From Warwick to Birmingham
21/7/2019
At Warwick we were joined by 2 energetic capable friends, kindly devoting a long weekend to boating, and locking! Excellent company, and we hope to welcome them aboard again. Sara has given us a painting of Santiago, herself the excellent artist.
The Hatton flight of locks climbs 146.5' from Warwick, westerly towards Birmingham. It is an energetic 2 to 3 hours of windlass wielding, pushing gates, walking.
At the top lock is a very popular cafe, boaters, cyclists, walkers stoking up for their next exertions.
The Stratford Canal joins the Grand Union at Kingswood, but we are heading for the metropolis of Birmingham.
A further 5 locks at Knowle, rising another 42'. green lovely country, farms, hamlets. Footpaths snaking across fields, styles.
Ovaltine was manufactured nearby, and from 1925 coal was delivered to the factory in canal boats emblazoned with 'Drink delicious Ovaltine for Health'.
At times the trees form tunnels over the canal, home to fluffy black moorhen chicks, smaller than the palm of your hand. Moorhens join the good parent group of swans and canada geese, which always have 2 adults with each little family.
As the canal approaches the outskirts of Birmingham, there is still beauty among the council housing, old factories.
Passersby stop to talk, some enthusiastically join us in locking down the 5 locks to Bordesly Junction, the first of many junctions in the labyrinth of the BCN, Birmingham Canal Network. More miles of canals than in Venice, we've been told.
We moor for the evening in a university campus, quiet, still, more geese wandering around than people.
Unsurprisingly a decent pub nearby, for a celebratory pint and a last meal with our friends before they return to London.
The last 13 locks of the GU climb through the central business district, sometimes under buildings, some tricky manoevring to pass other craft, mostly good natured, cooperative. Only one pushy boater, not a bad score.
The Hatton flight of locks climbs 146.5' from Warwick, westerly towards Birmingham. It is an energetic 2 to 3 hours of windlass wielding, pushing gates, walking.
At the top lock is a very popular cafe, boaters, cyclists, walkers stoking up for their next exertions.
The Stratford Canal joins the Grand Union at Kingswood, but we are heading for the metropolis of Birmingham.
A further 5 locks at Knowle, rising another 42'. green lovely country, farms, hamlets. Footpaths snaking across fields, styles.
Ovaltine was manufactured nearby, and from 1925 coal was delivered to the factory in canal boats emblazoned with 'Drink delicious Ovaltine for Health'.
At times the trees form tunnels over the canal, home to fluffy black moorhen chicks, smaller than the palm of your hand. Moorhens join the good parent group of swans and canada geese, which always have 2 adults with each little family.
As the canal approaches the outskirts of Birmingham, there is still beauty among the council housing, old factories.
Passersby stop to talk, some enthusiastically join us in locking down the 5 locks to Bordesly Junction, the first of many junctions in the labyrinth of the BCN, Birmingham Canal Network. More miles of canals than in Venice, we've been told.
We moor for the evening in a university campus, quiet, still, more geese wandering around than people.
Unsurprisingly a decent pub nearby, for a celebratory pint and a last meal with our friends before they return to London.
The last 13 locks of the GU climb through the central business district, sometimes under buildings, some tricky manoevring to pass other craft, mostly good natured, cooperative. Only one pushy boater, not a bad score.
Comments
Post a Comment