Best way through Birmingham

[dmr]

Pete & Helen - don't listen to him! Gas Street Basin is the best mooring in the country (world?). I am biased though!

 

I suspect Liverpool comes in first.

Ely on the Great Ouse takes some beating but its not really a city.

Bristol is rather good too, lots of open water.

Reckon Brum is only second or third!

 

.............Dave

[Dave_P]

I seem to recall mr Junior of this parish wishing he had heeded me! I guess the noise depends on the day of the week. With its easy but discreet street access I'm not sure those VMs opposite you are the most secure.

I've heard plenty of tales of boats being untied etc in Brum but I've never known it happen in Gas Street Basin.

I don't think Junior was the victim of the wrong day of the week, I suspect it was deliberate action by Villa fans who objected to his boat name!

[Pete & Helen]

Decided to (due the the wind and rain) to moor at first place available, which happened to be just past Sheepcote st bridge.

 

Did the Wolverhampton 21 yesterday and to be honest found the day bit boring, not a lot to see at all on the way up and you didn't even realise you were passing through a large town. Water top up at The CRT office then pushed on to the Black Country Museum. Although recommended to moor inside their secure area I don't think I would be worried about being on the moorings just outside, But better safe than sorry. Just for info for anyone that hasn't been there, you can get out of the secure area using your BW Key.

 

BCLM to Brum was via the old line and would have enjoyed it more if it wasn't raining so hard. Had it not I would have gone around the loops, but will have to leave that for another day.

 

Thanks again for all the info

[nicknorman]

Decided to (due the the wind and rain) to moor at first place available, which happened to be just past Sheepcote st bridge. [/size]

 

Did the Wolverhampton 21 yesterday and to be honest found the day bit boring, not a lot to see at all on the way up and you didn't even realise you were passing through a large town. Water top up at The CRT office then pushed on to the Black Country Museum. Although recommended to moor inside their secure area I don't think I would be worried about being on the moorings just outside, But better safe than sorry. Just for info for anyone that hasn't been there, you can get out of the secure area using your BW Key.

 

BCLM to Brum was via the old line and would have enjoyed it more if it wasn't raining so hard. Had it not I would have gone around the loops, but will have to leave that for another day.

 

Thanks again for all the info

You have certainly chosen a bad day to see the delights of Birmingham! What is pleasant on a warm sunny day is grim and dirty on a wet and windy day! Do visit the new library - just walk through the ICC and you will come across it. Good views from the upper outside areas. Carry on past the library through the horrendous 1960s shopping arcade to the heart of Brum. Once through the arcade it is very pleasant. I am always impressed by the view of the old church from the new Bullring

I've heard plenty of tales of boats being untied etc in Brum but I've never known it happen in Gas Street Basin. I don't think Junior was the victim of the wrong day of the week, I suspect it was deliberate action by Villa fans who objected to his boat name!

But then, presuming you mean the couple of spaces on the BCN side of the bar, they are often empty and on the ratio of boats moored there (max 2 or 3) to those moored elsewhere in the vicinity, sheer probability states that there will be more untying etc elsewhere.

[dmr]

We've been untied twice in Brum, once at the NIA end and once up beyond the bar (opposite the very uninspired hotel). Have also seen lads on the roof of a boat up that end. Getting untied is really no big deal but I would not want lads on the roof. Have also seen a group of Chinese girls on the front of a boat posing for a photo, again no big deal. There was a spate of pushbike thefts this summer.

 

If mooring in the middle of a major city a bit of low level trouble is inevitable but needs to be kept in perspective, we have spent many many trouble free nights in Brum.

 

Had a BBQ and lifering stolen in Newbury, untied and rope stolen in Thrupp!

 

..............Dave

[PaulG]

We've been untied twice in Brum, once at the NIA end and once up beyond the bar (opposite the very uninspired hotel). Have also seen lads on the roof of a boat up that end. Getting untied is really no big deal but I would not want lads on the roof. Have also seen a group of Chinese girls on the front of a boat posing for a photo, again no big deal. There was a spate of pushbike thefts this summer.

 

If mooring in the middle of a major city a bit of low level trouble is inevitable but needs to be kept in perspective, we have spent many many trouble free nights in Brum.

 

Had a BBQ and lifering stolen in Newbury, untied and rope stolen in Thrupp!

 

..............Dave

I've been untied in Stratford, along with several other boats, so now I take precautions when in "livelier" areas like central Brum.

My method now is to put a mooring chain round the bollard and take a line though the eye and back to the boat. This gives a 2:1 on the chain, which is then pretty much impossible to get off the bollard.

