Hockley Heath to Birmingham

Sun 28^th June  Hockley Heath to Dickens Heath

We had suffered from a disturbed night, firstly due to a crowd of youngsters gathering in the car park of the Wharf Tavern, which was closed. Kairos was closer than we were, but the noise was continual until the small hours. The second irritation was three sets of wind chimes in gardens opposite. The wind was strong, so the chimes were busy.

The Wharf Tavern

Wind chimes

We spent the morning on the computer – firstly following a Broughton Church service on Facebook, and then a Zoom meeting with our life group. One of the benefits of the pandemic has been the greater use of online communication, enabling people like us to join in even when we are away.

We left and made slow progress along the Stratford Canal, which is a bit silted up, and needs dredging. We passed along a lovely wooded stretch before going under the M42, and as the wind was in our faces, the noise receded fairly soon. We didn’t stop at the bakery at bridge 20 this time.

A green length of canal

Under the M42

Swallow Cruisers was closed for diesel, elsan etc. We decided not to try Earlswood Motor Yacht Club, but carried on past Dickens Heath, shown as countryside on the map, but now a large housing complex.

Dickens Heath

We stopped as planned after Bridge 10, and just before the winding hole. There seemed to be a lot of people walking or cycling the towpath in this area.

Moored near Dickens Heath

Chris and Sally came on board for a meal. We have been travelling together for almost a month, and we considered each other to be safe. We couldn’t sit out as the path was narrow and the weather was cold and windy. This was our last evening together, as tomorrow we go in different directions when we reach the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.

Farewell to Chris and Sally

0 locks, 5 miles.  Dep 1220, arr 1430

Mon 29^th June  Dickens Heath to Cadbury World

We said farewell to Chris and Sally as Chris cycled off to move his car. We hadn’t gone very far, when we suddenly lost power and steerage, with something on the prop. The engine was still running, but the boat was drifting and there was nowhere to tie up.  James went down the weed hatch as we were still moving, and retrieved a very long piece of plastic sacking material.

Plastic on the prop

As we moved on, something else got caught on the prop, and we entered the access channel for Shirley Drawbridge, and removed some plastic and a long shoelace. Hazel operated the bridge with a key.

Shirley Drawbridge

Horseshoe pub

There was a lovely wooded stretch soon after, and then we arrived at Brandwood Tunnel. We could see through to the other end easily, so we didn’t bother with a tunnel light.

Brandwood Tunnel

At the far end of the Stratford Canal is Lock no 1, now disused. This is a guillotine gated stop lock, the only one of its kind. It was built in 1814 to stop water flowing from one canal to another, and to make boats stop to pay their tolls.

Kings Norton guillotine stop lock

We turned right at the junction, and travelled north along the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, much deeper than the Stratford. We saw lots of graffiti as we went, mooring finally at the Cadbury World visitor moorings.

Kings Norton Junction

Into the Worcester and Birmingham Canal

Graffiti

Cadbury mooring

We contacted our granddaughter Jasmin who came for a meal on board. It was very good to see her.

Jasmin

Water art

0 locks, 6 miles, 1 lift bridge. Dep 0915, arr 1155.

Tue 30^th June   Cadbury World to Birmingham

We went early to Jasmin’s rented property to give her moral support as her landlords came for the checkout inspection at 8am. She was the only tenant left out of five. It was a twenty minute walk, and we called in at Farm Foods on our return for some milk. We noted that a new Morrisons was due to open in a few days.

Bournville Aqueduct

The view from the Cadbury moorings

Cadbury's

We set off hoping to visit Aldi and Sainsbury’s at Bridge 80, and were pleased to find some bollards there for visiting boats. The new Sainsbury’s was very strange, with no obvious entrance from the road or the canal. It was all geared for motorists. It was very large, and by the time we had finished we decided not to bother with Aldi.

Faceless Sainsbury’s

We continued our journey, pausing by Peter Fisher’s boat Solar Kingfisher for a chat and catch up, before proceeding through Edgbaston Tunnel.

Peter Fisher

Edgbaston Tunnels

Next stop was at Holiday Wharf, to use the water point and empty cassettes. Sadly, there are no rubbish bins here, so we continued through some notable Birmingham landmarks to the facilities by Cambrian Wharf.

Holiday Wharf facilities

The Mailbox with deserted restaurants

The Library

A converted warehouse

Worcester Bar at Gas Street Basin

Broad Street Tunnel

Old Turn and the National Indoor Arena

We then needed to turn the boat in the awkwardly shaped Cambrian Basin, where we were caught by the wind, and needed a push round by another boater.

Leaving the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal after our brief visit

Old Turn Junction

We moved along the Main Line, and found Tim and Tracey on Sola Gratia, moored by the Roundhouse. We moored behind them hoping to catch up with them later. This was not to be, as Tim was having an eye operation, and we didn’t see him until the next day.

Moored with Sola Gratia

0 locks, 5 miles, 1 tunnel. Dep 1030, arr 1055 Br 80. Dep 1235, arr 1440 Roundhouse.

Next: Heading out of central Birmingham, planning for the Wolverhampton 21 on Friday.