Alrewas

On the move at 9:00 and onwards up the Trent & Mersey. We climbed upto (yes upto) the Trent at Wychnor Lock after checking the flood status indicator. It was at Green, so no problems. The flow was still quite strong but Denise had no difficulty guiding the boat through to the other end of the river section at Alrewas lock.

We moored just above the lock at 11:45 as we wanted to go again to the excellent butcher. After buying some very good looking free range pork we walked around the village visiting the much restored church and investigating the pub food situation. Couple of reasonable looking options and the possibility of an Indian, though that could have been closed, so we will stay here for the rest of the day.

Back home tomorrow so probably the last blog for this year.

Branston again

A misty morning in Swarkestone

Yet again the weather alternated. After appalling weather for much of yesterday, today has been glorious after the morning mist cleared.

We left Swarkestone at 9:20, passed through the deep Stenson Lock where we paired up with another boat and stopped at Willington to fill up with water and post a card. After lunch moored in the outskirts of Burton on Trent we moved on to Morrisons for a bit of shopping for what will probably be our last day on the boat this year. We are now moored back at Branston (where the pickle was invented allegedly) just before the waterpark.

A comma butterfly feeding on ivy

This very enjoyable day was enhanced by the wildlife. We saw 2 kingfishers and whilst moored at Willington took a photo of a comma butterfly feeding on the ivy flowers which are prolific at the moment - note that its ragged appearance is normal for the species and an unambiguous identification characteristic. Then whilst motoring through Burton we were surprised to see a bat which flew around the boat and off down the canal.

We are a bit concerned at the moment about the section of the Trent & Mersey we will be travelling tomorrow which shares a short stretch with the Trent. We have heard that the river is currently on Amber but if it rises much more the canal may be closed. Hopefully the absence of rain today will reduce the chances of this happening.

Homeward Bound

We are now back in Swarkestone. It seems weeks ago when we were last here but it's only 10 days.

The weather continued alternating - yesterday was awful, today was very nice. We started at 9:30, the first job being to fill up with water, which we hadnt done since we first moored in the Great Northern Basin. We normally like to fill up every other day, but facilities on the Erewash are only available at each end of the canal.

After fillng the tank we dropped through Trent Lock onto the river. After the recent rains the water level was on "amber" which means that passage is allowed but caution required. The flow was certainly fairly strong, but it didnt cause us any problems as we travelled the 2 miles to Shardlow where we left the river Trent to join the Trent & Mersey Canal.

Here we stopped as we needed to get our Saturday Guardian, the only newspaper we ever buy, as we like to do the Prize Crossword. Unfortunately we found that there are no shops in Shardlow, and nothing else til we reach Willington which should be tomorrow. So no crossword this week.

After Shardlow we passed through the large locks at Aston, Weston and Swarkestone to reach our intended mooring at 15:30.

We went through the Shardlow, Aston and Weston Locks with "Tig" a mini-narrowboat, perhaps 25 foot long max. Despite it's diminutive size, it apparently has a gas oven/hob, shower, hot water supply and a double bed which needs to be dismantled when not in use as it fills the cabin. So it has all the facilities one needs, indeed apparently it was previously owned by a couple who used it as a permanent home for themselves and their Alsation!

Weather for tomorrow looking not so good again, so the alternation continues.

No movement again

Two storey luxury houseboat on the Erewash

Weather today just like wednesday's, cold and wet, with the addition of strong winds. Not the conditions for enjoyable boating so we have lit the fire and will be staying here today on the Erewash just before the junction with the River Trent.

Back to the Trent

No blog yesterday as we stayed in the Great Northern Basin because of the very wet weather. We did venture out twice. In the morning we visited Lidls across the road from our mooring to stock up for the next few days. The afternoon was more interesting as we took the bus to Ilkeston, a large Victorian industrial town 5 miles away.

As I have mentioned before, a joy of boating is the opportunity to visit places of some interest that one wouldnt bother going to see by car. Ilkeston does fall into that category with its long High Street stretching up a steep hill with many small shops as well as a few of the nationals.

Cruising down the Erewash on a misty morning

Entering Eastwood Lock

Today was very different as we awoke to a sunny but misty morning in the GNB. As Friday is forecast again to be very wet we decided to spend the whole day travelling to reach the start of the Erewash at Trent Lock. We set off relatively early at 8:30. We were rewarded by delightful sight of the mist rising from the water providing a blue-green haze to the scene.

A maple turning red beside Potters Lock in Ilkeston

When the sun cleared the mist there were good views of the canalside trees turning to their autumnal colours.
This trip down the canal was much faster than Tuesdays journey up as most locks were set in our favour and the flow of water coming down the canal caused by yesterdays heavy rain significantly aided our progress.

We reached the moorings on the Erewash above Trent Lock after 11 miles and 14 locks at 15:30 and were soon to be found in the Navigation Inn enoying a well-earned pint of Deuchars IPA.

Great Northern Basin

Moored north of Sandiacre at 8:30am

A harder day than usual today, we travelled 7 miles and 11 locks in 6 hours cruising carrying on north up the Erewash Canal. We left our moorings at 8:50 and stopped for lunch at Ilkeston some 3.5 hours later. After a 0.5 hour stop we set off again arriving at the top of the canal at the perhaps over-extragently named Great Northern Basin in the industrial town of Eastwood at 15:45.

