From Turner's Green, Grand Union Canal onto Bodymoor Heath, Birmingham and Fazeley Canal
What a contrast of canals and daytime temperatures across these three days.
We started out on Thursday wrapped up, layer on layer, as it was such a cold wind. We saw a hotelboat battling along and felt mighty glad we don't do that any more! it looked as if there were just 2 passengers - so a boat each!
We boated towards Birmingham but moored up in rural Copt Heath before an early start to get through Birmingham and out the other side.
Good plan to start early, but we weren't on our way soon enough to be ahead of an elderly gent boating alone, who was taking things at the locks very slowly. Our passage through the industrial wastelands made for a real change of vista, and you couldn't help but look at the defunct buildings and wonder at the huge labour forces of yesteryear working in pretty dangerous and ghastly conditions. Things for us came to a halt when we found some city locks and pounds were drained of water. It seemed to be lock gates left open rather than v and ells! Bob said he could see a wheel barrow, a mini motor bike, wheels and tyres etc galore! By opening all the paddles we managed to flush enough water down to enable us to get moving and out of the city, and a sense of relief to be back with greenery around us once more. Fortunately, in exchange for our preparing the locks ahead for the chap on his own, we were able to go ahead.
There were some pleasant aspects to Birmingham as this shot of a Canada goose family shows. Broods of Canada geese seem to be everywhere.
Well, we didn't reckon on our elderly gent catching us up today well before 8am and overtaking us! So, a little way ahead, and with locks at regular intervals we caught him up, even after our having been for Sunday papers! He was moaning because his legs wouldn't bend! We stopped for water and then went to the Dog and Doublet pub for lunch outside by the lock and watched some traction engines struggle to get over the adjacent hump backed canal bridge.
No comments:
Post a Comment