Birmingham to Curdworth

[Canalwatcher]

Jackie and I are planning to travel from Gas Street Basin to Curdworth on the Birmingham and Fazely next Tuesday (2nd August) and wondered if anyone else might be also? Currently planning on leaving around 7 am.

 

Mick

[Canalwatcher]

A bit sad; after having no responses to my post I am now replying myself.

 

We had been a trifle anxious as two "seniors" about travelling through Birmingham and mooring there. In the event we decided to go ahead with our plan and travelled into Gas Street via the Stratford and the Birmingham and Worcester, spent a night at Sherborne wharf and the next day went via the Birmingham and Fazeley to Curdworth. We had:

 

A very peaceful night far more so than below Pultney weir at Bath and at Bristol harbour earlier on our trip

 

No debris around prop although there were a couple of low pounds at the lower end of the Aston flight and on the way to Curdworth

 

No trouble along the canal - the journey in from Hockley Heath was about 5 hours and the journey out 7.5 hours

 

Yet, almost everyone we talked to beforehand advised against our doing this trip but in fact it was a really good experience and one we will have no qualms about next time - would thoroughly recommend it!

 

Now at Fradley and hoping to return to the GU via the GU Leicester so hoping the current restrictions because of low water do not get any more severe

 

Mick

[john6767]

Glad to hear it all went well for you.

[adam1uk]

Yet, almost everyone we talked to beforehand advised against our doing this trip but in fact it was a really good experience and one we will have no qualms about next time - would thoroughly recommend it!

 

Now at Fradley and hoping to return to the GU via the GU Leicester so hoping the current restrictions because of low water do not get any more severe

 

Mick

 

You've been talking to the wrong people, then. What you've done is part of one of the most popular cruising rings, which is used by thousands of boats every year. The routes you took in and out of Birmingham are probably the most used ones there are. I usually find that people who advise others not to do particular bits of canal have rarely done it themselves, and frankly don't know what they're talking about.

 

Edited to add: you'll probably get people telling you horror stories about Leicester too, but I wouldn't believe them either.

Edited August 4, 2011 by adam1uk