Black Country Ring

[David Mack]

31 minutes ago, agg221 said:

Tixall Wide is wide enough that you can turn the boat easily.

It's also wide enough to loop the loop and do figures of eight in a deep drafted 70 footer!

[IanD]

3 hours ago, Francis Herne said:

Tixall Wide has been suggested a few times. I agree, apart from the geese waking me up at 5am every time, but mooring is restricted until 14th July due to towpath works:

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/23744-towpath-closure-haywood-bridge-to-milford-turnover-bridge-staffordshire-and-worcester-canal

 

May not be an issue depending on the date of the trip.

 

I'll third the suggestion that via Stourton is a more interesting journey although a bit longer. If you're going that way definitely visit Ma Pardoe's, mooring either at Withymoor by arrangement (visited this weekend, very friendly as always) or the Bumble Hole visitor moorings.

 

If timings work (e.g. lunchtime) you could also moor in the little side arm just above Delph bottom lock and walk up to the Vine (Bull and Bladder), the legendary Batham's brewery tap...

3 hours ago, Francis Herne said:

Tixall Wide has been suggested a few times. I agree, apart from the geese waking me up at 5am every time, but mooring is restricted until 14th July due to towpath works:

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/23744-towpath-closure-haywood-bridge-to-milford-turnover-bridge-staffordshire-and-worcester-canal

 

May not be an issue depending on the date of the trip.

 

I'll third the suggestion that via Stourton is a more interesting journey although a bit longer. If you're going that way definitely visit Ma Pardoe's, mooring either at Withymoor by arrangement (visited this weekend, very friendly as always) or the Bumble Hole visitor moorings.

 

Bumble Hole is a lot further to walk to Ma Pardoe's and less secure than Withymoor, we had a lifebelt nicked there in the past but maybe that wasn't typical.

 

If timings work (e.g. lunchtime) you could also moor in the little side arm just above Delph bottom lock and walk up to the Vine (Bull and Bladder), the legendary Batham's brewery tap... 🙂

[matty40s]

1 hour ago, David Mack said:

It's also wide enough to loop the loop and do figures of eight in a deep drafted 70 footer!

I'm glad it's not just me...

[Ken X]

One place we often pop into is the Plum Pudding at Rugeley.  Ring moorings right by the garden.  Have overnighted on occasion after a long evening.

[jonesthenuke]

An earlier response to this posts suggests going down the S&W to Stourton . If you have time I would take this option, the route is far more interesting than the climb up the Wolverhampton 21, but is longer. Netehrton tunnel is also interesting. Once up at the Birmingham level I would opt for the Old Main Line rather than the New Line as the latter is straight and rather less interesting.

[Captain Pegg]

20 hours ago, Lily Rose said:

 

I know nothing about this but I think it might be helpful to the OP if someone who does could list the pros and cons of each direction. Might help with that bit of their planning.

 

Mentioned above but here's a link...

https://canalplan.org.uk/cgi-bin/canal.cgi

 

I don't think it's hugely important which way you go round but perhaps if going clockwise the choice between via Wolverhampton or Stourton can be done based on time as much as preference since it will fall in the second half of the week rather than on the first or second full day.

 

The only thing I'd say about doing the Stourton route is that the 24 locks of the Delph and Stourbridge flights together is hard work - the flights are less than an hour apart and no recognised mooring sites in between. They are deep locks and take some effort for a small crew, more so than the Wolverhampton 21 and of course you've then got another 15 or 16 additional locks to get back to Aldersley Junction. One advantage is that Merry Hill moorings are very close to Delph top lock and you are quickly into nice surroundings below Stourbridge bottom, or alternatively the bottom of the arm.

 

 

[IanD]

1 hour ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

I don't think it's hugely important which way you go round but perhaps if going clockwise the choice between via Wolverhampton or Stourton can be done based on time as much as preference since it will fall in the second half of the week rather than on the first or second full day.

 

The only thing I'd say about doing the Stourton route is that the 24 locks of the Delph and Stourbridge flights together is hard work - the flights are less than an hour apart and no recognised mooring sites in between. They are deep locks and take some effort for a small crew, more so than the Wolverhampton 21 and of course you've then got another 15 or 16 additional locks to get back to Aldersley Junction. One advantage is that Merry Hill moorings are very close to Delph top lock and you are quickly into nice surroundings below Stourbridge bottom, or alternatively the bottom of the arm.

 

 

 

We found the Stourbridge and Delph flights unusually easy when we (with four on board) did them, only about 2 hours (helped by a volocky) to go up Stourbridge and 1 hour up Delph. Stourbridge Town Wharf to Withymoor Island was done easily in a day, even allowing for a very long lunchtime at the Bull & Bladder... 😉

 

 

Edited May 31, 2023 by IanD

[Captain Pegg]

The key thing with these threads is to read (between the lines if necessary) what the OPs thoughts and concerns are and not try and plan them the holiday that you would want for yourself.

