Jump to content

Pubs on The Curly-Wurly..


Pete of Ebor

Featured Posts

I'm planning our May trip, and were looking to do The Curly Wurly (Wyrely & Essington) from Wolverhampton > Walsall > Anglesey Basin > Daw End > Rushall > Ryder's Green. Can anyone recommend any pubs to go to (..or avoid..) Equally, any places we ought to avoid mooring. Not sure how many pubs in my 20 year old copy of Nicholson will still even be there...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Pete of Ebor said:

I'm planning our May trip, and were looking to do The Curly Wurly (Wyrely & Essington) from Wolverhampton > Walsall > Anglesey Basin > Daw End > Rushall > Ryder's Green. Can anyone recommend any pubs to go to (..or avoid..) Equally, any places we ought to avoid mooring. Not sure how many pubs in my 20 year old copy of Nicholson will still even be there...

Wherever we go now we disregard Nicholsons as they are out of date before printing. For pubs/shops etc Google is your friend for locations and  opening times. Two points completely disregard anything posted on trip advisor or the good pub guide as they are purely personal accounts and everybody has a different view.

  • Greenie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Wherever we go now we disregard Nicholsons as they are out of date before printing. For pubs/shops etc Google is your friend for locations and  opening times. Two points completely disregard anything posted on trip advisor or the good pub guide as they are purely personal accounts and everybody has a different view.

Can't agree about trip advisor especially regarding restaurants. We use it extensively when we go out both in this country and abroad and have rarely been disappointed Obviously there is some degree of false reports but when five hundred people say a place is excellent/very good  and only a dozen say it is terrible you have a pretty good idea of what to expect.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Tim Lewis said:

Can't agree about trip advisor especially regarding restaurants. We use it extensively when we go out both in this country and abroad and have rarely been disappointed Obviously there is some degree of false reports but when five hundred people say a place is excellent/very good  and only a dozen say it is terrible you have a pretty good idea of what to expect.

We always make our own mind up. We have been to some restaurants which have excellent reviews on Trip Advisor only to find the food and service very disappointing. On the flip side we have been to places with quite poor reviews and found the food and service to be very good :rolleyes:

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, Pete of Ebor said:

I'm planning our May trip, and were looking to do The Curly Wurly (Wyrely & Essington) from Wolverhampton > Walsall > Anglesey Basin > Daw End > Rushall > Ryder's Green. Can anyone recommend any pubs to go to (..or avoid..) Equally, any places we ought to avoid mooring. Not sure how many pubs in my 20 year old copy of Nicholson will still even be there...

Manor Arms at Rushall is a must!

Don't expect an extensive menu, or a bar!

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Drop down the locks into Walsall for a night in the basin. Try to avoid the locks later afternoon and evening as there are sometimes some slightly troublesome youth at the locks, especially a group of racist asian lads, though mostly ok if handled with care. Take a short walk up the main street to the Blackcountry Arms and assuming you like pub pubs that sell beer you will not be disappointed, very cheap food too but it is a pub, not a restaurant.  Check dates before you go as its having a short closure for refurbishment.

yup Manor Arms is also a good one.

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, dmr said:

Drop down the locks into Walsall for a night in the basin. Try to avoid the locks later afternoon and evening as there are sometimes some slightly troublesome youth at the locks, especially a group of racist asian lads, though mostly ok if handled with care. Take a short walk up the main street to the Blackcountry Arms and assuming you like pub pubs that sell beer you will not be disappointed, very cheap food too but it is a pub, not a restaurant.  Check dates before you go as its having a short closure for refurbishment.

yup Manor Arms is also a good one.

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

Agree about the Black Country Arms. However, the Inn on the Wharf was refurbished over the winter of 2016/17 and now has a late music licence so be prepared for some noise. 

Other pubs are The Nickleodeon at Bentley Bridge, the United Kingdom at Lane Head next to the visitor moorings,  the Fingerpost at Pelsall Common, the Anchor just past Catshill Junction and, as has been said, the Manor Arms. These all sell, or did, real ale. There is also a GBG listed pub in Brownhills not far from the canal whose name escapes me. 

The pub at the top of Ryders Green shut some years ago, although after struggling over the trollies in the water by Asda you'll probably want a drink.

As far as mooring all these places are OK but the stretch from Birchills to Pelsall doesnt invite you to stop. 

 

Edited by pearley
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, pearley said:

Agree about the Black Country Arms. However, the Inn on the Wharf was refurbished over the winter of 2016/17 and now has a late music licence so be prepared for some noise. 

Other pubs are The Nickleodeon at Bentley Bridge, the United Kingdom at Lane Head next to the visitor moorings,  the Fingerpost at Pelsall Common, the Anchor just past Catshill Junction and, as has been said, the Manor Arms. These all sell, or did, real ale. There is also a GBG listed pub in Brownhills not far from the canal whose name escapes me. 

