Wyrley & Essington - come and enjoy our canal

[Laurence Hogg]

Come and spend a few days on the lock free Wyrley and Essington and discover tranquility where you would least expect it.

The moorings outside of the "United Kingdom" pub which collapsed after the winter freeze up have now been reopened by BW. This is a secure mooring in the canal hamlet of Lane Head. Here visitors will find local shops and two nice pubs within a few yards of the mooring. The Wyrley is now in superb condition having benefited from dredging, clean ups and foilage reduction. It also has two BW services on its length at Sneyd and Silver st Brownhills.

Moorings are available also at Bentley Bridge adjacent to the shopping park and cinemas etc, Wednesfield town, shops and pubs, Holly Bank basin a superb secure 1/3rd mile long basin, Lane Head, Bentley common (wildlife in abundance), Sneyd (BW services), Pelsall Common, & Brownhills silver st BW services. This part of the BCN boast more in the way of customer related services than many well known canals.

 

 

 

 

 

The old reputation of the W&E is now in the past, we regulary travel the canal in Barnet drawing 3ft3" without difficulty, obviously as in most urban parts a regular "throw off" is useful to disperse debris on the prop at certain places but the canal overall will suprise most visitors and the pubs and eateries will satisfy the most discerning of customers.

[David Mack]

Come and spend a few days on the lock free Wyrley and Essington and discover tranquility where you would least expect it.

The moorings outside of the "United Kingdom" pub which collapsed after the winter freeze up have now been reopened by BW. This is a secure mooring in the canal hamlet of Lane Head. Here visitors will find local shops and two nice pubs within a few yards of the mooring. The Wyrley is now in superb condition having benefited from dredging, clean ups and foilage reduction. It also has two BW services on its length at Sneyd and Silver st Brownhills.

Moorings are available also at Bentley Bridge adjacent to the shopping park and cinemas etc, Wednesfield town, shops and pubs, Holly Bank basin a superb secure 1/3rd mile long basin, Lane Head, Bentley common (wildlife in abundance), Sneyd (BW services), Pelsall Common, & Brownhills silver st BW services. This part of the BCN boast more in the way of customer related services than many well known canals.

 

The old reputation of the W&E is now in the past, we regulary travel the canal in Barnet drawing 3ft3" without difficulty, obviously as in most urban parts a regular "throw off" is useful to disperse debris on the prop at certain places but the canal overall will suprise most visitors and the pubs and eateries will satisfy the most discerning of customers.

 

I would add that once you've got past the first bit at the Wolverhampton end, the Wyrley is surprisingly rural and open - not what you would imagine by the name 'Black Country'. This general character continues on the Daw End Branch and Rushall Branch, as well as the Cannock Extension and Anglesey branches.

 

Well worth a visit, and along with the Wolverhampton and Perry Bar flights, makes an attractive alternative route for those travelling between the Shroppie/Staffs & Worcs and the Birmingham & Fazeley.

 

Its a shame more rural boaters don't use it. That may have to wait until the Lichfield and Hatherton are reopened!

 

David

[alan_fincher]

Tomorrow we are planning to head up from Hawne Basin, where we are tonight, and towards Wolverhampton, and then turn onto the Wyrley and Essington at Horseley Fields Junction.

 

So Laurence's initial information will be studied closely as to what we will find where, particularly reasonable overnight moorings.

Ultimately we need to head out on the Birmingham and Fazeley to get back to Alvecote.

 

So any further tips on travelling the W&E, the Daw End Branch, or the Rushall or Tame Valley canals would be most appreciated. We have not tackled any of these before.

[stagedamager]

I agree, although I have never done the "Western end" of the Wyrley, but the other end, Daw End and Rushall are lovely, if not shallow in places. You almost forget you are on the BCN, almost the BCN's best kept secret!!

 

Dan

[adam1uk]

We've always enjoyed our trips on the less travelled bits of the BCN. We did the W&E and then down to Walsall a few years ago. And more recently we did the Tame Valley and down the Perry Brr flight down to Salford Jct. The bit of the Tame Valley that goes over one motorway and alongside another is quite something, and the locks are very pleasant.

[Paul C]

I agree, although I have never done the "Western end" of the Wyrley, but the other end, Daw End and Rushall are lovely, if not shallow in places. You almost forget you are on the BCN, almost the BCN's best kept secret!!

