It was less misty than the previous couple of mornings and soon became quite pleasant. Despite being so close to Birmingham, thew landscape was distinctly rural as we cruised up towards the Curdworth flight. Across the fields we could see a large number of cars arriving and being parked in rows. The first people we asked said that it was a car boot sale but a later suggestion, which seemed better, was that it was people arriving to watch the golf at The Belfry course. The nearby motorway was hardly audible until we reached the top lock as it is buried in a cutting.
The steady pace through this flight was deceptive for what was to follow. At the middle lock of the Minworth flight of three, we could not close the bottom gate after the boat had entered the lock. We then spent the next two hours clearing assorted rubbish, including a large ball of old rope but still the gate subbornly refused to shut. Then we discovered that the rubber seal along the bottom of the gate had become cdetached and was hanging down over the sill. After hooking it up and tying a rope around the end, eventually the gate was persuaded to close. Although leaking quite badly, we were able to fill the lock and proceed.
After filling up with water and dealing with rubbish below the top lock, we continued on our way (Two BW men arrived to deal with the lock problem as we arrived). The canal was now very much in the midst of light industrial areas, although sadly many are now abandoned, awaiting demolition and replacement by retail distribution warehouses. At one point, a large factory had been built right over the canal but now is redundant. Will someone remove the eyesore?
Spaghetti Junction is simply amazing from underneath! At some point the stilts are all around and the traffic roars overhead. Salford Junction, where two other canals branch off into the centre of Birmingham, is right in the middle.
.We continued onto the Tame Valley Canal and ascended the Perry Bar flight of thirteen locks. Although the first few locks are spread out - one pound is over a mile in length - the last 7 are close together, looking like a 'proper' flight! However, the short pounds were already very low and filling the locks made them even lower. At one lock we had to bow haul the boat into the lock to bring it over the bottom sill
By now the boat was making very slow progress and it was apparent that something was wrapped around the prop. The stretch immediately above the top lock was quite a good mooring where Andrew was able to cut a plastic bag or two, mixed with thin twigs - bracken? - that almost felt like wire. Still, a canal trip without dealing with issue like today it not a 'real' trip!
The steady pace through this flight was deceptive for what was to follow. At the middle lock of the Minworth flight of three, we could not close the bottom gate after the boat had entered the lock. We then spent the next two hours clearing assorted rubbish, including a large ball of old rope but still the gate subbornly refused to shut. Then we discovered that the rubber seal along the bottom of the gate had become cdetached and was hanging down over the sill. After hooking it up and tying a rope around the end, eventually the gate was persuaded to close. Although leaking quite badly, we were able to fill the lock and proceed.
After filling up with water and dealing with rubbish below the top lock, we continued on our way (Two BW men arrived to deal with the lock problem as we arrived). The canal was now very much in the midst of light industrial areas, although sadly many are now abandoned, awaiting demolition and replacement by retail distribution warehouses. At one point, a large factory had been built right over the canal but now is redundant. Will someone remove the eyesore?
Spaghetti Junction is simply amazing from underneath! At some point the stilts are all around and the traffic roars overhead. Salford Junction, where two other canals branch off into the centre of Birmingham, is right in the middle.
.We continued onto the Tame Valley Canal and ascended the Perry Bar flight of thirteen locks. Although the first few locks are spread out - one pound is over a mile in length - the last 7 are close together, looking like a 'proper' flight! However, the short pounds were already very low and filling the locks made them even lower. At one lock we had to bow haul the boat into the lock to bring it over the bottom sill
By now the boat was making very slow progress and it was apparent that something was wrapped around the prop. The stretch immediately above the top lock was quite a good mooring where Andrew was able to cut a plastic bag or two, mixed with thin twigs - bracken? - that almost felt like wire. Still, a canal trip without dealing with issue like today it not a 'real' trip!
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