The journey was pleasant enough, helped by the warmer weather. The large locks continued to be surprisingly easy to operate despite being almost entirely set against us (ie we had to empty each lock before we could get the boat in and then fill it again to get to the next section of canal). The canal travels up the valley of the River Erewash past countryside, light industry, and the mill town of Ilkeston, formerly a major textile centre.

Densie (the blue boat) moored in the Great Northen Basin

The Great Northen Basin was formerly the junction of the Erewash, Cromford and Nottingham Canals, only the Erewash being navigable here. There are moves to reopen the Cromford canal through to near Matlock, but this will certainly take many years although parts are still in water.

Th ex-mining town of Eastwood is not the most attractive of places but has a claim to literary fame as it was the birthplace and childhood home of D H Lawrence. A further claim to fame is a very large IKEA store.

We plan to eat this evening in a local pub, our first meal out this journey. Tomorrow we may well stay in the GNB as the weather forecast is grim.

New territory- up the Erewash

Our first ever journey on this canal although it's not that far from our home base. The Erewash Canal is little known except among its local boaters and the more adventurous canal enthusiast. It has none of the fame nor lure of canals like the Llangollen but we are finding it interesting and attractive despite its passage through the industrial outskirts of Nottingham and former Derbyshire mill towns. The canal itself appears well maintained with wide locks which despite being heavy are not too difficult to operate.

Radcliffe on Soar power station seen from the Trent through the mist and drizzle

We left Sawley late this morning for two reasons. The weather looked pretty grey and miserable, not quite raining but then not quite not raining. Secondly, we are running short of the kindling we need to light our smokeless fuel stove, an important piece of equipment at this time of year. Unfortunately a visit to the Sawley marina chandlery was unsuccessful as they had run out so I will have to be frugal when I light the stove.

After a mile's cruise down the Trent from Sawley we turned onto the Erewash at the complex junction of Trent Lock where 5 waterways meet, 4 of which are navigable. The canal then passes through Long Eaton, not that interesting from the boat but noteworthy as being the centre of the furniture industry where there are many small workshops making bespoke furniture as well as some larger names.

Sandiacre Lock

This urban area merges into the next one of Sandiacre, again an unexceptional town although the lock preceding it is attractive and of some interest. Here there is a unique (for the Erewash) toll house dated 1778 and the start of the now derelict Derby Canal. We stopped for lunch and a bit of shopping at Sandiacre at a convenient Lidls, no kindling here though. By this time the weather had improved somewhat.

After lunch we moved into the countryside beyond the town where we have moored for the night.

Back to Sawley

On the Nottingham Canal in Nottingham

Nottingham done, it was time to carry on our journey. After leaving Sainsbury's we travelled further up the Nottingham Canal through Castle lock to a winding hole where we could turn round. The canal is too narrow to turn in except at designated points.

Castle lock provided some excitement as just before the lock the boat became jammed against a small weir controlling the water level in the canal. The amount of water flowing over the weir provided more pressure than the engine could overcome. We only got the boat off by brute manual effort, Denise at the front pulling on a rope and myself at the rear pushing it away from the exitting water.

After turning we went back through Castle Lock again, avoiding the weir, past Sainsburys and retraced Friday's journey up the Trent. We stopped to fill up with water at Cranfleet Cut and a bit later stopped again for a quick lunch. Then back to Sawley where we pumped out the loo. We can now last the rest of our trip and only need pump out again when we reach our home base.

Weather changes plans - into Nottingham

Today the weather let us down. We were planning to travel up the Erewash Canal, one we have never visited before. However we awoke to strong winds and decided that the next section of canal along the River Trent with a sharp left turn onto the Erewash was too difficult under the conditions. Boating in strong winds is difficult and uncomfortable as the long flat sides of the boat act as a sail.

We stayed at Sawley in the morning and walked to the local coop to buy some urgently need provisions. However most of what we wanted wasnt available so we returned to the boat intending to wait for the weather to improve. Fortunately after lunch the wind abated and we decided to travel into Nottingham and visit the Erewash early next week as the weather forecast looked better then.

So we cruised down the Trent and then up the Beeston Canal which took us near the city centre. With the moorings being next to a large Sainsburys our shopping problem was solved. We will stay here for a day or two and look around Nottingham.

Interrupted journey to Sawley

Despite the overnight rain the weather looked reasonable when we got up this morning. We started off at 9:20 and stopped at Swarkestone Wharf for 15 mins to fill up with water. Then we set off again passing through Swarkestone Lock, another deep and wide lock, and towards the next lock at Weston on Trent.

Fallen tree blocking canal at Weston

Shortly before the lock we were flagged down by a moored boater who gave us the news that we would have to stop as the canal was blocked by a fallen tree. British Waterways had been informed and had sent a surveyor to assess the situation. He confirmed that the tree, a large willow, had fallen and had blocked the canal, and arranged for tree specialists to be called out.

Nearly gone

Within 30mins of our arrival the tree men turned up rowing down the canal in a punt. It took then about 2 hours to clear the obstruction and we were able to move on. Their view was that the fall had been due to work being carried out by a digger in the field behind the willow and that the farmer concerned could expect a large bill.

