Where "Not To Miss" On THe BCN?

[cheshire~rose]

So we have arrived back from a blissful two weeks in Goa where the sun shone non stop and the temperature was around 36 degrees most of the week. Now we have to sit down and do some serious planning for our next holiday which is just a few weeks away.

 

For our next exotic location we are taking Carrie~Lou to explore the BCN. We expect to head up the Wolverhampton 21 on Saturday 22nd March and we have a full week before we need to be back down to the bottom again. We have been into Birmingham a number of times but never really explored all the twiddly bits. As it is possible we may be moving Carrie~lou to a new mooring later in the year I have put my foot down and said we HAVe to explore the BCN before we leave the area.

 

I know we plan to turn off up the Wiggly Wyrley to start with but I thought I would just ask the great and good on this forum for all the tips of where the nicest places to moor are, the best pubs, the delightfull little shops and those fascinating little bits of history we are likely to glimpse along the route.

[Laurie Booth]

Bentley moorings on the Wyrley are very good.

 

 

Not as busy as the photo suggests as this was from the Pelsall rally

[nicknorman]

The top end. Pelsall common is a great, tranquil mooring. Anglesey basin at the foot of the Chasewater dam. Allegedly (because we didn't stop there) the Manor Arms at Daw End.

 

Nearer Brum, the aqueduct over the M5 on the tame valley near Rushall junction. Farmer's bridge flight, of course. Wednesbury Oak line to Bradley, for the ridiculous proliferation of wildlife in an urban setting. Through Netherton, turn left via Gosty Hill tunnel to coombeswood basin. Under spaghetti Jn on the tame valley. Lots more...

Edited February 24, 2014 by nicknorman

[pearley]

The thing with the Manor Arms, as well as the good beer, is that there is no bar, the handpumps being on the wall. If you visit on a weekday in the winter it is like sitting in someone's front room.

Edited February 24, 2014 by pearley

[RLWP]

Ocker Hill arm

 

Richard

[junior]

Although I've never been there, I have a photo of Anglesey Basin as the screen saver on my computer at the moment, it just looks so beautiful. I cannot wait to go there during the BCN challenge.

[Odana]

Going under any motorway (Smethwick and Spaghetti best) and watching the world above is my favourite.

And the W&E.

[john6767]

Although I've never been there, I have a photo of Anglesey Basin as the screen saver on my computer at the moment, it just looks so beautiful. I cannot wait to go there during the BCN challenge.

Anglesey is great so is Pelsall Common both make good overnight stopping places.

 

There is not much that is not worth visiting if you have not been before, after you have been you may say that some places you would not bother with again. I would have thought right round the W&E with visits out a Cannock extension and Anglesey branch and then down Rushall and along the Tame Valley is the obvious route going back to the main line up Ryders Green.

[Laurie Booth]

Brownhills is very good as well. Good pubs, shops, takeaways

[alan_fincher]

We particularly enjoyed the trip up to Anglesey Basi, which, as you can see wasn't exactly crowded, even in mid-August.

 

 

We found the whole trip rounf the W&E great fun, but didn't go up to Norton Canes, as we had a bit of an issue with less fuel in the tank than we thought we had

 

360 degree Panorama taken by David at the junction.

 

 

From blog page here

[Scholar Gypsy]

I would commend the Dudley / Stourbridge.

 

Quite pleasant moorings here, just below the Delph flight; and near the south portal of Netherton tunnel here.

[RLWP]

That would make a good exit to the Staffs and Worcs to get back to Calf Heath

 

Richard

[Richard T]

The loops off the main line around the centre are well worth doing - its fun going straight across the main line from Icknield Port to Winson Green ones.

Walsall arm so that you can visit the wonderful gallery at the end of it - a great piece of modern architecture. And the art inside is well worth a look at. In my opinion a far more succesful building than Nottingham Contemporary which is by the same architects - Caruso St John.

[the grinch]

just do the lot!! go on you know you want too!! lol but another vote for the curly wyrley and the northern bits so tranquil. I just love the BCN

[Scholar Gypsy]

I would commend the Dudley / Stourbridge.

