advice for safe passage on Warwickshire ring

[capri sun]

hello all

will be doing the Warwickshire ring starting tomorrow 11th July from Ventnor Marina Napton and after my daughter had problems around Birmingham last year and I was wondering if there is any advice on which way to passage around Birmingham

I know it s a bit late but this has been a last dicission as we have now both finishe with work

many thanks

[Southern Star]

We didn't have any problems when we did the Warwickshire Ring earlier this year, and that was during daytime in the Easter school holiday. We did see the usual lads hanging out by the canal, who gave us the usual "give us a ride Mister" thing but so long as you are friendly and polite to them, they soon move on.

[RLWP]

Wow - what trouble did she have?

 

It's pretty rare to have a problem

 

Richard

[john6767]

Which way are you going through Birmingham?

[dogless]

Wow - what trouble did she have?

 

It's pretty rare to have a problem

 

Richard

Her hair frizzed in damp weather and she hadn't taken her straighteners

 

Rog

[matty40s]

It depends on how long days you normally do.

I post this as advise for a leisure cruiser, not necessarily what i would do.

Aim to stop for the evening at Catherine de Barnes if you are going clockwise and start early, get Camp Hill and Ashted/Aston out of the way.(Garrison locks still closed??).

Stop at Star City pontoons if you wish for an evenings branded food and entertainment package. Then head off down towards Fazeley getting the locks out of the way fairly early.

 

Going the other way, I would stop at Star City and then go through the locks in the morning again, either continue to Catherine de Barnes or beyond, or continue up Farmers Bridge flight and then stop in the City centre. From here I would continue through to the N Stratford/Lapworth route back to the GU.

[RLWP]

It depends on how long days you normally do.

I post this as advise for a leisure cruiser, not necessarily what i would do.

Aim to stop for the evening at Catherine de Barnes if you are going clockwise and start early, get Camp Hill and Ashted/Aston out of the way.(Garrison locks still closed??).

Stop at Star City pontoons if you wish for an evenings branded food and entertainment package. Then head off down towards Fazeley getting the locks out of the way fairly early.

 

Going the other way, I would stop at Star City and then go through the locks in the morning again, either continue to Catherine de Barnes or beyond, or continue up Farmers Bridge flight and then stop in the City centre. From here I would continue through to the N Stratford/Lapworth route back to the GU.

 

You can add in the moorings at the top of Camp Hill. Very quite, offside moorings with a shower block

 

Richard

[Captain Pegg]

My advice would be to go to the city centre via Lapworth and King's Norton rather than try and by-pass the centre via Bordesley. The centre is to be visited rather than avoided and there are many boats moored there every night. You will have no problem mooring in suitable places in a day's - or less - cruising either side of the centre.

 

The canal in Brum is a space for all sorts of people and for many a place of refuge and you shouldn't assume anyone is a problem no matter how it might appear. Go about your business and if possible engage folk politely. You will in all probability have absolutely no problems.

 

JP

[OldGoat]

'Tis said that Norton Junction is not a safe place to moor and certainly nowhere from there onwards until you get to the centre (the trains are noisy if nothing else and they run alongside for much of the way).

 

Camp Hill may be safe (we broke down there some years ago) but it's decidedly unattractive and gloomy.

[RLWP]

'Tis said that Norton Junction is not a safe place to moor and certainly nowhere from there onwards until you get to the centre

 

There is an offside mooring opposite Cadburys with a gated area. We have used that. Also, there is The Vale which is quite popular

 

Richard

[nicknorman]

'Tis said that Norton Junction is not a safe place to moor and certainly nowhere from there onwards until you get to the centre.

Blimey, that is a big swathe of the country out then. It is a long day from Buckby top lock to the centre of Birmingham, better start before breakfast!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited July 11, 2016 by nicknorman

[ditchcrawler]

'Tis said that Norton Junction is not a safe place to moor

I have noticed more boats moored there in recent times so I don't know if things have improved.

[Captain Pegg]

I suspect King's Norton is OK to moor at but if I did I would go down the Worcs & Bham south of the junction adjacent to where there is at least one boat on a home mooring outside the old canal cottages. There are about a quarter of a mile of rings along the stretch south of the junction.

 

In reality it's an easy days cruise into central Brum from the top of Lapworth so it's unlikely there will be a need to moor in the suburbs. Richard's suggestions of Bournville and the Vale are the best places on that stretch if there was a need though. I think the rings on the straight cutting below Selly Oak station are a bit optimistic. I have seen boats moored close to the new aqueduct over the Selly Oak relief road though.

 

I am still sticking with my suggestion above; something like Ventnor Farm to Warwick to top of Lapworth to central Brum.

Edited July 12, 2016 by Captain Pegg

[OldGoat]

nicknorman, on 11 Jul 2016 - 12:20 PM, said:

Blimey, that is a big swathe of the country out then. It is a long day from Buckby top lock to the centre of Birmingham, better start before breakfast!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

< >

 

 

Ha Ha ha!

Silly, silly me - I omitted the royal bit (better make sure King's Norton.....)

I see another poster knew intuitively what I meant!

At least it caused some amusement.

Even if it is safe, it's very gloomy.

[RevCedd]

We have spent a couple of nights in the City centre of Birmingham and would thoroughly recommend it - felt very safe and lots of good curry houses nearby! However wouldn't recommend overnighting in the suburbs around. So would always do a full days motoring into Birmingham and then a full day out.