River Trent near Sawley, Naga Queen and M1 Bridge in the distance

Another narrowboat, Naga Queen, had stopped behind us in the queue and we were able to descend Weston lock and the subsequent Aston, Shardlow and Derwent locks together. This final lock took us onto the River Trent for about a mile and then off the river to Sawley where we have moored for the night.

Swarkestone

The moorings at Branston

A really good days boating . The weather was perfect - sunny but not too hot and no wind. We left our moorings at Branston after a fairly late breakfast and continued north through Burton on Trent, which is quite attractive and interesting from the canal.

Soon after Burton we stopped for lunch on the boat at the busy village of Willington where there are good moorings. After a quick trip to the local Coop to buy some bread we set off again at 1:30.

We have now left the narrow canal with its 7foot wide locks. The section of the Tent & Mersey from north of Burton to the junction with the River Trent has 14foot locks able to take two boats side by side. The first one is the 12 foot deep Stenson lock. Fortunately another boat arrived soon after we did and so we were able to descend together and share the work of operating the lock.

Densie moored near SwarkestoneSwarkestone Bridge

At 15:45 we moored and then walked to the small village of Swarkestone where we visited the Carew&Harpur Arms, named after the local gentry, for a rather good pint of Ringwood bitter from the New Forest. Swarkestone's main feature is the 18th Century bridge over the Trent which connects to a 13th century causeway to the opposite edge of the flood plain.

The village is also significant as it was the most southerly point reached by the armies of Bonny Prince Charlie in 1745. He ordered the retreat from here back to Scotland as the supply lines were getting stretched and he mistakenly believed there was a large Hanoverian army blocking the route to London. The canal was built only 30 years later.

Out for a couple of weeks

We are on the move again! After 2 months at home we were feeling the call of the canals.

On Monday we packed the clothes for two weeks and food for a couple of days and drove to the marina. By 13:30 we were unpacked and ready to cruise. 2 hours travelling took us to Fradley Junction where we moored on the Trent & Mersey just north of the junction with the Coventry Canal. On the way we were delighted to have several good views of a kingfisher flying up and down the canal.

After mooring we went straight round to the renowned Swan Inn which overlooks the junction for a pint watching the boats go by. Then back to the boat for dinner.

This morning after a late breakfast we set off at 10 and moored at the attractive but strangely named village of Alrewas, (pronounced ol-rue-us). As it was a bit early for lunch we visited the village shops. I can recommend the butcher, Coates, who sells a wide range of very good quality meats (this time he had veal, duck and venison available), home made pies and cheese. We bought some lamb kebabs and feta cheese which will form the basis of a sort of Greek style meal on Thursday, and some farmhouse Derby, a cheese that can be very difficult to find, particularly in Derbyshire.

After a leisurely lunch we moved off again at 13:30 to travel the 4 miles to Branston Water Park where good moorings are to be found alongside the lakes created by gravel extraction, but now a nature reserve. This section of the canal was surprisingly busy and we had to queue to pass through each of the 3 locks. The countryside is quite pleasant but for 2 of the 4 miles the canal is alongside the very busy and noisy A38 which somewhat spoils the effect.

We reached the waterpark at 16:30 and after a short walk to the very uninteresting village (well really a suburb of Burton on Trent) of Branston we returned to the boat for dinner and perhaps a small glass of wine.

Densie goes home

We returned to our home moorings at 3pm after a 6 hour trip from Fazeley along the Coventry and Trent & Mersey canals. We have made this journey several times before so it was very much a matter of getting there as fast as possible with little concern for the sights along the way.

Everyday this week the forecast has been for heavy rain. Virtually none has materialised, until today. The last 1.5 hours of the trip were completed in pouring rain with thunder and lightning. We have full wet weather gear on board so we did keep mostly dry, but it's not much fun.

So the Summer 2010 Expedition is over. Some statistics - 307 miles, 278 locks, 4 boater operated lift/swing bridges, 169 hours travelling over a period of 60 days.

No more blogs until our next trip - possibly a short one in September. You could try the Subscribe To facility at the bottom of the page to be informed when the blog starts again - never used it myself so cant promise anything.

Into the countryside

Tame Valley Canal passes beneath Spaghetti Junction

A long but not particularly interesting journey today. We wanted to make sure we got out of the Birmingham built-up area without needing to stop. Also we are near the end of our Summer travels and so are keen to get back home.

We left Cuckoo Wharf early at 8:30 and set off through the ongoing dreary surroundings of outer Birmingham. Although the first 15 minutes or so was rather more interesting as the canal passes very close to Spaghetti Junction. The Tame Valley Canal which joins the Birmingham & Fazeley near Cuckoo Wharf actually passes directly beneath it - I took some photos last night during a brief walk down the Tame Valley.

A couple of miles took us to Minsworth where there are 3 locks. This area has a bad reputation for vandalism - the local little darlings often raise the paddles on the locks draining some sections of the canal and flooding others. A week or so ago the floods they caused breached the canal and blocked the A38 with silt. BW now have permanent staff on site.

Bizarre castellated footbridge at Drayton Bassett

Beyond Minsworth things improved as we passed through the outer fringes of Birmingham and into open countryside - not particularly scenic but certainly better than the areas of semi-derelict workshops and crumbling factories we had been through earlier. The Curdworth locks are worth mentioning as they are clearly loved by someone. The metalwork is freshly painted, the paddle gears are clean and well oiled, and small areas of bedding plants are thriving.

