Birmingham to Waring's Green

We had another week in Cambrian Wharf, again it was very quiet with only a couple of visiting boats, we moored up right by the lock. On one of the days we were entertained by a film crew, there were scenes on the bridge of an older man who was being accosted by four youths and then some of him sat down by the lock crying. Apparently his was down on his luck and was homeless. 

Some of the film crew

Poor actor had to sit down there for ages

On Monday 22nd February we said our goodbyes to Birmingham and left again to start our 2016 travels. We ended up going back through Birmingham and onto the Worcester and Birmingham Canal again, unfortunately there were stoppages starting on the Camp Hill locks, on reaching King's Norton Junction this time we turned left on the Stratford-on-Avon Canal and through the old guillotine lock, which isn't used now, next was the short Brandwood Tunnel and then Shirley Drawbridge, this one is easy - I only had to push a couple of buttons. 

Guillotine Lock

Shame about the graffiti

The mile posts on the Stratford-on-Avon Canal

We reached Waring's Green and moored up on a nice sunny stretch just before bridge 19, there were even mooring rings here. It was nice to be free and out in the open countryside again.

13 miles and 0 locks

TOTAL 32.5 miles and 3 locks

Bournville

On 7th February it was time to briefly leave Birmingham, we had vague plans to head for Tipton, its handy there as it's near a train station. But on the Sunday when we were heading off the weather forecast wasn't looking too good so we decided to head for Bournville instead. The visitor moorings are right next to the train station, I had a few work assignments booked in for the week, in Birmingham city centre, Walsall and very handily Bournville itself.

Leaving Birmingham looking at Broad Street Bridge with Gas Street Basin beyond

Passing the ICC

And Gas Street Basin

Gas Street Basin again with Jimmy Spices on the left

A relatively new bridge built in the old style with the old stop lock 

The Mailbox and The Cube

On Dudley's first birthday (9th Feb) we went for a stroll around Bournville and into Stirchley, there are some lovely houses on the Bournville Estate built for the Cadbury workers when the factory here opened. Cadbury,'s had chosen this site due to the location right near the Worcester and Birmingham Canal. On our walk we ended up at a cafe, as you do, Dudley was allowed in and the lovely couple running it made such a fuss of him, we had mentioned to them that it was his birthday, and when they bought our lovely full English breakfast over there was a little plate with chopped up sausage for his birthday.

Bournville Moorings, the railway is the other side of the hedge

On Saturday we continued on to Kings Norton junction, with the Stratford canal, winded and made our way back into Birmingham and Cambrian Wharf. The moorings at Bournville were good and it was great being right near the station, but James was being kept awake from the noise early morning and late at night, the train service is excellent every 10 minutes into and out of Birmingham and also the odd freight train in the early hours. I was OK I slept through it, but you can only take so much interrupted sleep. Also with the forecast looking to turn colder we didn't want to be iced in there so we headed back for the comforts of city centre living.

Kings Norton Junction

This is the sign above the front door of the house

10 miles and 0 locks

TOTAL 19.5 miles and 3 locks

Fallen superhero joins the team...

In the latest call-out the D.E.B. (earlier episode here) found herself in the unusual situation of not rescuing a fellow boater in distress but a fallen superhero of yore. 

The superhero in question has been out of favour with the populous of his birth country for some considerable time. In a recent, exclusive interview he sited the cause as being ageism saying "I couldn't believe it boyo, I'm only in my mid 30's, I'm in my prime". Other sources believe there could also have been  power struggle and a possible coup led by 'Spotty' the factory worker who rescued him from a reject's bin   and soon became no more than the jealous sidekick. 

His story began back in the late '70's when as a young ordinary Ted he was charged with conquering his owner's fear of the dark. With the whisper of one secret word, provided by mother nature deep in the Welsh mountains, he became SUPERTED....

SuperTed, in his native Welsh pronunciation - s  iwp  hur Ted - had been flying a low level mission over the Malvern hills when he finally ran out of puff and crash landed in the flood water of the Worcester and Birmingham canal. He was swept for days in the torrent of the flowing water which at times reached nearly 1mph! With the sides of the canal too steep to exit ST managed to summon enough energy to crawl up the edge of the canal water run off. Succumbing to the elements ST found that with lapses of memory loss he had completely forgotten the magic word to kick start his powers. 

We are pleased to report that the prognosis is good and ST is expected to make a full recovery aboard LJ. Sadly his strength hadn't recovered in time for the Tardibigge lock flight so the going was slightly slower than expected with the two man team managing a respectful 3h 35mins through the flight. 

'I couldn't go on. I thought I was done for'

'Then from nowhere I was plucked to safety thanks to the D.E.B'

Weekend of visitors...

Kaela and Colin had met us at our mooring the night before having parked in Hanbury wharf and cycled the six miles or so to where we were. Harry the golden retriever paid a visit as well. He is a beautiful dog but he did pong a bit as he had decided to swim most of the six miles, only stopping for a quick lie down in the muddy puddles to catch his breath. We had a great evening catching up with a pot of vegi chilli that Deb had made and a bottle of wine brought by K&C. 

