The Curly Wyrley

[stort_mark]

Are there any boat hire companies on the Curly Wyrley? I'm interested in seeing all the little corners of the system, and the W&E is intriguing. ("1001 Abandoned Wharves to See Before You Die"?)

 

I've hunted about and done a lot of Googling but no joy so far.

[pearley]

There are none.

 

The nearest will be Napton Narrowboats at Aldersley Junction, Wolverhampton or Alvechurch.

 

We've just cruised the Engine Arm, the only bit of the BCN we have not been on before. Curly Wurley in a couple of weeks.

[Hobbler]

Napton Narrowboats at Autherley Junction but that would mean having to do the Wolverhampton 21 twice . A better option may be Heritage Narrowboats at Sherborne Wharf ,Birmingham - then you could explore some of the loops and branches off the main line on the way out to the Curley Wyrley.

[debbifiggy]

Napton Narrowboats at Autherley Junction but that would mean having to do the Wolverhampton 21 twice . A better option may be Heritage Narrowboats at Sherborne Wharf ,Birmingham - then you could explore some of the loops and branches off the main line on the way out to the Curley Wyrley.

Doesn't take too long to do the Wolverhampton flight, even with a crew of 2 so don't let that put you off. Think it took us a bit over 2 hours in the pouring rain last summer but we were lucky to have a lot of locks with us and it was very early in the morning with no other traffic. It's certainly easier than Hatton :-) D

Edited January 19, 2008 by debbifiggy

[MaryP]

We also did the 21 3 weeks ago in just over 2 hours. 3 of us, and most of the locks in our favour.

You need an anti vandal key - or water conservancy key. We didn't have one, but bought one from the services just north of the Aldersley junction.

There we saw the smallest boat on the system - beautiful little thing which was made there - named Sarni!!

[Keeping Up]

Doesn't take too long to do the Wolverhampton flight, even with a crew of 2 so don't let that put you off. Think it took us a bit over 2 hours in the pouring rain last summer but we were lucky to have a lot of locks with us and it was very early in the morning with no other traffic.

 

We also did the 21 3 weeks ago in just over 2 hours. 3 of us, and most of the locks in our favour.

 

 

Some people have all the luck! Last summer we thought luck was with us when a boat emerged out of the top lock, heading our way, just as we approached to go down. But then we found out that we were following a pair, and it took us over 5 hours to get down to the junction!

[Kraken]

The weed can be quite difficult in the summer. We were up there one August and from Perry Barr to Wednesfield, most of the canal was choked with weed. A lot of the time I was down the weed hatch every quarter of a mile or so, sometimes every couple of hundred yards. Not enough traffic I guess. Only saw two boats on the move, one a local trip boat.

[cotswoldsman]

The weed can be quite difficult in the summer. We were up there one August and from Perry Barr to Wednesfield, most of the canal was choked with weed. A lot of the time I was down the weed hatch every quarter of a mile or so, sometimes every couple of hundred yards. Not enough traffic I guess. Only saw two boats on the move, one a local trip boat.

 

I did this trip last December and the weed was terrible then this is a trip rarely done infact when I was doing it a fisherman said I was the first boat he had seen since Noah!!!

[Hobbler]

The Wyrley is one of my favourite canals , I have found least problems with the weed going in April, May or June . You certainly need to make sure you have plenty of equipment with you for prop clearing . Its much better than it used to be but its still very shallow in places particularly in the Wednesfield area , dont expect any help from other boats - you probably wont see any - its that quiet.

[Keeping Up]

We travelled along the Curly Wurley in 1989. At that time it wasn't on any of the maps you could buy. After 2 days of struggling through the weeds and the rubbish, not to mention having to dismantle several makeshift wooden bridges across the canal (we always put them back behind us), we saw two teenage lads on the towpath. "Where are we?" we asked; this was clearly too hard a question for them. After 5 minutes of debate, and just before we were out of earshot, one of them turned back and shouted in a wonderfully strong local accent "You're in Birmingham". Later that afternoon we spotted some parasols over a fence. We stopped and prised apart a couple of fence panels, and sure enough we found a pub garden. So we squeezed through the gap and entered the pub; the deafening roar of dominoes went quiet, and we asked the landlady "Where are we". Everyone in the pub debated this for a few minutes, then the landlady said "You aren't anywhere really. Now, what would you like to drink". We spent the night there, moored so much in the middle of the canal that nobody could have passed us, but apparently we were the first boat anyone had seen for years so it didn't matter. Next day someone looked over a wall and said he'd lived in the house for 3 years and hadn't realised there was a canal at the end of his garden, he'd just heard our engine and had come to investigate.