24th September 2016. Reunited with the Grand Union.

After another look at his bent prop (yes it is still bent), the captain got us underway. It was 3 miles or so to the top of the locks. We amused ourselves by counting the runners in the Stratford-on-Avon to Bournville towpath marathon. Number 63 had passed us by the time we reached the locks and lost count.  The increased affluence was noticeable this south eastern side of Birmingham; very posh houses in a well kept rural landscape. We had no problems with the two swing bridges, although there was banter (?!) about managing not to smash up peoples cars....

The afternoon was spent descending the Lapworth lock flight. They are single locks but with stiff paddles and heavy gates so that the 20 locks felt like more. We stopped for a cup of tea and slice of cake at the little shop/cafe by number 14 and wondered at how such a brilliant location and potential little gold mine could be so run down and under-utilised. Eventually we reached lock numbers 20 and 21 and the junction which would take us onto the Grand Union and our way to Warwick.   

Locks 20 and 21. We took number 20 on the left towards the GU. Number 21 continues south to Stratford.  

After the lock Harold heads East towards the GU.

And takes the right hand turn South towards Warwick.

We cruised a mile or so before mooring at Turners Green in good time for Strictly :)

23rd September 2016. Not a bad days work.

The night was eventful. There was general night-time noise which we are used to and expect in a city centre. But then a group of youths threw stones and bricks at the boat from the other bank. Robin eventually got to sleep about 4am. Scooby, who hates banging, was terrified and shivered and shook on the bed all night (guard dog? what guard dog!). In the morning we inspected the damage and found a number of chips in the paint. They were clearly trying to break the windows. The boat behind us had also been targeted and they had called the police about 3am, although no officers had attended. Robin reported the damage, maybe we can get it repaired though our insurance.

Gas Street Basin; the scene of the crime.

With all this we were a bit late setting off. However, we wanted to get clear of the city and on the approach to the Lapwood lock flight by the end of the day. We went through Edgebaston, passing high over the A38 on the way.

At Kings Norton Junction we turned East onto the Stratford-on-Avon canal. There was something in the water (couldn't see what, the water was pitch black) which we hit as we were making the turn. The boat was a bit sluggish during the rest of the afternoon and when Robin checked the prop, he found one blade has been badly bent.

The toil house and junction signpost.

 After a further couple of hours cruising through the suburbs, we reached the Shirley Draw Bridge, which is a road lift bridge. It was about 4pm so the road was busy. The bridge is automated and key operated, so that the flashing lights go red when the key is turned and the barriers go down and the bridge opens automatically in a sequence. However, on this occasion a small blue hatchback ran the lights and got stuck between the canal and the far barrier which closed before he could get through. The bridge started to open, with the counterweight threatening the roof of his car. Fortunately there was a sensor and an emergency stop button which Jo pressed and she could reverse the sequence to get the barrier up and let him out. As soon as he had gone out and just as the barrier was starting to go down again, another car coming the other way nipped under the barrier, only to find the bridge lifting up in front of him. He immediately reversed, not realising the barrier had come down, and slammed into it, breaking his rear window. We were incredulous by now, but went though the emergency stop/reverse procedure again to let him out. This driver was really abusive and pulled over demanding our details and that we pay for the damage to his car. However, we stood our ground and were supported by the people in the pub garden who had watched it all! When we asked for his details (CRT might want him to pay for the repairs to their gate!) he drove off and we managed to get the bridge open and Harold through.  

Apart from meeting other boats in narrow spots, the rest of our journey passed without incident and we moored at Warings Green for a glass of something. 13 miles, a bent prop and a broken bridge. Not a bad days work..... 

22nd September 2016. Back to Gas Street Basin.

After the rain, Thursday morning was blue and glorious, showing the rather grim  Birmingham canals in the best possible light. After turning round we went up the three  locks at Tipton Green and onto the Birmingham Level Main Line. After that it was a straight run to Gas Street with just a short lunch stop below Smethick pumping station. We saw just a handful of other boats and lots of herons, which obviously do well in the canals green corridor despite the grotty water.

A glorious start to the day.

What you can't see us the railway or the abandoned industrial sites just the other side of the trees!

The main line ploughs a straight furrow

Scooby tests out his new blanket (after 20 turn arounds and a bit of digging).

Apart from herons, bridges presented the most interest.

This is the M5, imposing if not beautiful.

This has a station on the top so that disembodied announcements floated down to us as we went underneath.

The Galton tunnel; short but sweet.

And this fancy thing is an aqueduct, taking another bit of canal off somewhere else.

After 8 miles or so we reached Gas Street basin which, as we were told, had restricted mooring in parts for an upcoming floating market (the same old tat we come across at regular intervals), but we found a spot with no difficulty. The rest of the afternoon was dedicated to exploring and shopping in the new station complex just a stones throw from the canal. Good oh! 

16th - 21st September. Slow road to Dudley.

On Friday we moved on to Brewood (pronounced Brood don't you know) which has an excellent butchers and a nice tea shop - so all the crew were happy. We sailed over Watling Street (the A5) on the way. The canal and road make a perfect cross on the map.

