2 week trip including the BCN

[churchward]

We have been out on the boat the last two weeks in a very pleasant ring route starting at Brinklow and going through Braunston then up to Brum via the GU and across the BCN down the Wolverhampton flight and onto great Heywood and Fradley etc the down the Coventry and Oxford back to Brinklow.

 

We had a truly wonderful time and in particular enjoyed the BCN. I haven't been across it for 25 years so much had changed and we were surprised how good it was compared to then. Of course much of the industry does seem to have disappeared along with many of the old red bricked which in a way is a shame but we didn't miss the rubbish and other things in the cut we saw last time. The state of the canal was very good including the locks and the Wolverhampton 21 was very well kept and maintained particularly.

 

Anyhow what I wanted to mention was that the water shortages due to the closure of the Chasewater reservoir has not come about and we found the water level fine. In fact the BCN was very quiet and we only saw one (yes ONE) boat coming the other way! We stopped off on some very nice moorings in the centre if Brum after the Farmers bridge flight on just as you turn on to the BCN after old tun jcn(?) and surprisingly quiet. We then stopped at the moorings at the Black country museum again very good before going on towards Wolverhampton and the lock flight. Here are some pics to hopefully show the BCN is worth visiting.

 

By churchward at 2010-06-28

By churchward at 2010-06-28

By churchward at 2010-06-28

By churchward at 2010-06-28

By churchward at 2010-06-28

[steve hayes]

I glad you enjoyed the BCN

 

We try to as much of the BCN as we can most years and have always enjoyed it, there is always the occasional challenge as with any urban canal, but it is amazing to be travelling through a green peaceful corridor listening the birds when you are on yards away from some of the poorer parts of town.

 

It is a shame to see the steady decline in industry and the ever growing obbession with health and safety signs blighting the towpaths.

[Daio]

Smashing. I love the BCN. I've been given a 3 week pass in September and I'm seriously thinking about spending the whole of it there. I have yet to explore most of it and OH doesn't like it!