 

Dan

 

You're kind of not on the BCN - originally the Wyrley and Essington was a rival canal, but eventually merged with the BCN. Its a complete contrast. It has no locks because its a contour canal, and that makes it very twisty, as seen on a map. (Hence the nickname the curly Wyrley). We did the W&E from Horsey Fields Junction, then onto the Walsall branch canal, then the Walsall, then the Wednesbury Old Canal to get back into Birmingham city centre. We moored overnight on the W&E in a reasonably quiet spot on pins (not at a visitor mooring) but it took 3 attempts to get into the bank to find somewhere deep enough at the edge. Managed to set a new record of the shortest distance since clearing the weed hatch, to foul the prop - 100 ft - as we left Sneyd Wharf service bit. Didn't see any other boats on the move until we got onto the WOC, and that was a CRT boat. Did bump into one other boater at the service though. I liked the W&E but not the other bits. Maybe we chose the wrong bits to go down....?

[AndrewIC]

We found the Walsall between Walsall and Ocker Hill hard going last summer, but other than that had no real problems on any of the lengths mentioned. The W&E was a very pleasant surprise, and there is a big supermarket handy at Brownhills as well as the services block. Anglesey Basin was a lovely remote place to moor overnight, and Pelsall and the Cannock Extension looked good as well.

 

The Daw End Branch was very overgrown in parts, with only a channel about a boat's width clear in places, but we didn't meet anything coming the other way (in fact we didn't see another boat on the move for about 3 days!). Had to refill one pound on the Perry Bar flight, and Perry Bar top lock was also a remarkably quiet overnight spot.

[john6767]

Having done the W&E 4 times (well more if you include both directions) in the last 3 years I would agree that it is so much better then people imagine. There is no issue with navigability, and on the BCN challenge I had no problem in achieving good average speeds of 3.5-3.8 mph, so dredging is certainly not an issue. The Daw End is slower though and I think that is due to be dredged soon, which it does need. My personal choice in doing what you are doing would be to head for Pellsall common for overnight. Also make certain that you get to Anglesey Basin, it is somewhere that I would like to visit in daylight, having only visited for an overnight stop in this year BCN challenge arriving at 10:40pm and leaving at 4:0am the next morning!

 

If you are going out on the B&F the logical thing is to then gown gown Daw End and Rushall, and onto the Tame Valley to Salford Junction. The Tame Valley locks can be quite hard work in my opinion as there are different to the other BCN flights in that they are more spaced out, so with just 2 people it is not so easy to be setting the lock ahead without lots of walking.

[Catrin]

Thanks to everyone who has commented. John6767, very useful, cheers.

Cath

[pearley]

We moored at Lane Head in February. If I recall correctly there is a petrol station on the road there that sells Red Diesel. Also travelled along the W & E in late June but quite a bit of weed growth, though not as bad as we have seen it in the past.

 

The Daw End Branch is quite shallow after Aldridge. The Manor Arms is well worth a visit if you can moor outside or just further along at Lime Pits. There are also sanitary facilities at Longwood but the elsan was very filthy in June. The bottom gates on the second lock on the Rushall won't stay open so if you are short handed take a shaft or boat hook with you to jam against the balance beam.

 

We spent a night in November in the cutting between Rushall; Junction and Perry Barr after running hard aground on an obstruction. One of the quietest nights for a long time and sunrise was straight down the cutting in front of us. Going right at Rushall Junction along the Tame Valley takes you to Ocker Hill with another sanitary station and secure moorings (and another empty BW building). This length was dredged in December and is easy going.

 

If going up Ryders Green locks make sure you proceed with caution under the footbridge leading to Asda. There is bound to be a trolley lurking under the surface.

 

Regards

Pete

[lydfordcastle]

 

So any further tips on travelling the W&E, the Daw End Branch, or the Rushall or Tame Valley canals would be most appreciated. We have not tackled any of these before.

 

You don't mention the Walsall Canal, so if that waterway doesn't figure on your itinerary (possibly a wise ommission) I would certainly divert via Birchills and spend a night in Walsall Town Basin, returning up the locks next morning to continue on the Curley Wyrley. If you do decide to cruise the Walsall Canal, be very careful at bridge holes in the Darlaston area as these tend to be a favoured depositary of shopping trollies. On our last trip we had a delicious meal at the other pub at Lane Head (can't remember it's name) and were then made very welcome by locals at a Karaoke evening at the United Kingdom.