For a crew of unknown size - possibly two - that has apparently only done four locks at best in their lives the addition of 16 locks to the itinerary that already has 79 if my memory is correct isn’t insignificant.

 

A large and experienced crew will have no problem with Delph and Stourbridge particularly if there are volunteers present, although how frequent that is I don’t know as I’ve never encountered any at these locations.

 

Indeed I have no problem with them on my own, but in combination I do find them more challenging in terms of effort than most narrow lock flights.

 

One advantage they may have is that I’ve never found them devoid of water but couldn’t say the same for Wolverhampton.

 

Edited May 31, 2023 by Captain Pegg

[IanD]

12 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

The key thing with these threads is to read (between the lines if necessary) what the OPs thoughts and concerns are and not try and plan them the holiday that you would want for yourself.

For a crew of unknown size - possibly two - that has apparently only done four locks at best in their lives the addition of 16 locks to the itinerary that already has 79 if my memory is correct isn’t insignificant.

 

A large and experienced crew will have no problem with Delph and Stourbridge particularly if there are volunteers present, although how frequent that is I don’t know as I’ve never encountered any at these locations.

 

Indeed I have no problem with them on my own, but in combination I do find them more challenging in terms of effort than most narrow lock flights.

 

One advantage they may have is that I’ve never found them devoid of water but couldn’t say the same for Wolverhampton.

 

 

Agreed, but I think people are assuming than anyone choosing to do the Black Country ring can't be very lock-averse... 😉

 

If there's any uncertainly about ability and lock-stamina then a plan with plenty of spare time and even the possibility of turning round and going back rather than having to complete a ring is a good idea. But the basic ring (not via the Staffy) is well under 40 hours cruising which most people would think is not much for a week in summertime, unless you only want to spend a few hours per day cruising.

Edited May 31, 2023 by IanD

[doratheexplorer]

21 hours ago, IanD said:

Which way round are you going, and how long do you plan on travelling each day? That's quite a short ring for a week in the summer (about 37 hours according to Canalplan), unless you only want to do short days -- and there aren't many attractions to spend time at on the ring itself -- you could also consider some detours, for example through Netherton Tunnel and down to Stourton Jn and up the Staffs and Worcs instead of through Wolverhampton (47 hours, still not much...), much more pleasant...

 

I assume you know about Canalplan?

 

https://canalplan.uk/cgi-bin/canal.cgi

I think there are plenty of attractions on the ring.  It just depends what you like.  Towns & cities to visit include:  Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Lichfield, Rugeley, Tamworth.  Days out to Shugborough, BCLM + Dudley Tunnel, Drayton Manor. 

[IanD]

4 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

I think there are plenty of attractions on the ring.  It just depends what you like.  Towns & cities to visit include:  Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Lichfield, Rugeley, Tamworth.  Days out to Shugborough, BCLM + Dudley Tunnel, Drayton Manor. 

I'm not sure that some of those towns and cities would be seen as particularly attractive places to visit by many people, unless you're into concrete brutalism... 😉

[Captain Pegg]

13 minutes ago, IanD said:

 

Agreed, but I think people are assuming than anyone choosing to do the Black Country ring can't be very lock-averse... 😉

 

If there's any uncertainly about ability and lock-stamina then a plan with plenty of spare time and even the possibility of turning round and going back rather than having to complete a ring is a good idea. But the basic ring (not via the Staffy) is well under 40 hours cruising which most people would think is not much for a week in summertime, unless you only want to spend a few hours per day cruising.

The Black Country ring is the obvious solution for someone that wants to do a week long hire around a ring but is uncertain about how they’re going to find the locks.

[IanD]

If the OP is uncertain about how much progress they might make and especially how many locks are too many, from Great Haywood they could go south on the Staffs and Worcs and aim for Stourport if they have enough stamina (92m/82l/47h), but can turn back at any point before that where they decide they're half-way. Plenty of nice places to moor and less time pressure...

Edited May 31, 2023 by IanD

[Captain Pegg]

4 minutes ago, IanD said:

If the OP is uncertain about how much progress they might make and especially how many locks are too many, from Great Haywood they could go south on the Staffs and Worcs and aim for Stourport if they have enough stamina (92m/82l/47h), but can turn back at any point before that where they decide they're half-way. Plenty of nice places to moor and less time pressure...

We know only one thing about the OP and that is they want to do the Black Country Ring.

