Celebration Cruise Summer 2022 - Week 6

 Monday 15th August - Tom o’ the Wood to Catherine de Barnes

We left our mooring at 8am with a view to mooring up before the weather closed in on us, rain was forecast for the afternoon and we really didn’t want to get wet!  This is the junction with the Stratford Canal that we came out of a few weeks back, we cruised passed this and we are now exploring parts of the canal we haven’t been on since 2017, all very exciting!  

Yes, we are heading into Birmingham along the Grand Union Canal. The last time we were on this stretch we were heading out of Birmingham so it will be different because we are going the other way!  

As we cruised past the Black Bouy moorings, this heron which had been flying ahead of us alighted on a boat roof and watched us go on our way.  We also saw nbGranny Buttons which we had been leapfrogging all the way from Cropredy, always find that quite amusing!  

There are 5 locks on this stretch of the canal, the Knowle Locks, all wide locks with large pounds beside each lock, they are high up and very exposed so therefore very windy with just enough space between each lock to blow you off course and make entering the lock an ‘hit or miss’ affair!  The wide locks were built alongside the original single locks to speed up traffic along the canal. The single locks are no longer in use, but you can still see the remains of the original locks along the canal.

Some delicate yellow water lilies in the pounds alongside the locks, the water levels in the pounds alongside the locks are quite low and in some almost non-existent!  

At the top of the flight is Stephen Goldsborough Boatbuilders at Knowle Hall Wharf, I have a feeling the company no longer exists, but the boat owners have gathered together to form a Stephen Goldsborough owners club! 

We moored up at Catherine de Barnes and had a walk into the village where we found The Boat and stopped for a drink and then had a walk along the canal.  We went back to The Boat for supper in the evening, it has had a huge refurbishment and attracts many posh and well dressed punters from the local area.  The food was very good too! 

7.5 miles, 5 locks, 4hrs 12mins

Tuesday 16th August - Catherine de Barnes to Birmingham Oozells Loop Visitor Moorings

We made an early start this morning as we have a long day ahead of us.  We waved goodbye to nbGranny Buttons and began the long 2 hour stretch to the first of the locks for the day.  Most of this part of the journey was in deep cuttings, so dark and dismal with lots of noise from places you couldn’t see.  I did find it quite unsettling!  

We arrived at the top of the Camp Hill Locks to discover that this boat had been waiting because the pounds between the locks had drained over night, so we helped them through the first lock and followed on behind.  It was the lady’s birthday, so we hope she had a good day!  

We are definitely into the outskirts of Birmingham here, gone are the pastoral vistas and we find ourselves travelling alongside busy fast roads.

The old warehouses of Fellows, Morton and Clayton undergoing restoration.

Having completed the Camp Hill Locks we then passed under the railway lines into Birmingham and began the Ashted Locks, another 6 in quick succession.  Dave had to wait in the dark to let a boat come down the first lock.

Lots of regeneration around the Birmingham university area, very busy and noisy, so not the bast place to stop even though there are some moorings at the top of this set of locks.  We decided to press on and make our way into the centre of Birmingham.

Once we got to the beginning of the Farmer’s Bridge Locks we had a solo boater ahead of us and a large working boat behind us.  This meant that we slowed down a little but it was all very interesting.  

A good shot of the BT tower as the canal passes underneath it.  The BT Tower Birmingham is a telecommunications tower and the structure is the tallest building in the city and well-known as a local landmark.

The building has been built over the canal with small passing places between each of the locks, it looks as though the boat is parked in an underground boat park, and there is more work going on at the same time.  At this stage we met a boat coming down the locks, and at the same time it began to rain heavily!  It was decided that the oncoming boat would need to pull over and let all the boats behind us pass as it wouldn’t have been possible to pass further down the flight!  

After 8 hours of cruising we managed to find a mooring on the Oozell Loop Visitor Moorings and stayed put for the rest of the day, we were both exhausted and well and truly wet!  However it was a brilliant achievement to get through all those locks and find a good mooring at the end of it.

11 miles, 25 locks, 8hrs 12mins.

Wednesday 17th August- Oozells Loop Visitor Moorings

We decided to give ourselves a days rest and started off with a late brunch in Brindley Place followed by a walk into Birmingham for a spot of retail therapy and finished off with an early supper at Mowgli’s in the train station! 

