Mooring on the BCN

[woodfin]

I plan to make for the Shroppi this summer coming from the GU South. I would be grateful for comments on the alternative routes to Birmingham offered at Kingswood Junction; i.e. GU Main Line or the Stratford via Kings Norton. As I travel for around six hours daily I'm not sure that I would be in reach of suitable mooring if I kept to the main GU route.

 

I would like to spend 48 hours in Birmingham.

 

George

[Hairy-Neil]

Time wise for the trip to Gas Street Basin there is little in it. The Camp Hill route is shorter but has more lockage. With the Lapworth/North Stratford route you get all the locks out of the way early on, then its all on the level into the city for a full day's travel. The other way the long pound is Knowle to Camp hill. Beyond here you've lots of lockage coming at the end of your day.

[ALFIE15]

I would take the Stratford canal via Kings Norton for the following reasons. Once your through the locks at lapworth it is a casual straight forward route with two manual lift bridges and a BW key lift bridge at Shirley. The canal is a narrow lock and a very pleasant run,and finally there is lots of information at the moment of high bandit activity on the GU at Small Heath between bridges 88 and 93 resulting in damage to people boats .

If you need to moor up on the Stratford canal there is a nice spot at bridge 19 by one of the local hostelries which does good honest food.From there it is a nice leisurely day cruise into Brum with no locks just the Shirly lift bridge. Mooring in brum we normally back our boat into the Oozels loop by the NIA this is away from the noisy broad street/gas street basin area, the area is covered by CCTV and is patrolled regular by private security for the office complex your moored next to, And finally your off the main line and don't get disturbed by passing boats.

Sorry to ramble on hope this was useful for you.

[Jim]

I plan to make for the Shroppi this summer coming from the GU South. I would be grateful for comments on the alternative routes to Birmingham offered at Kingswood Junction; i.e. GU Main Line or the Stratford via Kings Norton. As I travel for around six hours daily I'm not sure that I would be in reach of suitable mooring if I kept to the main GU route.

 

I would like to spend 48 hours in Birmingham.

 

George

On the GU the last mooring place before Brum is Catherine de Barnes, which is about 6 hours from the top of Farmer's Bridge Locks. There are "secure" moorings at the top of Camp Hill locks but they are "secure" in that they are on pontoons with no towpath access, so you have to stay on your boat!

 

The Stratford Canal is generally accepted as having the more pleasant approach to the city, although the Lapworth flight is much busier and hence more likely to delay you than the locks at Knowle, Camp Hill or Farmer's Bridge. Mooring on the Stratford is OK anywhere up to Shirley Drawbridge and the only place I would definitely avoid is Kings Norton. There are secure moorings - this time with access - at Bournville which are OK as long as you don't mind trains.

In Brum itself I would agree that the Oozels Street loop is the best bet (but strictly speaking I think the Loop itself is only 24 hour mooring), although anywhere in that area is generally OK - there are 24-hour security patrols - with the New Main Line towards Wolverhampton being quieter than Gas Street and surrounding area.

[Breals]

The facilities at Camp Hill locks are also very good. But the surroundings are grim, you'll be glad there's no towpath access I'd go up the Stratford if I was you.

[Webchem]

Does anyone actually ever got through Camp Hill?

 

I have not met anyone who has...

[Keeping Up]

Does anyone actually ever got through Camp Hill?

 

I have not met anyone who has...

We went there 18 months ago and were very pleasantly surprised. It was all much cleaner than on our previous visit (15 years ago), it was easy going the whole way, the canals and locks were all in excellent condition, and all the natives seemed friendly.

[Jim]

Does anyone actually ever got through Camp Hill?

 

I have not met anyone who has...

I actually PREFER the Camp Hill route to the Northern Stratford. The locks are easy to work through, there are far fewer boats around to delay you, I find the "industrial archaeology" quite interesting and the Northern Stratford is so suburban - mile after mile of people's back gardens!

I can fully understand why others may not feel this way though!

[David]

Hi

Just one other point, the GU route to Brum is the first to close if water levels get low.

david

[Hairy-Neil]

I actually PREFER the Camp Hill route to the Northern Stratford.

 

I fully agree with you...

 

....but the alternative routes can be used tactically if need be as time wise, there is little to choose between them, Kingswood jct to Gas Street being a good day's boating by either route. However, If I was travelling north I'd probably go via the North Stratford and get the locks over with in the morning. Likewise if I was heading south from Gas Street to Kingswood I'd probably go via Camp Hill and get all except Knowle locks out of the way.

[mayalld]

On the GU the last mooring place before Brum is Catherine de Barnes, which is about 6 hours from the top of Farmer's Bridge Locks. There are "secure" moorings at the top of Camp Hill locks but they are "secure" in that they are on pontoons with no towpath access, so you have to stay on your boat!

 

The Stratford Canal is generally accepted as having the more pleasant approach to the city, although the Lapworth flight is much busier and hence more likely to delay you than the locks at Knowle, Camp Hill or Farmer's Bridge. Mooring on the Stratford is OK anywhere up to Shirley Drawbridge

 

Hmm, we suffered a late night raid from some miscreants just south of Shirley Drawbridge.

[Nic]

Just done the Warwickshire Ring via Gas St - though it rained most days. The City Centre does have a lot of regular patrols.

 

Recorded the trip via time lapse photo's, so will probably be putting up a converted video, should anyone want to see