[IanD]

11 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

We know only one thing about the OP and that is they want to do the Black Country Ring.

In which case they either know they'll be happy doing plenty of locks -- in which case, via the S&W is no problem either -- or they haven't cottoned on to how many there are, in which case an out-and-back is a safer choice.

 

You can't argue both ways -- unless you just want to argue for the sake of it... 😉

 

Let's see what response to all the comments the OP comes back with before speculating too much on what they might or might not want to do or are capable of doing... 🙂

Edited May 31, 2023 by IanD

[Rob-M]

I find going up or down Wolverhampton with two of us very easy but find the Delph a real pain as there is nowhere to get on or off below the lock gates, you can climb up and over the railings on some of the locks but not many so end up having to pull in to the towpath.  With a crew of three or more, where a steerer can stay on the boat, then no issues.

[KlisaB]

Thank you.👍

[IanD]

15 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

I find going up or down Wolverhampton with two of us very easy but find the Delph a real pain as there is nowhere to get on or off below the lock gates, you can climb up and over the railings on some of the locks but not many so end up having to pull in to the towpath.  With a crew of three or more, where a steerer can stay on the boat, then no issues.

With a crew of two the steerer can stay on the boat at Delph and the other can work the locks on their own, but it's harder work. Still not as hard as doing this on heavy wide locks like on the Soar though... 😉

 

Two on the bank makes for lighter work, and you can send one ahead to set the next lock while the other waits for the boat to come up and closes the lock behind it.

 

Three on the bank is perfect, two at the current lock and one to go ahead -- that's how we got through both flights so quickly 🙂

[Rob-M]

1 hour ago, IanD said:

With a crew of two the steerer can stay on the boat at Delph and the other can work the locks on their own, but it's harder work. Still not as hard as doing this on heavy wide locks like on the Soar though... 😉

 

That is fine if the crew is capable of crossing lock gates but if they aren't and only work the towpath side paddle and gate then the steerer has to be able to easily get off the boat to work the offside.  This is the situation in our case.  Plus I steer and work the lock the boat is in whilst my wife sets ahead generally meaning we work a lock flight in an efficient manner.

[IanD]

Just now, Rob-M said:

That is fine if the crew is capable of crossing lock gates but if they aren't and only work the towpath side paddle and gate then the steerer has to be able to easily get off the boat to work the offside.  This is the situation in our case.  Plus I steer and work the lock the boat is in whilst my wife sets ahead generally meaning we work a lock flight in an efficient manner.

Agreed, I'm quite happy to step across a narrow lock from an open gate to a closed one, but many aren't.

 

However you do it, three people is easier than two -- which is *much* easier than one... 😉

[Stroudwater1]

 I  would advise sticking to Wolverhampton 21, this is only their second trip, and there’s just the two of them. 
 

The other thing with the Wolverhampton 21 is the water is crystal clear on upper locks at least which is very pleasant to see. 
 

Birmingham Wolverhampton Lichfield are all good  places to visit these days in the right areas, art galleries for the first two, plus theatres. The  jewellery quarter for Bham and nearby shopping and the Cathedral area in Lichfield is great. 

 

The bridge over the Trent at Great Hayward is lovely too, IIRC it’s the way to Shugborough. Disappointingly it was pretty weedy last year which is probably not ideal for the mortar or structural integrity 

[Rob-M]

1 hour ago, Stroudwater1 said:

bridge over the Trent at Great Hayward

Essex Bridge.

[nicknorman]

On 31/05/2023 at 12:13, IanD said:

With a crew of two the steerer can stay on the boat at Delph and the other can work the locks on their own, but it's harder work. Still not as hard as doing this on heavy wide locks like on the Soar though... 😉

 

Two on the bank makes for lighter work, and you can send one ahead to set the next lock while the other waits for the boat to come up and closes the lock behind it.

 

Three on the bank is perfect, two at the current lock and one to go ahead -- that's how we got through both flights so quickly 🙂

Well we came up Stourbridge 16 and delph this very morning. They are deep locks and rather slow to fill, but not hard work with the 2 of us, although the locks were mostly in our favour. Much more interesting and pleasant than the W21 in my opinion, and the S&W below wolverhampton is lovely.

[Victor Vectis]

On 30/05/2023 at 20:24, David Mack said:

It's also wide enough to loop the loop and do figures of eight in a deep drafted 70 footer!

Norty!

 

(But, yeah it's fun)

😃

[Captain Pegg]

1 hour ago, Victor Vectis said:

Norty!

 

(But, yeah it's fun)

😃

I’ve just tried to put Vulpes’ nose into the reeds on the offside at the widest part and failed by a few feet. Got stuck on the bottom and needed a lot of revs to get it back off.