We finally moored near Fazeley where the B&F joins the Coventry Canal at 4pm tired after 11.5 miles and 14 locks, with only a 20 minute break for lunch

Leaving Birmingham

Yesterday we stayed in Birmingham, so no blog. In the morning we visited the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. The main purpose was to see the Staffordshire Hoard exhibition which was showing some of the massive collection of gold Anglo Saxon objects found recently near Lichfield. The intricacy of the designs was very impressive - magnifying glasses were needed to see the details, technology of course not available to AngloSaxons.

The museum also has a fairly large collection of paintings, some by well known artists - Constable, Turner, Canaletto, Degas, Renoir, Millais etc etc and an interesting exhibition of Buddhist and Hindu objects dating back 1500 years.

The area around the museum is the cultural centre of Birmingham, mainly consisting of impressive modern buildings such as Symphony Hall, the home of the CBSO (City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra). Here we saw advertised a series of CBSO concerts of the symphonies of my favourite composer, Mahler; for two of which we have booked seats.

The canals form a key part of this area and the old buildings have been sympathetically restored and complemented by some attractive new constructions. There are extensive safe moorings here so central Birmingham is an ideal place for boaters to spend a few days.

This morning we needed to move on but were apprehensive about forecasts of heavy downpours. The weather actually didnt look too bad so I started the engine and heard strange noises followed by a warning whistle. A quick inspection quickly identified the cause - a broken fanbelt. Fortunately I carry replacements but unfortunately I didnt have the right spanners to loosen the alternators so called in the local boatyard, Sherborne Wharf. The engineer came round to the boat within 30 minutes and quickly replaced the fanbelt.

So at 10:00 we really started down the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal - 23 locks and 3 miles to get to the next secure moorings at Cuckoo Wharf. If you have been following the blog you will have got the impression that the canals are all glorious scenery and abundant vegetation and wildlife. Well, the B&F through north Birmingham is not like that at all.

Descending Farmers Bridge Locks

One of the locks are beneath an office block

Leaving the centre of the city is interesting as the canal descends the 13 Farmers Bridge locks surrounded by and in some cases beneath tall ofice buildings and blocks of flats. The Farmer who perhaps farmed here when the canal was built over 200 years ago has long gone, and it is worth noting that all the buildings one sees are newer than the canal.

Further out of the centre is a continuous swathe of rather tatty run down light industry. I must admit I failed to find any redeeming features to encourage visitors to this part of the waterways.

In the centre of Birmingham

Yesterday there was no blog because we didnt do anything. We had left our moorings once the rain stopped at 11:00, but it restarted after we had cruised about 100 yards. So we gave up for the day, staying in Merryhill, but now in the Waterside area surrounded by bars and shops (mostly closed) and offices (mostly empty).

This apparent lack of success is similar to other canalside developments we have seen over the past few years eg Coventry and Leeds Clarence Wharf where the Great British Public obviously doesn't come to shop and enjoy themselves in what seem to be well designed and attractive surroundings - a great pity.

Today we needed to get some miles done so we set off at 8:40, now on the Dudley No. 1 Canal which started at Delph locks. The canal water is brown, unlike on the Stourbridge canal, but the scenery is still surprisingly attractive and interesting. The Dudley No.1 Canal ends just after the only lock on our journey today, near Dudley Tunnel.

This tunnel, dating from the earliest days of the canals in the Birmingham area, is closed to combustion-engined boats because of the lack of ventilation. So at this point we move onto the Dudley No.2 canal which takes us after a couple of miles to Netherton Tunnel, at 3027 yards the second longest on the canal system available to normal boats.

Leaving Netherton Tunnel

Because of congestion at Dudley Tunnel, Netherton tunnel was constructed in the 1850s to provide an alternative route through the hills between Birmingham and the Black Country. Technology and mechanisation had much improved since the earlier canal tunnels were built and the perfectly straight Netherton Tunnel was constructed with tow paths on each side and with gas lighting (no longer in use!).

4 generations of transport - the M5 crosses the Birmingham-Manchester railway which crosses Brindley's Birmingham Canal which crosses Telford's Main Line.

Once through Netherton we turn onto Telford's Birmingham New Main Line, built in the 1830's to replace Brindley's winding canal of the 1770's. The Main Line is typical Telford, straight with cuttings removing the need for any locks. Along its length there are a number of attractive iron bridges dating from the canal's construction. As with the other Birmingham canals we have travelled on this journey there are trees and wildflowers, dog walkers, joggers and anglers, and only occasional sights of the densely populated and industrialised areas that surround it.

The Main Line passes through Smethwick - Spon Lane bridge

It is on the Main Line where we see our first sight today of other moving boats. We had travelled the 9 miles and 3.5 hours from Merryhill to the Main Line without seeing any.

The Main Line ends at a junction of four canals near another and rather more successful canalside development, Brindley Place, only a few minutes walk from the city centre. Here we moored opposite the National Indoor Arena by the side of the Sealife Centre after a non stop journey of over 5 hours.