We stopped to look at the bull from the Commonwealth Games, it really is quite enormous.  Largely made of foam it was going to be dismantled after the games, but it has been decided to leave it in Centenary Square until the end of September and then to move it indoors after that.

We even spotted Claudia Winkleman in the station, not sure what was happening but the music was quite interesting!  

Thursday 18th August - Oozell’s Loop to Black Country Museum

We made an early start this morning as we wanted to make sure we got a mooring at the Black Country Museum.  We left our mooring and followed the loop all the way round to join the main canal heading towards Smethwick.  It is the first time we have done this, we usually back out of the mooring and head off towards Edgebaston.

On the Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) Main Line the Smethwick Gauging Station near the Engine Arm Aqueduct was on an island, with a covered gantry in a centre channel where boats were loaded with weights, plated and calibrated. The channels either side allowed two-way traffic and possibly the collection of tolls. The buildings and equipment were demolished in the 1940s.  We came up the three locks at Smethwick and then turned left into the Engine Arm as we had it on good authority that there were excellent facilities at the end of the arm.  The Engine Arm was built as a feeder to carry water from Edgbaston Reservoir to the Smethwick summit. It also served as a navigable waterway for boats to supply coal to the Smethwick Engine.

Galton Valley Pumping Station first opened in 1892 with the purpose of pumping water from the lower Birmingham New Main Line to the high Old Main Line Canal. This was to replace the water lost from the higher level when boats went through the Smethwick locks. However the station only had a short working life, closing in the mid 1920s due to reduced traffic on the canals. Apart from a short period during the Second World War the building sat empty until it was restored and opened as part of the Galton Valley Canal Heritage Centre in the late 1980s.

This is the Sandwell Park Colliery wharf which connected to railway sidings and a coal wharf on the BCN Old Main Line canal. A billboard next to the canal marks the location of the concrete bunkers that were used to load narrowboats with coal. 

For the last part of our journey we were travelling underneath major roads, the noise was deafening and quite intimidating, very much the new above the old, but eventually we headed away from the traffic and continued on the way towards Dudley and the Black Country Living Museum. We were fortunate to get one of the last moorings available and tied up for the night in front of a rather noisy road bridge!  

8.5 miles, 3 locks, 4hrs 42mins

Friday 19th August - Black Country Museum to Compton

A lovely start to our cruise this morning, we waved goodbye to the Black Country Museum and headed for Wolverhampton and the 21 locks which take you down onto the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal.

The first lock of the day, we had to pull over to let a boat leave the lock and also to clear the weed hatch of all the weed we had picked up on our journey.  We decided to work the locks in multiples of 5, swapping after 5, 10,15 and the last set of 6 locks.

The first 16 locks are spaced close together and allowed for the person working the locks to walk between them, it meant that the person driving the boat had time to practise hovering skills in suitable places! 

We didn’t meet many boats, but here we had to pass a boat under a bridge, making sure they had enough room to pass safely.  It did mean that the locks from here on were set in our favour and made it much easier for the person working the locks.

Love it when this happens, a train going over the bridge as you are descending the lock, traaaaiiinnn!  At the bottom of the locks we turned left onto the Staffs and Worcester, down Compton Lock and moored up in the little town of Compton where we could stock up on supplies and treat ourselves to fish and chips! 

10.25 miles, 22 locks, 7hrs 12mins

Saturday 20th August - Compton to The Bratch Locks

We made a reasonably early start today as we are only going a short distance to the top of the Bratch Locks.  Dave worked the first two locks and Toby and I worked the next two.  Toby the lock dog is making sure all is going to plan, he has really enjoyed being back out in the open and being able to run along the towpath free as a bird!  

As you can see, this canal has no problem with lack of water, the by-waters are flowing freely which is good news for us.

All of the locks so far have been quite deep, around 9ft for each so the drop down to Stourport is quite a steep one.  We continued on to the top of the Bratch Locks and moored for the rest of the day.  We met up with friends Anne and Steve at Wombourne Railway Cafe and spent a lovely afternoon chatting and catching up with news.

4 miles, 5 locks, 2hrs 42mins

Sunday 21st August - The Bratch

At around 10am it was all go at the locks this morning.  The Volunteer Lock Keeper, Cherie,  was working non-stop and had been since 7am!  

Boats were queuing above and below the locks, and as these are narrow locks you need to wait until a boat has completed all three of the locks before you can use them.