 

Quite pleasant moorings here, just below the Delph flight; and near the south portal of Netherton tunnel here.

 

Here's a photo of Delph - NB excellent views.

 

 

I would also agree Walsall is worth a visit, I would suggest you go down the flight and then back up to the W&E, not least as the Walsall canal over to Ryders Green was very shallow and weedy when we went there, Here's the basin & art gallery ...

 

Edited February 25, 2014 by Scholar Gypsy

[cheshire~rose]

Thanks everyone. We have a kind outline plan of up the Wyrley, up to Anglesea Basin and Cannock extension, Then down to The Walsall to The Tame Valley. Then up to Old Turn, through Netherton Tunnel and down to Stourton to get back to Calf Heath.

 

Thanks for the tip about the art gallery. That is somewhere we will certainly try and take in.

 

Are we likely to be passing by any of you who may be up for a micro banter?

 

I

[nicknorman]

Presuming you are coming at it from the Wolverhampton side, that means you will miss Daw End / Rushall for the Walsall canal. IMO the former is a more pleasant and interesting run than the walsall south of the town arm junction. Therefore, depending on how much time you have, an alternative would be to go along the W&E as far as Birchills, dip down the locks and into the town arm for the museum, before retracing your steps to Birchills and then on to Cannock Ext, Anglesey and back via Daw End / Rushall. Once at the junction with the Tame valley, you can turn right to pick up the walsall again at Ocker Hill, or if you are feeling energetic, drop down Perry Bar locks, go under Spaghetti Junction before turning right back up to the city centre. But maybe you don't have the time for that?

[Mrs Trackman]

The loops off the main line around the centre are well worth doing - its fun going straight across the main line from Icknield Port to Winson Green ones.

Walsall arm so that you can visit the wonderful gallery at the end of it - a great piece of modern architecture. And the art inside is well worth a look at. In my opinion a far more succesful building than Nottingham Contemporary which is by the same architects - Caruso St John.

How did I miss that? Can't believe the Walsall art gallery is the same architects as Nottingham's Contemporary. Walsall art gallery is a full of beautiful woods and of course, has an excellent view from it, of the canal. The permanent Garman/Ryan collection is fascinating and fairly wide ranging including Lucien Freuds and Monets. I love the award winning, Andrew Tift triptych of Kitty Godley. Kitty was the daughter of Jacob Epstein and Kathleen Gorman and first wife of Lucien Freud, I think the pictures show beauty in an old woman.

Edited February 26, 2014 by Mrs Trackman

[Mrs Trackman]

Going under any motorway (Smethwick and Spaghetti best) and watching the world above is my favourite.

And the W&E.

Love it or loathe it.

I love the BCN and think it a very underused resource, its a great green route through a large built up area....however...the W&E is definitely a challenge, all those places that merge and begin with a W, all those trips down the weed hatch though I believe it's better dredged now? We've had poor experiences with anti social behaviour too. Still think it's worth it though, there's such great spots and delight when another boat appears, must be so strange on the BCN challenge to see lots of boats. Many locals are also pleased to see the waterways used. We actually lived right by the W&E when we first married and, though we used to walk along it, never imagined it was still used by boats, or that 40 plus years later we would be travelling along it.

[BEngo]

Another vote for Pelsall, but don't forget the top of the Crow. Titford pools may be a little shallow but there are (were) some cracking pubs up there.

 

N

[Laurie Booth]

Another vote for Pelsall, but don't forget the top of the Crow. Titford pools may be a little shallow but there are (were) some cracking pubs up there.

 

N

What are the pubs as we want to go there?

[john6767]

Another vote for Pelsall, but don't forget the top of the Crow. Titford pools may be a little shallow but there are (were) some cracking pubs up there.

 

N

Good point the Titford is very interesting. The locks are some of the best designed and fastest to work that you will find anywhere.

 

Love it or loathe it.

I love the BCN and think it a very underused resource, its a great green route through a large built up area....however...the W&E is definitely a challenge, all those places that merge and begin with a W, all those trips down the weed hatch though I believe it's better dredged now? We've had poor experiences with anti social behaviour too. Still think it's worth it though, there's such great spots and delight when another boat appears, must be so strange on the BCN challenge to see lots of boats. Many locals are also pleased to see the waterways used. We actually lived right by the W&E when we first married and, though we used to walk along it, never imagined it was still used by boats, or that 40 plus years later we would be travelling along it.