[Laurie Booth]

Bentley Moorings

 

 

[john6767]

Somebody likes it there

Edited August 18, 2013 by john6767

[nicknorman]

Thanks to everyone who has commented. John6767, very useful, cheers.

Cath

We're planning a similar trip in Sept, please let us know how you get on.

[alan_fincher]

Thanks all.

 

Should be on the W&E within next 15 minutes......

 

Might be there already if we had not picked up a length of window glazing strip round the prop somewhere near Deepfields!

 

First weedhatch visit of the whole Summer trip, so not too bad, so far.

[Laurie Booth]

Somebody likes it there

Only an idiot would moor there

[Guest]

Only an idiot would moor there

 

Why the list?? does your PO need emptying or are you sinking?

[Laurie Booth]

 

Why the list?? does your PO need emptying or are you sinking?

Nearly everything is on the left hand side of Clarrie, Toilet/shower, two gas cylinders, 3 batteries, bed sofa, kitchen, cooker, table, wardrobe.

All is OK when we are moving, in the picture we must be sat down in her.

I'm reluctant to take up the floor boards to add ballast to the right hand side.

[Keeping Up]

We've moored outside the United Kingdom twice. The first time was 25 years ago and the second was a couple of years ago. On both occasions we got a domestic vacuum cleaner hose around the prop at the bridge.

[trackman]

Shows you should have put the hose in the skip the first time! :-)

 

Both times we've been on the W&E we've been stoned (perhaps bricked is a better term for the second occasion). Scary, but no serious harm done either time, though friends had a drop light smashed on their boat the first time.

 

What these waters need is more boats visiting. There are loads of lovely or interesting places, and I'm sure that sufficient use by boaters would soon reduce the likelihood of problems.

 

Go and see for yourselves!

[alan_fincher]

Well I actually met Mr Hogg himself earlier as we pulled into the short remaining stub of the Bentley canal to do a bit of shopping, and are now on the locked moorings at Lane Head. They seemed VERY secure at first, as Cath struggled with a difficult "BW" lock, but after a bit of key jiggling by David we aren't trapped in after all. Unfortunately no "veggie" food other than jacket potatoes at the pub, but otherwise all is good!

 

And no we haven't of course seen another moving boat on this canal yet - indeed only saw one moored one, and only just before we arrived here.

[PaddingtonBear]

Goodness Alan and Catrin, how brave are you. I have never done it all by boat but did a little bit helping Dave Moore with 'Resi' and I would not want to repeat the experience without the street cred that Mr Moore gave to the proceedings. I have on the other hand gone to Walsall by car and again would not wish to repeat the experience. All the people we saw were a really strange colour, a sort of translucent grey as though they lived permanently underground.

[alan_fincher]

All the people we saw were a really strange colour, a sort of translucent grey as though they lived permanently underground.

Having followed perhaps the slowest hire boat ever to pass through Netherton tunnel earlier today, I was starting to think we were living permanently underground.

 

I'm not sure using the other arch a the Tividale aqueduct as an overtaking lane is necessarily standard practice, but so much steam was coming from my ears by the time we got out of that bloody tunnel, I had to take some fairly drastic action to get past them.

 

Actually if you want ton nominate anyone as "brave" my award for today would be to those setting a far quicker pace through Netherton tunnel than we could. Two groups each of two people on push bikes passed us coming the other way - the first pairing at a speed I thought quite scary!

 

Braver cyclists than I could ever be - possibly lunatic enogh to join whatever the cycling equivalent is of NABO, I guess!

[AndrewIC]

spend a night in Walsall Town Basin.

Went all the way up to the basin last year, decided (not knowing the area) that it looked bit too exposed for overnight, so had a coffee in the art gallery(?) cafe in sight of the boat, then retreated to the secure pontoon at the junction.

[lydfordcastle]

Went all the way up to the basin last year, decided (not knowing the area) that it looked bit too exposed for overnight, so had a coffee in the art gallery(?) cafe in sight of the boat, then retreated to the secure pontoon at the junction.

 

It's actually very safe as, until dawn breaks, your boat is surrounded by an army of Polish fisherman looking for carp, so everyone keeps very quiet and nobody bothers you.