The octagonal building used to have access doors from the top lock and the middle lock, it was a toll house and  became a chandlery and information point.  Today it appears to be used as a rest room for the volunteer lock keepers.  Whilst Dave was investigating the locks I rationalised the plants on the roof, getting rid of the ones past their best and cleaning down the roof on the towpath side. 

Later we went for a walk up the canal to Awbridge Lock, this curious carving in the shape of a French man o' war is said to date from the time when French prisoners were used on the canal following the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 and it is reported that the bridge and lock are haunted! 

Celebration Cruise Summer 2022 Week 5

 Tuesday 9th August - Cropredy Marina to The Summit of the Oxford Canal

A beautiful sunny morning with light winds and we set off from the Marina for our return journey to Worcester. We turned left out of the Marina passed all the boats moored up for the Cropredy Festival next weekend and on to the first lock. During the 1970s, Daves Pegg and Swarbrick lived in the village of Cropredy. In 1979 Fairport decided to call it a day and, having opened up for Led Zeppelin at Knebworth in the early afternoon, tore across the country in their van to do an outdoor Farewell concert at Peewit Farm on Station Road in Cropredy.  A year later, they decided to reconvene with some friends for what would become their annual reunion. Although they had performed in Cropredy before, 1980 is the year Fairport recognise as the first Cropredy Festival.

Water, or lack of it, is a constant problem above and below Cropredy.  By the time we had passed through the pound had been filled and boats were passing through with no problems. 

Richie and Ally are Canal and River Trust employees and they are on hand each day to sort out the water shortage and pass water down to where it is needed.  Having sorted this problem they were heading up to a reservoir where there were reports of blue green algae!  

As we approached Claydon Locks we realised there was a long queue of boats, we joined the end of the queue and gradually moved forward until it was our turn to ascend the locks.  A nice shady spot to wait in though!  

Passing back through Fenny Compton Tunnel, the tunnel that’s not a tunnel, a beautiful wrought iron bridge spanning the waterway, this cast iron roving bridge still carries the towpath across the canal.

We made our way up onto the summit and moored before Bridge 130 for the night.  Marinated lamb in the barbecue, delicious! 

10 miles, 8 locks, 5 hrs 18mins.

Wednesday 10th August - Bridge 130 to Napton between Lock 8 & 9

We set off from the summit and headed along the top passing a little arm called The Engine Arm, where there are many boats moored.  The Old Engine House Arm once went to the pumping house that used to pump water up to this summit level from Napton Bottom Lock. Today it is foreshortened to about 300 metres beyond this entrance and is used for leisure boat moorings.

At the top of the Napton Locks I found the water buffalo that I couldn’t see on the way up, they are very sensibly sitting in the shade! 

The locks going down into Napton were very busy with boats passing each other in all of the pounds.  It all flowed really well and there was always someone on hand to help.

Dave had some wonderful helpers at this lock, not sure how good they were!  

We managed to get a delightful mooring above the last lock and in the shade of a huge tree!  We were grateful for the shade as it had been a hot trip!  A walk up into the village, a drink at the Folly Inn and then barbecued chicken and sausages and a calming sunset across the fields.

6 miles, 8 locks, 4hrs 48mins

Thursday 11th August - Napton to The Blue Lias Inn

We decided to make an early start to make sure that we had completed our cruising before the heat got unbearable.  We went down the last of the Napton Locks, used the facilities and then continued.  We passed once again, nbHeart of Oak, we seem to be passing them a lot at the moment! 

Dave did the left turn on to the Grand Union at Wigrams Turn and we carried on to the top of Calcutt Locks.  Still quite cool and no one else around so we went down the locks quietly on our own, all very pleasant.  

This is the Napton Reservoir and I was trying to show the level of the water, which must have been a good two foot down from where it normally is, you will just have to take my word for it! 

We were fortunate to collect a boat heading our way at the top of the Stockton Locks and we shared the locks coming down in good time.  They had the help of their 11 year old grandson who was magnificent working the paddles and lock gates.  A boater in the making!  We moored for the night at the bottom of the locks at the Blue Lias Inn, you can use their canalside mooring so long as you have a meal.  So we had our lunch there and spent the rest of the afternoon in the relative cool of the boat.

