Routes out of brum

[Neil Corbett]

We're planning a trip up to farmers bridge in a couple of weeks starting from Crick. We're going up via hawkesbury and fazeley, but want to come back another way i.e. down hatton. As we've never done either of these return routes before before we're wondering whether it would be better to return via the Stratford canal (Lapworth etc) or directly down the GU. We are tempted by the Stratford because there are a few less locks. No idea what the terrain or overnight stops are like.

 

Any comments or suggestions gratefully received.

[P R]

We're planning a trip up to farmers bridge in a couple of weeks starting from Crick. We're going up via hawkesbury and fazeley, but want to come back another way i.e. down hatton. As we've never done either of these return routes before before we're wondering whether it would be better to return via the Stratford canal (Lapworth etc) or directly down the GU. We are tempted by the Stratford because there are a few less locks. No idea what the terrain or overnight stops are like.

 

Any comments or suggestions gratefully received.

IIRC there are more locks on the Stratford way plus you still go via hatton

Edited September 20, 2011 by P R

[pearley]

If he is already at the top of Farmers Bridge then returning via Northern Stratford has less locks and is the prettier route.

Edited September 20, 2011 by pearley

[Neil Corbett]

Thanks. canalplan shows less locks in total the Stratford way, presumably because the other way it tells you to do the Farmers Bridge locks at the start. (we plan to start from Farmers Bridge Junction) The no of locks isn't necessarily crucial to us, as we're more interested in which is the more pleasant route and has the safest / best overnight stops. If they were pretty much the same, we'd go for the fewer locks.

Edited September 20, 2011 by Neil Corbett

[john6767]

I would say go the Stratford route.

 

As you say less locks, and you don't retrace your steps back down Farmers Bridge. Also the locks that you do are in the country at Lapworth and are in a very nice setting.

 

As to overnight stops, as there are no locks on the Northern Stratford until Lapworth you can easily go all the way to the top of Lapworth in one day from central Birmingham even at this time of year. If you go down the top 2 locks there is a nice mooring spot. If you want to stop sooner, I would personally say Shirley lift bridge is the first stopping point, and then basically anywhere you want past that.

 

From the top of Lapworth you then take a day to the top of Hatton where there are good moorings near the winding hole.

[Nine of Hearts]

NB: The reason there are more locks the GU way are because you go down Farmer's (13), down Ashted (6), UP Camp Hill (6) and down Knowle (5). The Stratford just has 19 down.

 

There are more stopping places on the upper Strat than Shirley (although that's the one I use), there's Lyons for a start. And it's "slow down for the moored boat" nearly every 500 yards from King's Norton. In the GU's favour, there's nary a boat on there so you can spank* it to Knowle from Camp Hill.

 

*within reason, natch.

[RLWP]

We came down Farmer's bridge, Ashted, Camp hill and Knowle last time for variety. As Hairy Neil points out, you do all of the locks in the morning when you are fresh that way. I like the variety too

 

Richard

Edited September 20, 2011 by RLWP

[nicknorman]

In the GU's favour, there's nary a boat on there so you can spank* it to Knowle from Camp Hill.

 

*within reason, natch.

Maybe if you have a hydrofoil, but otherwise the GU stretch through Solihull etc is shallow, slow, full of rubbish, boring and very depressing. If you are not familiar with the area, I would say the Stratford route wins hands down

[OldGoat]

GU route -

Farmer's Bridge is (are) quite nice to work and the area is pleasant (relative), Camp Hill bottom and its approaches are a bit grotty, but improves slightly as you go up. Indifferent but secure moorings at the top with a posh facilities building at the top - if it hasn't been vandalised / robbed.

The GU opens out as you go along with very pleasant moorings at Catherine de Barnes.

Knowle village is very posh - with an nice butcher and adequate Tesco.

Knowle locks are very heavy, but they're only five.

Good moorings all the way along to Hatton.

 

Stratford Route

W&B a bit turgid and no moorings - unless you like trains at unearthly hours.

Good Sainsbury's at Selly Oak 100x from the canal.

North Stratford is a bit of a tunnel all the way along - there are arty-farty programmes on't telly that The Management MUST watch (part of the deal for SWMBO's boating), so we must have a clear view of 28.2deg. SofE.

 

On balance I'd prefer the GU. We've done both this year and there's not a lot in it

 

 

 

 

 

[alan_fincher]

Maybe if you have a hydrofoil, but otherwise the GU stretch through Solihull etc is shallow, slow, full of rubbish, boring and very depressing. If you are not familiar with the area, I would say the Stratford route wins hands down

 

Only for people who insist on owning deep draughted boats, though!

 

We came back that way this year in Chalice, (about 2' 4"), and found it not significantly slower or shallower than elsewhere, except at one or two short stretches. It is fairly rubbish infested though, although we never had a prop foul.

 

In fact if not in a deep draughted boat, I think the waterway is generally "faster" than the Stratford.

 

EDITED ABOVE: To change shallow to deep!

 

I quite like the variety of this route, but I admit I think many would prefer the Stratford to the GU route, (though Birmingham to Kings Norton on the W&B is also fairly unedifying IMO).

 

I'm not a weakling, but did find the paddles on the Knowle locks surprisingly hard work - significantly more so than any other of the 1930s "modern" locks on the GU main line. The Knowle Locks are significantly deeper, and this just makes them generally heavier, particularly drawing the paddles, it seems. Also the placement of them, over bridges crossing the sites of the old narrow locks, makes walking between each a long way round - we find a bike useful at Knowle.

 

One further consideration, depending on the air draught of your boat and (particularly!) the tumblehome on the cabin. Some say Ashtead tunnel is no problem, but we can only get through it without losing paint, by having someone on the towpath with a centre-line to keep grab-rails away from the tunnel arch on the non-towpath side.

 

In the GU's favour, there's nary a boat on there so you can spank* it to Knowle from Camp Hill.

 

*within reason, natch.

This is true!

 

Hardly a moored boat for mile after mile.

 

If anybody can stomach an "ultra boring blog", then here is our report on the passage from Brum to Knowle in August

 

Linky

 

Even if you skip the text, and look at the pictures, it gives a flavour of what it is like on a very rainy day!

Edited September 20, 2011 by alan_fincher

[Neil Corbett]

Thanks all.

 

We've settled on the Stratford canal route, especially since I read up on the Blue Bell Cider house! Methinks it would make a good first stop after leaving the city centre.

[PilgrimFather]

We anticipate spending Sunday night in central Birmingham in just over a week & may not make a prompt getaway on the Monday. Has anyone here used the recommended pontoon at the top of the Camp Hill Flight in the recent past? How was the experience?

 

Oh - and greetings to all. New on this website, but an owner within a syndicate for the last couple of years. I hope to benefit from your experience & chip in with the occasional bit of advice.

[roggie]

We filmed from just after the Hatton flight through to a mooring outside Star City see:- YouTube video

 

We stopped just by the facilities at Camp Hill for a shower etc. not a bad place to moor if we can deriliction ;-) No where else around to moor and you can't get in/out unless you have a boat (or swim).