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larryjc

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I know there's thread running about Birmingham elsewhere but my question is slightly different.  We are planning a 3 - 4 month trip next year and having always gone around Brirmingham in the past but having thoroughly enjoyed Liverpool this year, realised we really must have a looksee.  We will be coming down the T&M and there seem to be a number of choices - turn off and come down the Staffs and Worcs and in at Wolverhampton,  carry on to Fradley and Fazely and come in on the Birmingham and Fazely, we might even consider going all the way down to Braunston and use the Grand Onion back up but this means one could also use the Stratford.  Choices choices!!  We're in no rush so maybe the answer is to do them all but do you experienced Brummies out there have any suggestions?  We tend not to travel for too long in a day so are there plenty of places to stop or avoid for that matter? (we had some issues going into Liverpool and would not stop on the last stretch for example).  My current idea is to leave via tardebigge and probably head back north up the Shroppie.

 

Ta

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Its rare to get trouble (assuming your issue was trouble)  going into Liverpool so you were unlucky.

The North Stratford is the nicest and easiest approach to Brum, though we actually saw a bit of youth trouble there a few weeks ago (the first trouble we have ever seen in ten years of mostly full time boating). Advantage is getting all the locks done in the countryside then a flat run into Brum, and some of Edgbaston is pleasant and interesting.

The Wolverhampton 21 is quite good, just one set of easy and fast locks so you can easily get from countryside to Wolverhampton centre in just over half a day. Don't do it too early as it suffers from empty pounds that the lock-keeper fixes each morning. Wolverhampton to Brum is a nice run, the first bit can be a bit bleak but once past Tipton its interesting.

The Stourton/Stourbridge and Delph route from the S&W is also quite good, This needs a slightly longer day as its best to get up all the locks in a single hit and overnight at Merry Hill, then onto Brum thru Netherton Tunnel the next day. The Delph flight of locks is rather nice.

The route in via Knowle Locks and camphill, Ashted and Farmers is probably my least favourite, just a lot of urban canal with nothing much of interest. 

The other less good option is coming in from Curdworth via Aston Locks and Farmers locks. This is a lot of locks to do in one day. There are a couple of "safe" places to stop but these are "refuges to stop at" rather than places you would choose to linger for a few days. However even the Aston/Farmers route has some appeal for those who like the BCN,  the sensation and views of a long hard high climb up into the city can be quite pleasing.

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

 

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Off the top ('cos what ever anyone suggests, somebody else will say it's rubbish)

All your suggested routes are very do-able and each has its strengths and weaknesses

1. S&W and up the Wolverhampton 21

  • S&W is great once you avoid the trains and later the A-whatever it is
  • The 21 is fast but W'ton is not nice to moor and it's a bit of treck to find somewhere pleasant.
  • You could stop at the BCLM - well worth a day ticket and the proper Fish 'n chips are excellent as well as the rest of the place. It's moorings are pleasant but not terribly quiet.
  • Then either go on the Old main line until you get to the city centre.
  • If in a hurry backtrack to the new mainline - a bit quicker.
  • Birmingham city centre is a whole separate topic with a helluva lot to do

2. S&W and up the Stourbridge 16

If you want less challenge there are at least two places to stop overnight and you get to do the Netherton tunnel as well as seeing Bratch and the nicer parts of the S&W

3. Coventry and the B&F

  • Pretty in places but only a couple of stopping places, below the flight and after. Then it's a bit dodgy to stop until you get to Salford junction and overnight at Star City.
  • Do the two flights - they're very fast and your in the centre of Town  

4. Braunston Oxford , GU and North Stratford

  • A lot of work to get into Town.
  • The broad locks are heavy ish and the sewage works penstocks are a pain to operate.
  • The main flight really has to be done in one go - don't do it on a hot day!
  • Avoid Knowle , those locks are very heavy, a pity 'cos the view and the canal up to Catherine de Barnes is pleasant. After that it's not nice. Insttead turn left and go along the North Stratford. Not many places to stop - definitely not King's Norton.
  • The W&B is a bit grotty but no locks so you can whiz through.