At about 7.30, this car transporter tried to get over the bridge, there was a loud crunch and he had got his back wheels stuck against the bridge! It caused a huge amount of interest from everyone around, and the road both sides of the bridge was closed off.  Gradually the driver removed the cars on the back trailer and eventually he was able to move the lorry off the bridge, took him over 3 hours to clear the bridge and then he had to reload the cars back onto the trailer.  I was more concerned about the bridge which had notices all over it saying Caution, Weak Bridge!  

5.75 miles, 12 locks, 4 hours and 6 mins.

Friday 12th August - Blue Lias Inn to Radford Semele

Another hot day forecast so an early start heading for Bascote Staircase Locks.  When we got there a boat was going in to the lock and we used the horn to indicate we were on our way.  They ignored us until we had arrived, then said that there was a boat coming up so we couldn’t share.  Sure enough, they had arrived and gone into the top lock with out checking if there was a boat on the staircase, the other boat was a solo boater who was understandably a little annoyed!    We eventually completed the staircase on our own and then did the next few locks with them until we stopped at the services on the Fosse Locks.  I have to say it was the most stressful time of the whole of our journey so far, I wish them well but there were so many mistakes and mishaps, I was pleased to see them go on their way!  

We found ourselves a lovely mooring above Radford Bottom Lock, a big tree for shade and open views across the fields on the other side.  We spent the afternoon and evening sitting outside enjoying a barbecue and late evening drinks.

We spotted the moon rising over the fields and throughout the night it shone through our bedroom window, creating an amazing light.

There was so much solar, the boat was lit up beautifully and I love the crystal ball on the back of the boat!  

4.5 miles, 11 locks, 4 hrs 30 mins

Saturday 13th August - Radford Semele to Cape of Good Hope Pub

The view from our window this morning, in the distance is an unusual structure which we can’t decide what it would be used for! 

First lock of the day, very quiet and peaceful, no boats around yet.  We carried onto Morrisons and moored up so Dave could do the shopping and I cleared the roof of the boat.  Having moored under trees for the past few nights the roof is strewn with under developed acorns, twigs and leaves.

We have a few of these this trip, they are mannequins dressed up as drivers, possibly to make on coming boats slow down.  They are quite creepy though!  We continued up the two Cape Locks and managed to squeeze into a mooring just up from the pub.  The boat ahead of us moved back a couple of feet and we gently slid in! 

Behind them is moored NbDulwich 3, this boat is owned by friends of ours and is currently being driven by David.  Jenny won’t be joining him until Monday so we shall miss her which is a shame!  However we enjoyed a long chat and a couple of drinks with David at the pub.

5.5 miles, 3 locks, 2hrs 54mins

Sunday 14th August - Cape of Good Hope to Tom o’ the Wood

Up very early this morning as we were meeting two volunteer lock keepers at the bottom of the Hatton Locks at 8am so we were ready to leave our mooring at 7.30am.  Dave and Graham worked the boat through the locks whilst Frank went ahead to set the next lock.  All very efficient, and quite enjoyable as it wasn’t too hot at this moment.

My favourite view of the Hatton Locks as they appear in the distance.  The paddles are raised by winding the tall white object, turning the windlass 23 times, I counted them!  Times that by 21 locks, that’s an awful lot of winding!  

This is Asylum Wharf, at the top of the flight of locks there used to be a building called Hatton County Lunatic Asylum, much of the building has been destroyed and it is now used as residential properties.  But during the times of occupation the staff and inmates of the asylum used to walk down to the Wharf and collect their goods from boats that would call into the wharf.

Two boats emerging together from a lock as I waited on the side, they were doing so well until the one on the right lost momentum and ended up hitting me instead, c’est La vie! 

A cavalcade of scooters heading down from the Hatton Cafe, there must have been about 20 of them altogether, a regular outing for a local scooter club.   I wonder where they were going?  

Approaching the final lock of the day, Dave had gone ahead to the cafe to buy cake.  We had completed the flight in just on 3 hours, not bad considering the heat, and we must say a huge thank you to Graham and Frank for their stirling work getting us up in such good time.  

Unfortunately, Graham sustained an injury at the top lock, whilst winding down the mechanism, the windlass slipped and hit his arm three times, he had to go to A&E to have the wound seen to.  A pure accident, but it can so easily happen, even to the most experienced lock keepers.  Many thanks to Kevin at the Hatton Cafe for prompt first aid and I pleased to report that all is well and Graham will be back on his next shift on the locks.  