A 6 hour journey to Merryhill

Merryhill is a big shopping complex in the south of Birmingham which is where we are now moored. Not because I like big shopping complexes (though Denise does!), but rather because there are very good secure moorings here.

We had a relatively early breakfast as we knew the 24 locks and 5 miles of travel planned for the day would take some time. However our first job was to buy a new propane cylinder from the Navigation Trust chandlery. We use propane for cooking, a £25 cylinder lasting about 2-3 months.

We then set off back up the Stourbridge Arm to Wordsley Junction with the Stourbridge Canal where the flight of 16 closely spaced locks of the Stourbridge flight started almost immediately. These took us about 3.5 hours to complete with me steering and Denise doing all the hard work of filling the locks and opening and closing the gates. Normally we try to share the load, but the wind was very strong and Denise preferred to leave the task of controlling the boat to me.

Alongside the locks at various points are historic buildings, most notably a very large conical bottle oven known as the Glass Cone. Stourbridge was a major centre for glass making, this providing one of the reasons for the construction of the canal.

Halfway up the flight we met a hireboat coming down. The driver decided to pull into the side to let us pass and one of his crew, a woman of perhaps 60, jumped off the bow with a rope to help hold the boat steady. She then pushed the bow away from the side and fell into the canal. Excitement all round, especially as at one point the driver seemed to be moving the boat forward towards the splashing woman as he couldn't see what was happening. Anyway with the assistance of other crew members and Denise she managed to get back on shore, soaked but otherwise unharmed.

A rural scene ......

In the middle of Birmingham

After the top of the locks we passed along a very attractive stretch of canal, remarkably so for its location in the middle of industrial Birmingham. The circle on the map shows where the picture was taken.

It is worth mentioning in passing that the whole of the Stourbridge Canal is remarkably clear, just like a river. The bottom of the canal is clearly visible and you can often see fish in the water. I dont know the reason for the clarity as most other canals are very muddy with silt thrown up by the props of the boats.

We could not afford the time to stop for lunch so we heated and ate cornish pasties on the move. By early afternoon we had reached the next flight of 8 locks at Delph, near Dudley.

Densie at the start of the Delph flight

View from the top of the Delph flight

These locks really were a magnificent engineering achievement for their time - around 1790. They are also visually striking as they climb 85 feet straight up the side of a hill providing superb views over the south of Birmingham and beyond. Alongside the locks the bywashes which pass overflow water from one pound to the one below have been constructed as a series of cascading waterfalls.

Soon after finishing the Delph flight just as the rain was about to fall we arrived at the extensive Merryhill moorings where the canal is cut into the side of a hill overlooking the shops. These moorings are covered by CCTV cameras and are regarded as safe for overnight use.

In summary - a really interesting 6 hour journey, in my view one of the best of our holiday so far. The Stourbridge Canal isn't one of the best known waterways but I would recommend it to any boater.

We visit Stourbridge

Densie at Stourbridge Wharf

One of the joys of canaling is mooring in unlikely places, places to where you would not think of driving, and discovering somewhere worth visiting. One such example must be Stourbridge, apparently just one of many industrial towns absorbed into the Birmingham conurbation.

That's where we went today. After a late rise we set off from Kinver, stopped to fill up with water and carried on to Stourton Junction where the Stourbridge canal joins the Staffs & Worcestershire. It provides a link into central Birmingham, and this is the route we chose.

Four locks took us up to the attractive main pound which ends at the Stourbridge flight of 16 locks. These locks are for tomorrow. Today we turned right at Wordesley Junction at the bottom of the locks onto the 1 mile long Stourbridge Arm which ends close to the centre of the town.

Here we were lucky to find moorings in a locked (as in key and lock) wharf owned by the Stourbridge Navigation Trust. This is a very boaty area with a canal chandlers next door, restored old canalside buildings, lots of moored boats and a dry dock where President, the historic steam boat we saw two years ago on the Great Ouse, was having its hull reblacked.

First job for us after lunch was another visit to the doctors. My leg, which had borne the full brunt of the attack by the bollard, was painful and appeared to have become infected. A phone call to a local GP provided us with the location of the nearest drop-in centre where I was seen by a very helpful and friendly nurse/practitioner. Yes, the leg was infected, a week's dose of antibiotic was prescribed and a tetanus booster administered. No, I shouldn't drink any alcohol whilst taking the antibiotic - that really was painful!

Back by bus to Stourbridge town centre as we only had provisions for one meal in the fridge. It is a really good shoppping centre - lots of small useful shops, only a few national chains. Best of all there is a 19Gales pie and veg shop. We know the one in Atherstone on the Coventry canal and are great fans of their produce. Nearly as good, there is also a Waitrose. A bit expensive perhaps for ordinary shopping but worthwhile for high quality more unusual items that are often not available in Tesco/Morrisons/Sainsburys.

Back in Kinver

A room carved into the rock at Debdale Lock - purpose unknown

Cookley Tunnel goes under the village

More rain forecast today so we started moving fairly early to get as far as we could before the weather deteriorated. This turned out to be Kinver after 2.5 hours where we had stopped at the start of June. After lunch and a bit of shopping we logged on to look at the forecast. It didnt seem too good so we decided to stay for the night. As it happened the weather stayed OK, but never mind we have enough time before we are due back home.