On Saturday Jo headed home with some of our stuff and Robin revisited the butchers and dined on the best faggots he's ever had. On Sunday he discovered that the Brewood moorings have the disadvantage of a large community of pigeons living in the trees above. He spent the morning washing pigeon poo off the boat before taking the boat a mile or so southwards. He spent Monday doing repairs and generally pottering and on Tuesday moved down to Autherley Junction. This marks the start of the Wolverhampton conurbation and is 10 minutes from the bottom of the Wolverhampton lock flight. Jo returned on Tuesday evening with clean laundry and a food parcel. On Wednesday morning, after a sustaining breakfast we successfully scaled the 21 locks of the flight and arrived in Wolverhampton town centre. We didn't stop except for Elsan and dog chores, deciding to plough on the Dudley. After a short distance serious rain began, soaking the captain for the last few miles.  We made a short detour off the main line towards Dudley and took the last spot in the decent moorings there.  We'll head back to the main line tomorrow and will stop in Gas Street basin if we can. Apparently it's pretty busy with canally things going on in Birmingham this weekend.  We have until next Tuesday to get back to Warwick. After that, winter work commitments call us home.  

Going into the first of the Wolverhampton locks. Its not as rural as it looks; there's a housing

estate on one side and a science park on the other!

12th - 15th of September 2016. Storms, Mist and Sunshine.

After an happy and eventful few days at home we settled back onto the boat on Sunday evening with the Archers and Poldark.  On Monday Jo still wasn't feeling well (the sad result of a dodgy fish pie on Saturday night) but the five Tyrley locks had to be faced before progress could be made. The first three are a bit spooky, being in a cutting and literally hewn out of its rocky sides. After that it was plain sailing for 12 miles of mostly straight canal, through cuttings and over embankments. In places it was very narrow, requiring pulling over to the side to allow other boats to pass.

These very high bridges are also a feature of this stretch. This one has a telegraph pole in the centre.

We moored just before Norbury Junction and stayed there on Tuesday, when there were the most violent thunder storms and torrential rain, turning Scooby into a quivering wreck.

By Wednesday everything had calmed down, with both Jo and the weather somewhat recovered.  We set off in sunshine, stopping on the way for water etc. at the junction. Norbury was where the canal to Shrewsbury used to join the Shropshire. It's currently abandoned but plans are being made to re-open it if the funds can be raised.

Harold filling up with water at Norbury Junction.

It was a glorious cruise in the sunshine, with glimpses of splendid views through the trees and just enough boats coming the other way to make it interesting. Our captain got us safely along while Jo read her book on the front and Scooby snoozed on the bed. We stopped after 7 miles in a secluded spot and Robin went for a paddleboard, causing much amusement among the boats passing by. It was a warm night (infested by daddy-long-legs') and in the morning it was damp and misty.

We moved on just a mile or so to Wheaton Aston where Robin was tickled by the very old fashioned village garage which is right next to the canal and serves boats as well as cars. It made his day, and the diesel was cheap too.  We moored before the lock to enjoy a sticky day doing odd jobs and nosing about.

Harold in Wheaton Aston.

31st August - 3rd September 2016. Nantwich to Market Drayton via Audlem.

After a fender raid on the chandlery at Nantwich Canal Centre we set off in the beginnings of sunshine. A warm and pretty cruise took us to a mooring with a nice view at the start of the Audlem flight. We weren't the only ones enjoying a sunny day on the water.

There are lots of boats about still, requiring short waits at both of the Hack Green locks, however the Shroppie is wide and straight so the traffic wasn't much of a challenge.

Jo walked into Audlem for a mosey round the Mill shop and Robin played with his new fenders. He is trying to stop the baseplate banging and scraping on the concrete banks on this canal when boats go past. Scooby really hates it and he's getting quite anxious when he hears another boat coming. We are hoping that our new sunken fenders will do the trick! This lone moorhen was lurking around the boat and came to the side hatch for some bread.

After a quiet night (fender-tastic) we slogged our way up the 15 locks in the Audlem flight. The weather was lovely and all the locks were in our favour so it was a happy day. We stopped just a mile further on at the bottom of the Adderley flight, a nice spot and the site of the pigeon rescue on the way up. Carole joined us for breakfast on Friday and then she and Jo walked back into Audlem for sight seeing and cake. This old police station is a bit more classy than the one in Stevenage!

   

Saturday started badly with pouring rain and a disastrous dog walk. First Scooby was attacked by another dog and then he stuck his nose in a wasps nest and was stung. He's not the most placid dog in the world and it completely freaked him out. He remained either hiding sadly in the bathroom or under the sofa or hysterically trying to be with us for the rest of the day. However, whatever the daft dog was doing, we needed to press on to Market Drayton as we had a lift home arranged for Sunday. The 5 Adderley locks were negotiated rather wetly and with only one dog escape and then it was smooth sailing to our pre-booked mooring. 

Wet skippering up Adderley locks.

We are home for a week now. Scooby may have calmed down by the time we get back!