As we are a strictly two birth set up K&C had to bunk down on the lounge floor. Harry was barricaded in the kitchen but managed to keep C awake most of the night (well he had a lot of canal to clean off)

Saturdays weather was as forecast and soon developed into a beautiful autumn day. C has been a regular hirer in the past so we left him with a windlass, his bike and a smelly dog to set the locks for us. We had a gentle plod up through the locks and through the pounds at less than strolling pace. 

K&C are kinda 'good life' wannabes. They have a well stocked allotment (as well stocked as the abysmal weather allowed) and have just completed a days foraging course. I still had the crab apples and elder berries to sort out, destined for winter jelly. I was still on the lookout for damsons though and he only ones I have seen were in someone's back garden or in the markets for about £3 per kg. On one of the lock approaches I could see a few high up in the trees but no more than a handful really. Once in the lock we managed to bend a few branches and get about half a kilo. On the way out of the lock though was a tree on the off side that had a much more bountiful crop. I steered the bough into the edge so Deb and K could do the picking and within a few moments the bowl was over flowing, a good 3 to 4 kg :-) 

Harry soon got the idea that bridge holes made the towpath come closer and hopped off at every opportunity. Sadly as soon as he was off he decided that maybe the boat was the better option and made a desperate lunge in our direction. I didn't particularly want to mince the family pet up on its first visit to us so engaged neutral until Collins hand and Harry's neck scruff were reunited. Of course I abided by K's family rule (no.6 - the kids are not permitted to call harry stupid) and left it that he was 'challenged' by certain situations :-) 

Lock lessons

Crew ready for lock duty

I spy damsons (wish we could have a week of this weather)

A rural stretch of reeds, I mean canal

A beautiful day on the ditch 

"I am merely challenged by this situation - can you smell something?"

Sunday's dog was a bit more of a manageable size

Going back to Friday...

Seems a long while ago that we left Worcester. We have since had a visit from my sister and her partner, then Pip and John on Sunday before tackling the Tardibigge flight and arriving in Alvechurch yesterday afternoon. My trusty tablet and MiFi are now in Birmingham hospital with me writing this waiting for an MRI scan. Great this modern technology isn't it. 

Not hot and sunny but a pleasant trip 

Quite deep locks and narrow at the bottoms. A tight squeeze so  fenders were left up

This lock had had part of the brick work chiseled away to widen the entrance

We did manage a bit of foraging on the way though

 Not everyone was having a good trip though. A concealed bridge base took three boats by surprise. 

 Day out in Worcester...

Thursday's weather was as forecast a nice cool, clear autumn morning clouding over by lunchtime. First couple of jobs for the day involved turning LJ back to canal mode, stowing away the anchor and chain and other safety gear and a quick tidy up before heading back to Worcester centre.

We headed firstly back to the cathedral for a proper look around. Of all the churches, castles and chateaux that we have visited this was the first time on a cool morning that I had to take my jumper off once inside. It was very comfortably warm and I wasn't that surprised that they quoted running costs equating to £5 per visitor. It was still a magnificent place though and gave a real insight into this historic and prosperous city.

Once we had picked up the few bits and bobs from our shopping list we popped back to LJ for a spot of late lunch and a cuppa before heading towards the local national trust property Greyfriars.

Another of the properties rescued by Elsie

Set on Friar street running parallel to the high street the property had been rescued by the Elsie and Malcolm Matley Moore from development and lived in as a family home. As other buildings had been earmarked for development later (one little terrace of shops due to be a '50s carpark) she bought them as well. "Shame on you generation x, knocking down all our heritage". There are a number of very pretty buildings in the city centre I think my favourite was the Hop Market which had a large open archway through to parades of beautifully courtyard fronted shops. Less notable were some of the older grand buildings that seem to now house chain pubs and cafés across the country.

Archway to shops and cafes in the old market place - no the sun hasn't come out , it's another pic of t'internet

1902 - before being redeveloped to today's arcades 

An old tower that is now a Slug and Lettuce. And an old bank that surprisingly is now a bank.

The river was still flowing nicely today and a diddy boat that was moored with us in Stourport zoomed by on tick-over. You can see the height of the water level above the prom on the stones to the side. There are also several plaques with dates of the notable floods which kinda makes you wonder why the prom had low level bollard lighting. Never mind, once the prom had been jet washed the electricians moved in to dig all the mud out of the lights ;)

Hardly any water from the prop but he was flying

Water level last week on the wall to the right

2007 was about 3/4 way up the wall

Lights in the distance being tested

Only a couple of hours boating and half a dozen or so locks planned for tomorrow (Friday) so departure would be weather dependent  Forecast is for an OK morning and rain by mid afternoon. We will be mooring up and Sis and partner arriving some time Friday evening for Saturdays trip up to Hanbury wharf and staying here ready for Pip and John's visit on Sunday.