.
Moored
in Alvechurch
James went into the
village to visit the Co-op and the butcher. Hugo met a local black and white
cat. Thankfully they didn’t seem to bother each other.
There was a pretty sky
later on.
Alvechurch
sunset.
1 lock, 3 miles
Sat 15th Sep
Alvechurch
We had a productive
morning doing a few chores, including putting our chimney on again. James
adjusted the door catch to our bedroom, and the door now closes much more
gently. We have put up with it for five years and the job took five minutes!
We visited the Crown and
found they had no decent cider, and a very limited food menu. It is a shame,
because the building is quaint. We
walked back along the canal to visit the Weighbridge, and found a beer festival
in progress, with a wide selection of beers and two proper ciders. There was a
ladies Morris side called Aelfgythe, and they performed three dances while we
were there. We had some samosas in the
marquee. We had a good chat to a man
there. His wife was the chairperson of the local history society.
ÆLFGYTHE
We tried to find someone
to ask about boat paint, but they were busy with training hire boat crews. We
explored the boat centre and managed to find the elsan point which we may need
before we leave.
Hazel went back to the boat
along the tow path, but James went for a circular walk along paths, starting by
crossing under the canal under an aqueduct, and through a dingle. Then up a
hill and along a minor road, returning to the Crown via another path down the
hill.
The
aqueduct
The
dingle
Views
An
ancient wall
A
walk with a view
Log
art
Arriving back at the
boat, he picked up a coloured stone that had been placed on our stern
navigation light. Later, a family went past and one of the youngsters exclaimed
“It’s gone!” James went out to see if they wanted the stone back, and was told
that the plan was that whoever finds the stone should take it and put it somewhere
else for someone else to find. How exciting is that?
The
stone
We lit a fire as it was
getting chilly and damp.
No boating today
Sun 16th Sep
Alvechurch to Hopwood
We set an alarm this
morning, as we planned to go to the 0930 service at St Laurence’s church. We
managed to pick our route through the housing estate roads and paths without
going down and up again too much.
It was good to meet Revd Richard Bubbers, who is involved in Workplace
Matters, and knows Waterways Chaplains such as Richard Alford.
St Laurence Church
The talk was based on
the Beatitudes. The worship was led by a lady on the keyboard, with three lady
vocalists, and included King of Kings, Majesty, and In Christ Alone.
After coffee etc in the
Ark, a modern extension, we walked down the hill into the village to buy a few
things in the Co-op.
Back at the boat, we turned
round in the entrance to the new marina opposite, and headed for Alvechurch
Marina. We turned round again in the winding hole there and reversed onto the service
pontoon. We had just changed our gas bottle, so Hazel took the empty one to
exchange it for a full one, while James emptied a cassette.
Turning
in the new marina entrance
The
service pontoon
We set off once more,
and as Hugo came up on deck we discovered that he no longer had his collar. We
had a look around in the boat and could not find it, so we guess he had lost it
in the bushes last night. So we paused
by last night’s mooring and Hazel had a look along the path and surrounding
area, but could not find it. Perhaps he
had had an argument with the black and white cat we had seen earlier.
Collarless
Hugo
We continued our
journey, passing BCF boat Almost There,
but no-one was around. We saw the Crown
Meadow Arm, which was the old route of the canal before the M42 was built. We
passed under the M42, where the road is screened from the canal by a high
fence.
Almost
There
Crown
Meadow Arm
M42
Motorway Bridge
We travelled past Lower
Bittel Reservoir, but we didn’t see any flamingos. We arrived at Hopwood, and
saw Betty D moored up outside the
Hopwood House pub. We moored further on
past the road bridge and the water point.
As we prepared to go for
lunch, Angus and Margaret came past with their dogs and we had a chat. They
will be going on into Gas Street, Birmingham, not down the Stratford Canal.
The pub has changed
hands since we were here last time, and there is a wide ranging menu. We had
the Sunday Roast, which was excellent.
Hopwood House
0 locks, 3 miles
Next: Continue down the Stratford
Canal to Kingswood Junction, where we cross onto the Grand Union heading for
Warwick.
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