Still in Wolverley - Mike meets the NHS

Mike working on the blog

We are still in Wolverley. In the morning we had a look round the village - very attractive with some interesting buildings. A row of old houses near the church had been partly carved directly from the local sandstone hill. Opposite there was a doorway cut into the hill side cliff. Further down the street there was an imposing grey stone building that was once been a courthouse and more recently the local school.

We also found the doctors' surgery. A week ago I had fallen heavily after a canal side bollard (one of the nasty new wooden ones) leapt up out of nowhere and tripped me up. My left thumb had been sore and stiff since then. Thinking it was a long time for no improvement to a bruise I fixed up a visitor's appointment (my local address: The Lock, Wolverley!) to see the doctor. An hour later I got in to see her and she said I should go round to the hospital within a day, or two at the outside, to get an X-ray as there could be a broken bone which could set incorrectly. It couldn't wait til I got home.

Here we have one of the difficulties of life afloat - how does one get to specialist medical attention if moored in a small village in an area one doesnt know with one's sole means of transport limited to 3mph? Remember also we would not want to leave our expensive boat unattended for more than a day or so. Anyway, with advice from the surgery reception we concluded the only place with Xray facilities I could get to reasonably easily was the Minor Injuries Unit in Kidderminster, fortunately only 10 minutes taxi away.

After a boring 1.5 hour wait to see someone I was efficiently assessed by a nurse/practitioner who doubted that there was any break but sent me round for an Xray just in case. This was completed in 10 minutes and fortunately showed that she was correct. Best guess - a bruised or damaged tendon which would take a few weeks to heal. In conclusion I must say the NHS worked very well for me.

By the time I left the MIU it was raining again. The Met Office website is indicating a choice between light and heavy rain showers for the rest of the week. So it isnt clear whether we will move tomorrow and if we do how far we will get.

Delays due to rain - up the Staffs & Worcester to Wolverley

Yesterday there was no blog as we decided to have a quiet day staying in Stourport. We were both tired from the journey on Saturday and also we may have been affected by the heat. I finished my end of July Open University assignment and Denise made things out of beads.

Waiting at Falling Sands Lock

Caldwell Lock

We awoke this morning to rain. Cant really complain as its the first we have seen for some time. It finally stopped at 11am so we set off north up the Staffs & Worcester canal. When we arrived at the first lock there were 5 boats ahead of us waiting to go through. It seems everybody whad been waiting for the rain to stop. It took us about an hour to get through.

We stopped at Tesco in Kidderminster as it is next to the canal (as is Sainsburys) at 13:40 much later than we had planned, hungry because we hadn't had chance for a lunch and unable to do anything about it because we were out of supplies. An hour's monster shop sorted that out so we are OK for the next 4-5 days.

After a quick Tesco sandwich we moved on to moor at Wolverley which the guidebook recommends as an interesting village. We will have a look round in the morning.

Up the Severn back to Stourport

After filling up with water again we left Worcester going down the Diglis locks onto the Severn with a hireboat. We travelled together up the Severn to Stourport, tieing the boats together in the 3 large manned locks on the river. As there are no visitor moorings on the stretch of the river we eat lunch whilst on the move. On reaching Stourport after some 5 hours travelling we ascended the 2 staircase locks into Stourport Basin where we have moored for the night.

The weather was hot and sticky and I must admit the day was a little boring. We had done the journey in the reverse direction 5 weeks ago and there is little to see really as the high river banks prevent any views over the wider countryside. One kingfisher was spotted as was a common tern, but little else.

I did take some pictures of Telford's fine Holt Fleet Bridge still in use for A-road traffic after 180 years, but the camera memory card was corrupted and the pictures lost.

Back to Worcester

Travelling through Worcester - the Victorian railway bridge crosses the canal near the entrance to Lowesmoor basin where we moored a month ago.

A 2 hour journey this morning dealt with the 7 locks and 3 miles to Worcester where we moored at 11am. Unlike the last time we were here the moorings are completely empty. I guess this may be due to many of the hireboats returning to their base for the weekend.

We will spend the rest of the day here doing a bit of shopping before travelling back up the Severn tomorrow.

Another quiet day

The meal at The Firs was good as was the Hook Norton beer. It seemed a popular place despite being out in the countryside some way from main roads, so apart from the canal they are unlikely to get passing trade. The moorings near the pub are excellent so this makes Dunhampstead a recommended place for boaters to stop.

Passing another boat on the Worcester & Birmingham

Beauty and the Beast - the canal passes beneath the M5

This morning started with rain so we didnt move until 9:40, a late start for us. The canal continues to be well isolated from the outside world (except for passing beneath the M5) and is slow to traverse being shallow and frequently too narrow to let two boats pass easily because of extensive reed beds along the margins. Nevertheless it is attractive because of the wide variety of wildflowers, the local rural scenery and distant views as far as the Malverns.

After 3.5 miles and 7 locks we were feeling hungry and tired so we stopped for the day at 12:30 near a lock just beyond the outskirts of Worcester.

Still on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal - Into new territory

After the exertions of yesterday, today was quieter - 6 miles and only 12 locks. First stop this morning after leaving the excellent Queens Head Inn (the moorings, not the pub) and dropping down 6 more locks was a visit to the local Black Prince Hireboat boatyard for a pump-out, which Densie requires every 12 days or so. After that was done a mile or so took us to a canal side water point to fill up the domestic water tank. So we are now set up for a few more weeks - diesel tank full, water tank full, "black" water tank empty, engine serviced.

