warrick to birmingham

[nicknorman]

What is unsafe about this stretch, I'm presuming feral youths or similar? Have their been incidents of damage or vandalism or is it just boisterousness?

Probably nothing much to be honest, but boats don't moor there normally and so if you do, you tend to visually stick out and act as a magnet for bored youth. Also it is pretty shallow in the sides although ISTR there are some rings somewhere along the way which are used for a daytime shopping stop.

[RLWP]

What is unsafe about this stretch, I'm presuming feral youths or similar? Have their been incidents of damage or vandalism or is it just boisterousness?

 

Probably none of those. It's a part of the 1930's upgrade passing through Birmingham suburbs and ex industrial areas.

 

It has a concrete bank and a hard towpath, much of it is straight or on sweeping curves. It doesn't really invite mooring up

 

Richard

[john6767]

 

Probably none of those. It's a part of the 1930's upgrade passing through Birmingham suburbs and ex industrial areas.

 

It has a concrete bank and a hard towpath, much of it is straight or on sweeping curves. It doesn't really invite mooring up

 

Richard

To me that sums it up. I just go on instinct as to what feels ok or not, and I would not choose to stop there, but it is hard to put you finger on why.

 

The initial part through Solihull next to the Land Rover plant it is a gloomy cutting, and would always avoid cuttings anywhere, then further in to Birmingham is is just not that pleasant (sorry Tyseley).

 

If you want to be in the centre of Birmingham then better to go via the North Stratford anyway. If you are cutting out Birmingham, then I would say do what others do and go from CdeB to Curdworth (or at least past Minworth), or of you want to break it stop at Star City.

[Victor Vectis]

I'd agree with what's been said.

 

We've moored for a night at Oulton and on another occasion by the winding hole just above the Ashted Locks but on neither occasion did we leave the boat.

 

Camp Hill is good. You can pretend to be a working boat loading or unloading by mooring under the canopy but won't be able to leave the bankside. On another visit I found I couldn't get out of the services as the final gate was locked with a non BW key.

Any 'trouble' is faced with quite a hike from access to the towpath to the services and then they have to cross the lock and use a BW key to get into the service area.

[ditchcrawler]

We more at the top of Hatton, and into Birmingham is a longish day, add another 1/2 day for the flight so

 

Stratford is lovely, but about 1 1/2 days from the top of Hatton, you have Stratford itself and Mary Ardens house at Wilnecote (I think) which is just a short walk from the canal.

 

There are more locks from Kingswood to Stratford than from Kingswood to Birmingham on the Stratford.

 

I personally don't like Farmers bridge at all so we mostly come and go to Birmingham using the North Stratford. That has the advantage of not going down to come up and then down again before you leave Birmingham.

 

If you do go into Brum and moor near the Sea life Center then you've got that and everything that's in the center.

If you found that you'd like a bit of a trip then to the back country museum and back involves only 3 locks and I prefer the old main line. Can't remember how long that takes though.

 

One thing I would say, and many people will say I'm being silly, is that if you can take the in-laws with a 4 and 9 year old you'll be much less worried abut them.

 

I know lots of people bring up kids on boats, but I also know that when we took our first boat holiday when my kids were about 3 and 5 I was very worried about them at locks so I was really glad we had the inlaws with us. It meant one could drive, one do the locks and I knew the kids were being looked after.

 

I know the extra adults made my holiday more enjoyable and less stressful.

 

Having said that both kids thoroughly enjoyed it, and we soon got them into the habit of putting the life jacket on if they left the cabin.

 

Have a great holiday.

 

Sue

Some very good points in the second half of that posting.

I would scrap the Cabury World visit and continue on past the Drawbridge and aim for the Cape by Friday night.

From what I have heard about it so would I. The Black Country Museum is probably a much better bet.

[thebfg]

Thank you for all your help and suggestions I took in all your thoughts and advice, we had a great time and have already booked a two week trip at easter.

 

Once my laptop is repaired I will give a little feedback and share a few photos

 

We did skip Cadburys world but unfortunately missed the bclm too. All tough enjoyed a lovelly day exploring birmingham. I found the new library amazing.

Edited November 15, 2016 by thebfg