[The Bearwood Boster]

We put parcel ties round the ropes close to the bollards.

[OldGoat]

FWIW -

we've ben untied once (that's enough) at 04:00 by the Tai restaurant (?) near the Mailbox. It was the time not the untying that 'annoyed' me.

Otherwise no particular issues along to Worcester Bar (now that the night club is closed) or around the NIA - but beware if any even has just closed as the breakdown crews work all beastly night.

 

Folks recommend the moorings on the Oozel's St loop - but they're gloomy and I can't get a tv picture...

 

Brum - generally - by water is such an overall experience -make allowance for the gloomy approach from any direction- it's worth making and effort to visit and I wouldn't want folks to be put off.

 

Fine, I'm a Southern Softy and haven't explored further north than Saltaire or south of Guildford, but Brum is tops for access and reasonable moorings.

• Quite a lot to see ion the central area
• Reasonable services
• Choice of restaurants at good prices
• relatively quiet at night
• basic food stores nearby
• etc, etc

The only problem is hat you have to flog up several hills to get there....

 

 

[Dave_P]

Now I come to think of it, I can think of 1 rope cutting incident in the basin in 4 years. Even so, it's still a mega-groovy place! I'm wending my slow way back there for the winter over the next few weeks.

[dmr]

I have seen cable ties used in Brum to clamp the rope to the bollard, and I use a chain if moored on a river in an urban area, but in general I think its best not to do these things. Getting untied on the canal is no big deal and if it gives the locals some sort of pleasure then let them do it. Chaining and cable ties is rather sticking two fingers up at them and going for confrontation, this can only temp them to start cutting ropes or carrying bolt croppers which is not good. There was a spate of untying on the river in Bath (not good) and rumour has it that boaters started to chain so the offenders did start to bolt crop.

 

............Dave

[Victor Vectis]

Did the Wolverhampton 21 yesterday and to be honest found the day bit boring......................

 

Water top up at The CRT office.

Should have called it a day there and gone to the Great Western.

 

One of the top ten pubs in England

 

(In spite of it's name )

[Philip]

One of a group of lads gave either the fibreglass or the window a rather hard whack while I was moored overnight in Middlewich on the Middlewich Branch above Wardle lock. No big deal, but goes to show it isn't just big towns and cities where there can be some silliness.

[PaulG]

I have seen cable ties used in Brum to clamp the rope to the bollard, and I use a chain if moored on a river in an urban area, but in general I think its best not to do these things. Getting untied on the canal is no big deal and if it gives the locals some sort of pleasure then let them do it. Chaining and cable ties is rather sticking two fingers up at them and going for confrontation, this can only temp them to start cutting ropes or carrying bolt croppers which is not good. There was a spate of untying on the river in Bath (not good) and rumour has it that boaters started to chain so the offenders did start to bolt crop.

 

............Dave

Most of the untying incidents in places like Brum are carried out by "revellers" returning from the nightclubs and bars of Broad Street. It's a spur-of-the-moment "Hey boys, watch this" sort of thing.

There is also CCTV, so whatever mischief they get up to has to be very quick before it is spotted by the CCTV operators.

Personally I think they might struggle to get past the bouncers with a pair of bolt cutters tucked down their trousers.

[dmr]

Most of the untying incidents in places like Brum are carried out by "revellers" returning from the nightclubs and bars of Broad Street. It's a spur-of-the-moment "Hey boys, watch this" sort of thing.

There is also CCTV, so whatever mischief they get up to has to be very quick before it is spotted by the CCTV operators.

Personally I think they might struggle to get past the bouncers with a pair of bolt cutters tucked down their trousers.

 

I dunno, its hard to understand the thought process, its hardly exciting stuff untying a boat is it????

However, I have an inkling that a lot of the untying is down to the same individual (or a group of three) and so maybe they have a desire to piss off/get one over on boaters?. In this case if they start seeing cable ties they might take it as some kind of insult or challenge and decide to up the odds?

If I am correct then they pass through the area often (so probably live locally) but don't look like drunken revellers.

 

...........Dave

[ditchcrawler]

I like the old main line and i like Farmers Bridge so you can do them both!

 

I have done Autherley to Gas Street in a day but as others have said you can stop at the Black Country Museum on the way.

 

I believe Star City and Cuckoo wharf near Salford Junction are OK for overnight mooring but I have never tried them myself.

 

Have a great trip.

Star City is great, several eating places. we have just spent two night there, a week apart before anyone reminds me it only 24 hrs. Although there are several eating places several are similar and there is a Harvester as well.

[Dar Kuma]

Best way through Birmingham....RUN.

Edited November 4, 2014 by Dar Kuma