OFF TO BRUM

Perry Barr Locks

Week One, Coventry to Birmingham, a journey of 54 miles, 48 locks and 6 different canals.

We set off on a bright Tuesday afternoon, and after only a short cruise we stopped and moored up near the Greyhound at Hawksbury Junction, and of course we had to try the pub. It’s one of our favourites on the system and always has Theakstons Mild on for the Captain, and a good choice of lagers for me. Today he had a choice as they also had Old Peculiar on. Lucky him.

https://www.thegreyhoundlongford.co.uk/

On our way to the junction we passed 4 boats going down to the basin, which was great to see as Coventry is often missed by passing boats, and its well worth a visit.

Mooring was a bit tight as the git gappers were out in force, these are boaters who don’t think about how much room they leave between them and the boat in front or behind, so leaving gaps to small to fit an average size boat in, but if they would just move up you could get a couple of boats in the space made. Rant over.

Wednesday, and after a lie in the canal suddenly got busy, so we decided we better be making a move. On our cruise to a spot known to us as the ‘Telegraph Pole’ we saw our first ducklings. Everybody say AHHHHHHH.

 After a night in the middle of nowhere we set off for Atherstone, when disaster struck, and the Captain came down with some type of lurgy. He felt so bad that I had to take over the steering for the last mile or so of the journey. Now as you know I am not fond of steering and can panic. But I held my nerve and was very pleased with my effort. After mooring us up the Captain took to his bed for the rest of the day. I pottered about and whilst on the towpath was approached by a lady who had found a debit card on the towpath, she gave it to me with the thought if someone came back to look for it I might see them. As it was I was able to track the owner down using facebook (had an unusual name) and was able to return it to them next day.

We stayed in Atherstone the next day as we had arranged to go for a pint in the Angel Ale House, and then a curry at the Raj Mahal with our boater mates Col and Mags. The Captain was still feeling a little under the weather but enjoyed meeting up with our friends, and the pint and curry went down a treat.

https://www.facebook.com/theangelinnrealalehouseatherstone/?locale=en_GB

Next day and the hard work began in earnest for me as we tackled the 11 locks at Atherstone, they were extremely busy, with us being the 4th in the queue to go down, and with other boats coming up. I jumped off and went to help the volunteer lockees get the boats in front down the first lock, and found the crew of the first 2 boats to be quite rude and unhelpful. The lady crew off the 3^rd boat Charlie-May was lovely though, and we had quite a chat, they were heading up north to do the Huddersfield broad and narrow canals and the Standedge tunnel, an area we haven’t done yet.

At one of the locks a huge crow decided to join the Captain on the boat, before hopping down into the grass, it picked a lump of dried grass which I thought was for its nest but discard it to one side, it then started to peck at something that had been hidden beneath, unfortunately it turned out to be a duckling, but it did seem to me that it was a snack that the crow had hidden. Interesting if a bit gruesome.

https://canalplan.uk/feature/69

We made it all the way to Polesworth before mooring up for the night.

Fazeley was the aim for the next day, with an ulterior motive. Fazeley has one of the best chippies on the canal and we were forgoing our Sunday lunch for fish and chips for the Captain and a kebab for me.

https://www.facebook.com/Fazeleyfishbarfazeley/

There are only 2 lock on this stretch at Glascote, and we met up with Charlie-May again, but in the pouring rain this time. I don’t know why, but the rain always seems to wait until I am doing locks.

After mooring up and drying out we headed to the 3 Tuns, it’s undergone major refurbishment since the last time we were here, they have moved the bar back, and opened up the seating area which makes it much better. Unfortunately there were no dark ales on for the Captain and he had to make do with Doombar, but he said it was a reasonable pint. The chippie didn’t disappoint either.

https://www.threetunsfazeley.co.uk/

11 locks at Curdsworth and Minworth next day, with the only thing to write home about was a rather rude boater on NB Owzat, who banged on his window to indicate we were going to fast past his boat, as we glided serenely by on tickover. I think we could have stopped and he still wouldn’t have been happy.

https://canalplan.uk/feature/120

https://canalplan.uk/feature/120

The next day and the locks kept coming hard and fast, 16 locks in 8 miles today at Perry Bar. The final 7 locks are a flight, which means there is only short distances between each lock, and as we were going up, it also meant that once I had open the paddles to let the water in, I could leave the Captain to sort the rest out and head to the next lock to set it ready for him to glide into. About 4 locks from the end we started to chat with 2 very nice ladies Debbie and Janet. Janet explained that she had at one point thought about living on a boat, and done quite a bit of research on the matter, she wasn’t sure if being on her own would be the right thing for her, and after watching me doing the lock if she would actually manage to sail as a single hander.

We invited them on board and they accepted very willingly. The Captain took them through the first lock and then some how, and I am not sure how, I ended up on the tiller chatting to them, and the Captain was working the locks. I usually don’t like taking the boat into the narrow locks, but I managed it without even bashing the boat as it went in. I was very proud of myself as we came out of the last lock and I jumped off and pulled the boat into the side for the ladies to disembark. It was a great way to finish a long day.

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/media-centre/filming-and-photography/our-filming-and-photography-locations/perry-barr

But it wasn’t over yet, and next day we had the 8 locks at Ryder Green to contend with. The first couple of these were hard, and there was a lot of rubbish in the canal, which meant the Captain had to go down the weed hatch to clear the prop. They did get easier thank god, but I had had enough by the time we reached the top. We were now on the final run into Birmingham and I took over steering for a while as the Captain got some lunch.

https://canalplan.uk/feature/108

We were moored up in central Birmingham by teatime, and of course had to go and have a pint. I was lucky enough to find the Craven Arms, which is owned by Black Country Brewery, and is a very good real ale pub winning silver in the Birmingham Camra pub of the year awards 2023. Even better they had Creme Bearlee by Beartown Brewery, which is one of the Captains favourites. So happy days.

https://www.blackcountryales.co.uk/pubs/the-craven-arms

The Craven Arms

Nature Watch, on our journey we have seen, ducklings and moorhen chicks. Loads of Canada geese on their nests. One stretch was heron central, with 3 sat together in a row on the side of the canal.

We are now in Birmingham for a few days with family visiting for the Captains birthday.

That’s all for now folks.