7 miles, 21 locks, 5hrs 42mins

Celebration Cruise Summer 2022 - Week 4 01/08/22 - 07/08/22

 Monday 1st August - Bridge 124 Spurfoot Bridge to Bridge 129 Ladder Bridge

We had a lovely cruise between these two bridges and moored for the day on the summit.  The weather was glorious, so we set up our table and chairs on the towpath and spent the day sitting out in the sunshine and enjoying the peace and quiet.  I washed the side of the boat and cleaned the windows. 

Tuesday 2nd August - Ladder Bridge to Fenny Compton

A distinct change in the weather today, sunshine replaced by cloud and quite a strong wind. Loved this carved tree trunk as we headed towards Fenny Compton.  We continued past Fenny Compton Wharf and moored on the visitor moorings further out.  The wind was quite blustery and unfortunately it blew Toby’s cool mat and a side to the pram hood off the boat and into the canal.  We were able to retrieve the cool mat but the plastic side simply disappeared never to be seen again.  We have contacted Kinver Canopies and we can have a replacement but we need to send them a template that they can work from.Fortunately the two sides are exact mirror images so we can use the remaining one to make the template.

We took a walk into the village of Fenny Compton and did a top up shop at the Coop and a drink at The Merrie Lion and then wandered back again.

Wednesday 3rd August - Fenny Compton to top of Claydon Lock

We left our mooring and headed for the Marina to dispose of rubbish, then passed through ‘The Tunnel’.  The 1,138 yard long Fenny Compton Tunnel was built between 1776 and 1778. It formed part of James Brindley's Oxford Canal, although the engineer himself died before the canal was finished and his assistant Samuel Simcock completed the project. The tunnel was a narrow single bore and it immediately proved to be a serious bottleneck.  In 1840 the canal company purchased the land above the tunnel and opened out a passing place mid way along the length, thus splitting it into two shorter tunnels of 336 and 452 yards respectively. This only partially eased the congestion problems so it was decided to untop the entire tunnel. The southern tunnel was opened out in 1868 and the northern tunnel followed in 1870. A feeder for Wormleighton reservoir that once ran above the tunnel had to be carried over the canal on an aqueduct.   All that now remains is an awkward, narrow and dead straight cutting that is still known today as "The Tunnel".

After ‘The Tunnel’ it is still narrow and shallow so it took quite a while to negotiate a passing place that wouldn’t result in either of use being grounded on the side.

First of the many drawbridges found on the south Oxford Canal.  This bridge straddles the county boundary between Oxfordshire and Warwickshire.  They are extremely simple consisting of a pair of shallow brick abutments, a platform and two hefty timber balance beams set at 45 degrees when the bridge is closed to boats or flat against the ground when open as it was here.

The canal here is pretty shallow and when passing another boat it causes the boat you are passing or your own boat to scrap along the bottom, we try really hard to pass other boats as slowly as possible to prevent this happening as much as possible.

We cruised to the top of Claydon Locks and decided to stop for the night there.  This is the view from our side hatch.  Very peaceful and delightful.

3.5 miles, 0 locks, 1hr 36mins.

Thursday 4th August - Bridge 144 to above Verney’s Lock

We left our mooring and got to the top of the Claydon Locks and had to wait for about 20 minutes until they had let down enough water to fill the pounds between the locks.  The pounds tend to drain over night so this needs to be done on a daily basis.  

We have passed through the top lock and this is the pound that was too low, and is easily passable now. We are entering the second lock.

This is nbHeart of Oak, we first met them on our way to Ely last year, at the top of the Buckby Locks.  We then met them again in Ely, imagine our surprise when we passed them today on our way to Cropredy!  

We found a delightful mooring above Verney’s Lock, very quiet and open.  We had a quiet afternoon and then walked down into the village of Cropredy for supper at The Brasenose Inn.  The moorings in the village are extremely busy building up to the Fairport Convention Festival next weekend.  A beautiful sunset over the bridge behind us.

2 miles, 6 locks, 1hr 54mins

Friday 5th August - Verney’s Lock to Cropredy Marina

Today we had a very short cruise down two locks and into Cropredy Marina, we are in the new basin and had help from Di and Mark who currently moor their boat in the original basin.  

0.5miles, 2 locks, 1hr 6mins

Saturday 6th August - Monday 8th August - Cropredy Marina

We are mooring the boat in the Marina for the next few days whilst we go down to Annie and Pete’s for the Christening of their two girls.  It will mean the whole family is gathered together again which is delightful!