My take, we've done them all many times including the grotty bits each has it's own 'charm'

DMR was posting while I was composing and nice to see there's general agreement?

 

Edited by OldGoat
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You could go in and out through all the routes and really explore all the BCN, last year we had a trip coming in to Brum via the Wolverhampton 21 then out via the Stratford, back in via the Grand Union and out again via the Stourbridge.

  • Greenie 1
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11 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Also, since you have plenty of time, take a look at continuing down to interesting Stourport then having half a day on the Severn down to lovely Worcester and up the Birmingham and Worcester to Brum via the noteworthy Tardebigge locks.

I'll echo that. The Staffs and Worcs Canal below Stourton Junction is one of the prettiest stretches of canal I've been on. Folk go on about canals such as the Llangollen but this easily equals it in my opinion.

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42 minutes ago, Grassman said:

I'll echo that. The Staffs and Worcs Canal below Stourton Junction is one of the prettiest stretches of canal I've been on. Folk go on about canals such as the Llangollen but this easily equals it in my opinion.

Been there done that - coming the other way.  Went down the Stratford then up the Severn to Stourport and then the Staffs but turned up the Shroppie.  Love Stourport and agree its pretty.  The only issue we had was that it was August when we did it and I've never seen a towpath so overgrown to the extent that it was almost impossible to get alongside for long stretches.  I've heard its better now.

 

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The OP is really seriously spoilt for choice - so much so that it could be impossible to say "that's  the one".

A really big route would be -

  1. S&W down to Stourport
  2. Severn to Tewkesbury
  3. Avon to Stratford
  4. Stratford to W&B
  5. and thence to City centre
  6. A shorter route,
  7. Severn to hawford junction and Droitwich
  8. OR Severn to Worcester
  9. 7 or 8 to join the W&B then,
  10. through to Brum.

It looks massive but probably only adds four days to the shortest routes. I don't think many folks do this:-

Use Canalplan for timings BUT spend a bit of time to use the Virtual Cruse feature. There are lots of photos (mostly of locks and bridges...). It also links to Google Earth, so you can explore the route by 'air'.

(This post may well be read by others less experienced than the OP - so may be a revelation...)

 

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This year for a short trip we did Great Haywood to Brum using the route in via Fradley, Fazeley and Farmer's Bridge. Then left via the Worcester Birmingham down through Tardebigge to Droitwich and on to the Severn up to Stourport and back to Great Haywood. This made a nice 9 day trip.

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3 hours ago, OldGoat said:

The OP is really seriously spoilt for choice - so much so that it could be impossible to say "that's  the one".

A really big route would be -

  1. S&W down to Stourport
  2. Severn to Tewkesbury
  3. Avon to Stratford
  4. Stratford to W&B
  5. and thence to City centre
  6. A shorter route,
  7. Severn to hawford junction and Droitwich
  8. OR Severn to Worcester
  9. 7 or 8 to join the W&B then,
  10. through to Brum.

It looks massive but probably only adds four days to the shortest routes. I don't think many folks do this:-

Use Canalplan for timings BUT spend a bit of time to use the Virtual Cruse feature. There are lots of photos (mostly of locks and bridges...). It also links to Google Earth, so you can explore the route by 'air'.

(This post may well be read by others less experienced than the OP - so may be a revelation...)

 

Sort of done that trip already in reverse.  Didn't particularly like the Severn, loved the Avon but was travelling down current.  Liked the Straford with the exception of the ridiculously stiff locks in places.  My current plan is to come out via Tardebigge and a short hop on the Severn back to Stourport before heading north probably on the Shroppie.  As we have 3-4 months I might even nip over to the T&M and try to get down Anderton - we went past it this spring on the only weekend it was fully booked.

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