Start of the restored Droitwich Canal

After another 6 locks ,a couple of miles and a stop for lunch we reached Hanbury Wharf where we passed the junction with the Droitwich Canal. This 13 mile canal passing through Droitwich to join the Severn above Worcester was abandoned in 1939, but has recently been restored . We were hoping to travel down it on this visit, but delays arising from the credit crunch have delayed its re-opening for a few months (hopefully).

Beyond Hanbury Whark we are on a stretch of canal we have never seen before. In our early days of hire-boating some 30 years ago, we reached a few miles north of Worcester from the Severn, and 4 years ago we had picked Densie up from the New Boat Co at Hanbury Wharf and travelled home north. So the 6 miles or so between is new.

We have moored at Dunhampstead, 2 miles further on, where the pump-out guy at Black Prince told us was a pub, The Firs, which served every good food - "a seafood salad to die for". Our grocery supplies are low so we have succumbed to temptation.

Tardebigge Flight and some musings

Passing another boat on the Tardebigge flight

Today was the big one. We did the 30 locks in the Tardebigge flight, the longest in the country, in 4 hours this morning - more than 7 locks/hour which is really hard work. Despite its length the Tardebigge is easier than many flights in that all the locks operate smoothly and are closely and regularly spaced so that Denise could walk to the next lock and prepare it whilst the boat was descending in the current lock. This saved much time as most of the locks required filling before Densie could enter.

The pub at the bottom of the locks

Luckily (or sensibly) there is a pub, the Queens Head Inn, just after the last lock and so we were really ready for a lunch time drink or two, not something we normally do. I can report the local small brewery beer was superb. After the pub and lunch on board we decided to stay put for the rest of the day. There are another 27 locks or so until Worcester but these can wait another til tomorrow.

On the new alternator front (see yesterday), our domestic batteries which power the fridge, lighting, radio, water pump and toilet were fully charged in 2/3 the time it took previously. This could mean a saving of an hour a day running the engine. The reduction in noise, vibration and hassle certainly justifies the cost of the replacement.

Most people have never heard of Tardebigge, a small Worcestershire village not far from Birmingham. This applies to many other locations, for example Braunston, Stoke Bruerne and Napton which are renowned in the world of the canals but virtually unknown beyond. Conversely much of the "real world" is unavailable to boaters. Being on the canals for an extended period is almost like going through the back of the wardrobe into Narnia. The places, the rules of behaviour, and the important things in life are all different.

Densie has a service

Narrowboat (not Densie) being lifted out of water.....

and deposited on quayside for hull inspection

We were in Alvechurch for our 250 hour engine service though to tell the truth it's now nearer 275 hours. We had planned to get the service done at Wootton Wawen but the boatyard cancelled the day before we were due to arrive.

As we are out on the boat for long periods servicing needs some planning. We normally try to tie in passing an Isuzu dealer at the time the service is needed. It didnt work out this time but fortunately Alvechurch has a large hireboat centre that also services boat engines, so problem resolved.

Servicing is little more than an oil change, but it is something I prefer to let the professionals do - the extra cost isn't much in the overall scheme of things.

Also we needed to get a proper alternator. Those who read the blog last year may remember we had major electrical failures which resulted in a broken alternator being replaced with one that wasnt really suitable for our engine but it was the only one the boatyard had available. This has been bugging me for the past year as I am convinced that it is taking much longer to recharge our batteries. The Alvechurch boatyard were able to replace the alternator with a proper Isuzu-approved one.

Once all the work had been done we filled up with 150 litres of diesel, enough to keep us going for a month or two.

We have moored 3 miles, 2 small tunnels, and a deep lock further down the canal to rest in preparation for tomorrow's major task. Which is the subject of tomorrow's blog.

PS the new alternator appears to be working wonderfully!

Heading back to Worcester

The short Brandwood tunnel on the Stratford Canal near Kings Norton

Passing through Kings Norton guillotine stop lock (now permanently open)

Our journey now takes us via King's Norton Junction in Birmingham down the Worcester & Birmingham canal to Worcester, which we left about 4 weeks ago.

Back to yesterday - in the evening we visited the Blue Bell Cider House, conveniently about 100 yards from our mooring. A couple of glasses of cider was enjoyed (each). This is the real stuff - slightly cloudy and flat but very tasty.

This morning we set off at 9am, carrying on up the Stratford Canal. The weather was cooler with a strong blustery wind, not quite as pleasant as previous days.

The first point of interest was the Shirley Draw bridge, an electrically-powered boater-operated bridge that carries a fairly busy road over the canal. We successfully held up 3-4 cars as we raised the bridge and passed by.

The Shirley bridge marks the start of Birmingham, but from the boat you would never know it. The Stratford canal carries on through wooded cuttings for much of the journey to finish at Kings Norton, well inside the urban area. Here we turned south down the Worcester & Birmingham canal, and after passing through the 2700 yard Wast Hill Tunnel, one of the longest on the system, we moored at 15:30 just outside Alvechurch, a total journey of nearly 13 miles.