In previous years on the BCN Challenge you still do not see many other boats, perhaps with all the interest on the forum this year that will be different.

 

The W&E is not bad at all now for a weed hatch and being shallow point of view, in fact I would say it is very good really. Perhaps we have been lucky on that anti social behaviour front never hand any issues, but have see some strange sights on the W&E for sure... We have had it a few time when people come running down their gardens waving and shouting "boat boat", I guess they still don't see that many.

[nicknorman]

...the W&E is definitely a challenge, all those places that merge and begin with a W, all those trips down the weed hatch though I believe it's better dredged now?

Not now IMO. We went from Wolverhampton to Catshill without any prop stops and overall my impression was that is was reasonably deep especially bearing in mind we draw 2'8". Catshill to Rushall is another matter, though it is supposed to be being dredged. We had no issues with antisocial behaviour on the W&E but then it was in term time during a weekday, and most importantly raining hard!

[Mrs Trackman]

Not now IMO. We went from Wolverhampton to Catshill without any prop stops and overall my impression was that is was reasonably deep especially bearing in mind we draw 2'8". Catshill to Rushall is another matter, though it is supposed to be being dredged. We had no issues with antisocial behaviour on the W&E but then it was in term time during a weekday, and most importantly raining hard!

Good point. It was a very sunny bank holiday saturday when we had most trouble.

[Alan Saunders]

We hired our first NB from Bummagem Boats (Sherbourne Wharf) Soho Loop in the long, very hot summer of 1976 to explore the Southern Stratford. I have since always had an ambition to fully explore the BCN. Today I am more confident to push-on through low pounds and let water down to fill empty pounds without the help of BW/CRT.

 

In 1995 we bought our own boat and were able to spend a week on the BCN during a deliberately protracted (six week) journey from Leicester to the K&A. We visited the obvious attractions: Black Country Museum, Dudley Tunnel (family were not keen on poling/legging through which was allowed then), Cadbury Bournville (our small fridge now full of chocolate) etc. The greatest satisfaction to me was the contrast between green, almost rural, areas (look, there's a kingfisher), a noisy foundry, passing under Spaghetti Junction or rising in a lock from peace and quiet to roaring traffic.

 

On family hireboat holidays ('77 - '94) we were not worried about security; we had our very own 'Donk'; my 6'4", 16 stone, shaven headed BIL. Anyway, we were 'mob-handed'; the 'Donk' was a puppy compared to the other three long-haired 5' something lightweights, not to mention the three (Essex) ladies who could turn anyone to to stone at a glance.

 

On the BCN Mainline in 1995 I was the only male adult; youths spat on us from a bridge which had my my 12-year-old daughter in tears, approaching one of the narrows we had polythene sheet deliberately deployed under the bow, which I pre-empted by a burst of speed then running over it in neutral. On one flight the lock beam had been substantially reduced by a fire. I hope the social situation has improved by now. If you see a dead cat hung in a bush, press on!

 

In 1976 Gas Street Basin still epitomised the BCN as it was in working days; by 1995 it was sanitised and spoilt. Nearby you can moor under bright streetlights with loud music pounding out until the early hours. One evening at dusk we decided to moor up on the main line. There is no 'offside', both banks have tarmac towpaths. The Eastern Warehouse night watchman's smoker's cough was a great reassurance on his hourly round. Early, the next morning we found another solitary boat moored at the foot of the locks leading to the old line; the only time I would have preferred to moor 'in company'.

 

Others have recommended routes; wherever you go on the BCN there is a greater sense of adventure and more history and architecture to discover than, probably, anywhere else on the UK canal system. I am jealous. Have a look at www.geolocation.ws/ for far more listed buildings and canal photographs than Google & Bing maps provide. It even has my memorable mooring by the 'Eastern Warehouse' listed and photographed which is how I happened to find the site when re-living my 1995 trip.

 

 

Alan (to travel hopefully is better than to arrive)