Left at 08:40
arrived at 18:20.
Not a bad night, up to wet
grey misty day, the total opposite to yesterday. We will be skirting round Birmingham today
and doing 13 locks. We may moor at top
of last lock at entrance to Grand Union Canal, if its not suitable (According
to the captain that is) may travel on to Catherine-de-Barnes. 8 20 and its raining heavily, we set off at 8 40, after getting ready twice. We are
now in wet gear but rain slowing so fingers crossed just intermittent
rain. Approaching 1st lock
some quite picturesque gardens on the right hand side, tatty ones on the
left. There was a Canal Trust (BW) barge
coming through, two young men doing lock, two on board, they let their mates through and then penned us
up. Told us to beware of a NB Badger as
they have had reports of them robbing NBs? We said if we see them will contact
the trust but they didn’t know their whereabouts at all but said if they found
them them might sink their boat. (They
then welcomed us to the West Midlands) also that there were anti vandal locks
on the next 4 or so locks so we would need a key. We do have a key, we call it a handcuff key
and of course we have vandals in Yorkshire too.
We saw our 5th Heron, he had just done his preening, shaking
his wings and then he flew of, shy of my camera. !! At second lock it went well, we have a
system going now. I let Derek in, he
climbs off and shuts one of the gates, I do ground paddle whilst he holds the boat, he does second one when we
are half way up, puts it down when the water is level, I open the gate, let him
through, put the paddle down and close the gate, how’s that for team work.
??? It was funny at last lock as he did
his paddle and a fountain came up in front of him, he didn’t get wet
though. Did 3 locks and there is quite a
stretch before beginning of next locks.
Its stopped raining but is now very muggy. There was a single Canada Goose with a large
baby at the side of the canal, Derek thought she looked lonely. Next to the lock there was a flock of geese
with lots of babies, she must have gone off for a better bit of grass. As we left the lock there was a mum and small
babies making their way down to the water.
Passed a lovely stone building
with back of it forming a wall to the towpath, it looked like a tudor building
with lovely irregular stone tiles on the roof and mullioned windows (some on
canal side had grills and were broken ) there was also some graffiti on the
wall. It was a pub called the Tyburn,
thats where they used to hang people, isn’t it. ???? Very industrial as
approaching Birmingham only 4 miles from the city centre, you can tell by the
water, Derek says its the curse of the plastic bag, watch out prop.!! I read my
companion booklet and the road was Tyburn Road, hence the name of the pub, it
used to have a tram line on it !!! Pair of black and white ducks were sailing
in front of us, looked like a mating couple, no babies yet. Heading towards Salford Junction, we have
passed through a few bridges forming tunnels, this is a really long one
Endington Hall road bridge. Very heavy
industry here, turning at Salford Junction, we are going under the infamous
Spaghetti Junction motorway. Its a
pretty tight turn but no probs, we cross
over a rive and its pretty manky, on the other side there is a laburnum and a
dog rose and Mr Heron waiting to greet us.
We bumped through a narrow passageway to get on to the wider canal, it
looks as if it would have had a swing bridge or something similar at one
time. Coming towards us the 2nd
NB of the day, Madeleine, very pretty with scumbling round the edges of the
main boat body. Star City moorings at
the side, next to a large industrial looking building, it was a Gaming Club,
poker etc. 1st Garrison lock, it went well, it lay next to a
derelict building which was really scruffy, you can see the next lock through
the bridge, changed my shoes, back to my trusty sandals. Done all 5 locks by 12 45, they weren’t easy
but the system is working a treat. On
the way up the locks we saw quite a few asian men, one was collecting wild
flowers and making a lovely hand tied posy, wonder it it was to say sorry to
his other half or just a token of affection. He waved goodbye to us before the
last and top lock. Bit further on,
(thought it would be further) turned left under a metal bridge and there was
the bottom lock of Camp Hill locks.
Derek had to reverse to drop me off and I had to walk over the bridge to
get to the lock. They were all quite
manky and I had to empty them and fill them up, we finally got to last lock and
Camp Hill Water point for 2:40. Stopping for late lunch and fill up with water
again. Very tired but really pleased we
did the locks so quickly and well. Let
dogs off for a wee then on to make
lunch. Nearing the top of the locks
there was a magnificent Gothic Church on
the sky line, its mentioned in my booklet, Holy Trinity Church, it is quite
neglected but it was a lovely sight above the blue metal bridge and the modern
offices etc, round it . We stopped for
the grand total of 20 minutes, Derek wanted to be off, he thinks he will find better
moorings at Catherine-de-Barnes, I hope hes right. Along the canal in contrast to the mank and graffiti
and rubbish generally littered all in the canal, there had been tons of ox eye
daisies, dog roses both pink and white, yellow trefoil and clover in
flower. The roses smelled lovely and it
was nice to see the daisies in particular.
The grass had been cut along the front of the flowers leaving them to
stand out in all their glory. The water
along this way was disgusting like a giant tip, Derek pulled up at one point, I
assumed something was round the prop?
Raining at 4, Im just snoozing in the cratch, really really tired. 5 still ploughing along a very dirty piece
of water, its now got a green oily swirly pattern on it, it looks like a
carpet. The trees of course look quite
amazing, looking upwards it looks like a Cathedral with bright light peeping
through, making them even greener. I
think the thing is to look beyond the dirt and grime and admire the beauty of
nature. We were still going slowly, seemed
to bump a bit, so I put my head out of the cratch, we had a tree fastened to
the side of the boat. I released it, got
the boat hook from the top of the boat and climbed on the front to try and
remove the reedy garden fastened to the bow.
There was a 5ft plank in the garden, moved it out so it floated by us
and we seemed to go a lot faster after that.??
We had only seen 2 boats going the other way today, one moored at the
Facilities at Camp Hill Lock and we were now passing a moored NB
Bleasedale. The lady on this boat had
just walked past us going along the canal, if she’s by herself, she seemed to
be, she is one brave lady, not for me that’s for sure. There hasn’t been much sign of life down here
for ages, a couple of dog walkers, Mrs
Bleasedale and a group of four teenagers looking very cagey, its quite spooky
in the drizzley grey weather. 6 05
passing the Catherine-de-Barnes signpost, there is a NB moored, finally out in
to the open, there are lovely houses either side, I spoke to a guy on right
hand side, he welcomed us and introduced me to his extended family ?? A group of 2 Canada Geese and 5 babies, he
also has a family of ducks, but they were out.
The guy from the NB, which was now behind us, spoke to us and said there
was a Spar shop over the bridge and he was staying for the night. We moored up and put the tea on !! another long day.
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