No more locks - for the time being

Looking back down the Lapworth flight

We finished the Lapworth locks this morning and after a stop for shopping and lunch we have moored near the Blue Bell Cider House for the night - a journey of 4 miles and 13 locks. These are the last locks for a couple of days, then we tackle the 35 or so on the Tardbigge flight.

Apart from the locks the travelling is quiet and slow as the Stratford Canal is fairly shallow and meandering. It is pleasant in a gentle sort of way. The weather helps as it is warm but not too hot, again pleasant in a gentle sort of way.

As readers may have gathered, life on board focusses on the basics. Things like getting provisions and water and dumping rubbish and, er, used water. It is the first of these which has been exercising our minds today. Basically there are minimal facilities for shopping along the whole of the Stratford canal after leaving Stratford itself. So planning meals well in advance is a necessity as is taking opportunities to buy when possible. Today we had three such opportunities.

There was a small and minimally stocked general stores at Lapworth. More useful were the shops at Hockley Heath where we stopped for lunch. Here there is a larger but still small general stores and a butcher with a very good range of produce including duck, partridge, pheasant, wild boar and much else beyond - mainly frozen, but still a welcome find in a small village on the canal.

The final surprise was the bakers and farmshop a couple of miles further on. This really is out in the country, several miles from anywhere of note except for the M42. But their carpark was full as people clearly visit from around the area to buy the home produced breads and pastries, and the veg, cheeses and other delights.

On to Lapworth

Typical barrel-rooved lock keepers cottage on the Stratford Canal

Fortunately the overnight rain had stopped by the morning although the clouds were grey. We set off up the Stratford Canal at 9:15, the weather improved, and after 3 miles and 17 locks and a quick stop for lunch we moored at Lapworth at 15:00 not far from the junction with the Grand Union Canal which connects London and Birmingham. Soon after we stopped a hire boat arrived with a group of Norwegians who we had met last night. They were stopping to watch a World Cup match.

After mooring our first task was a visit t0 the nearby pub, The Boot at Lapworth, where the Andy Murray match was being shown on a large TV. Not too interesting to me, though Denise was keen, but the beer was very good. After enough beer was consumed we couldn't really justify staying on at the pub so Andy Murray had to continue without us. Back to the boat again for a shower and dinner.

Wootton Wawen and Beyond

Crossing Edstone Aqueduct

After leaving Wilmcote at 8:45 we travelled the 3.5 miles and 1 lock to Wootton Wawen. On the way was the impressive Edstone Aqueduct at 600 feet, over half the length of the much more famous Pontcysyllte Aqeduct over the Dee on the Llangollen Canal. It is unusual in that the towpath is at the same level as the bottom of the water trough and so walkers have a good view of the boat hull.

Wootton Wawen Church - the bottom 2/3 of the tower is Saxon

We were stopping at Wootton Wawen to visit two sights. First on the list was the local church, the only one in Warwickshire dating from Saxon times. This was a really fascinating place with almost everything you would look for in an old church.

Apart from the Saxon walls and tower, there were remains of medieval wall paintings, 14th century stained glass, a tomb of a knight in armour dating from the 14th century, a 15th century memorial brass, an old clock, pre-reformation wood carving and chests, some dating to the 13th century, 17th century graffiti and much else. The interest was enhanced by a very informative guide book. A remarkable church for what is now a fairly small village.

After the church we went to the well advertised local farm shop hoping to buy some local delicacies. Unfortunately it was not to be - the farm shop complex mainly consisted of various "craft" shops. The food shop was mainly jams and herby oils, though there were home made cakes and pastries so we did leave with a few scones.

After lunch at Wootton Wawen we cruised on for a few miles and 6 locks and are now moored in the middle of nowhere, which luckily does have a good broadband wireless link.

Return to the canals

Stratford Canal Basin

During yesterday we moved the boat off the river into Stratford canal basin. as we wanted to get an early start today on the 16 locks to our planned stop.

Last night was a chance for another meal out. The choice this time was the Coconut Lagoon , a South Indian restaurant with a good rating on the internet (www.qype.co.uk is reliable in our experience). Again qype proved accurate, very good food and a different menu to the standard Indian. Also as qype said it was a little expensive, but I guess Stratford being a tourist centre, that is to be expected.

Densie entering a lock

A narrow bridge - will we get through?

We left the basin at 8am this morning and quickly started on the locks on the Stratford Canal. As a couple of boats had got out before us we were expecting to be stuck in a queue at each lock, especially as this is a narrow canal, only with locks only wide enough for one boat. Fortunately this did not prove to be a problem, and the steady stream of boats coming down the locks hoping to moor in the basin for this weekend's Water Festival ensured that most locks were empty when we needed to enter.

After a hot morning, feeling a bit tired after the unaccustomed exercise, we moored at 12:30 at Wilmcote, a village some 3-4 miles from Stratford. And this is where we stayed for the rest of the day.

Mary Arden's House

In the afternoon we walked into the village and looked around the Tudor "Mary Arden's House" (Mary Arden being William Shakespeare's mum) and the adjoining tudor farm where a good range of old farming tools, other rural bygones and old farm animal breeds were on display. Well worth a visit. I did notice there was no specific mention of the inconvenient problem that according to our guidebook Mary Arden actually lived next door.