The pub at the top of Ryders Green shut some years ago, although after struggling over the trollies in the water by Asda you'll probably want a drink.

As far as mooring all these places are OK but the stretch from Birchills to Pelsall doesnt invite you to stop. 

 

Its will be good if the Inn on the Wharf gets some new life breathed into it, even if that does result in noise, because when I went in a few year ago was a truly desperate place. I tried to leave but my feet had stuck firmly to the floor in an accumulation of spilt beer that had not been cleaned in years. Actually not sure it was beer, I drank a couple of pints and totally failed to get even slightly drunk, think it was just sticky brown water.

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, dmr said:

Its will be good if the Inn on the Wharf gets some new life breathed into it, even if that does result in noise, because when I went in a few year ago was a truly desperate place. I tried to leave but my feet had stuck firmly to the floor in an accumulation of spilt beer that had not been cleaned in years. Actually not sure it was beer, I drank a couple of pints and totally failed to get even slightly drunk, think it was just sticky brown water.

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

Visited it a few times when it was new when it had nicely kept Highgate ale and you could also get takeaway to take back to the boat. We called in last year just after it reopened as it had three handpumps on the bar but all the clips were turned round. Asked the girl behind the bar if there was any real ale to receive a one word curt answer of No. As they had a Facebook page thing everyone how good it was I put a comment on to say how disappointed we were. Next morning, just as we were untying we had a visit from the owner asking us to change our comments as his rating had dropped. When I said about the barmaid he replied 'well, she's only on the minimum wage,! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Tim Lewis said:

Manor Arms at Rushall is a must!

Don't expect an extensive menu, or a bar!

But the beer is good!

With respect to mooring, I would go from Horseley Fields to Walsall on one go, although there is at least one off side mooring and then Sneed if you want.  From Walsall town arm I would then go the Pelsall.  You can moor anywhere there or on the Cannock Extension arm.  Then you have Brownsville by Tescos and then Anglsey Basin or on the approach. Down the Daw End, Longwood above the top lock.  After that there is the visitor mooring in the long term moorings at Ocker Hill.  Then back to the New Main Line.

That was off the top of my head so I may have missed to odd spot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As others have said, Manor Arms is definitely worth a visit. Also Wagon and Horses, Toll End Rd, Tipton - short walk from secure moorings at Ocker Hill. Seemed really friendly when there a couple years ago, with several nice real ales on, and we definitely made a note to revisit again. Only popped in for a quick half on way to the chippy next door, and came back to the boat 2 hrs later to some very hungry and disgruntled crew!

As to moorings, I would avoid anywhere around Horsley Fields junction, Birchalls junction, and top of Walsall locks. Good moorings can be had at Wednesfield junction (Bently Retail Park), Holly Bank Basin, Walsall basin (has floating boom across entrance that boat just pushes to side), Pelsall Common, Anglesey basin, and Ocker Hill (secure moorings just inside entrance bridge. That's just some of the good ones I can remember using off the top of my head, loads of other safe places to stop.

Some people have reported problems with groups of lads at Walsall locks, but we've been through at all hours of the day and night with them there and never had any problems. We do try to talk with them though, explain how they work, and get them to help with shutting lock gates etc rather than completely blank them like I've seen some boaters do. 

 

  • Greenie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 22/04/2018 at 17:06, Tom and Bex said:

We do try to talk with them though, explain how they work, and get them to help with shutting lock gates etc rather than completely blank them like I've seen some boaters do.

Yes to this.

Ask them if they are feeling strong. (And what self respecting yoof is going to say 'no' to this?)

Suggest that they might like to test their strength by opening a lock gate when the lock is only half full/empty !

While they are heavin' & hoin', pushin' & shovin' they aint doing anything else.

And remember to say 'thank you' when they succeed.

  • Happy 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 22/04/2018 at 17:06, Tom and Bex said:

As others have said, Manor Arms is definitely worth a visit. Also Wagon and Horses, Toll End Rd, Tipton - short walk from secure moorings at Ocker Hill. Seemed really friendly when there a couple years ago, with several nice real ales on, and we definitely made a note to revisit again. Only popped in for a quick half on way to the chippy next door, and came back to the boat 2 hrs later to some very hungry and disgruntled crew!

As to moorings, I would avoid anywhere around Horsley Fields junction, Birchalls junction, and top of Walsall locks. Good moorings can be had at Wednesfield junction (Bently Retail Park), Holly Bank Basin, Walsall basin (has floating boom across entrance that boat just pushes to side), Pelsall Common, Anglesey basin, and Ocker Hill (secure moorings just inside entrance bridge. That's just some of the good ones I can remember using off the top of my head, loads of other safe places to stop.

Some people have reported problems with groups of lads at Walsall locks, but we've been through at all hours of the day and night with them there and never had any problems. We do try to talk with them though, explain how they work, and get them to help with shutting lock gates etc rather than completely blank them like I've seen some boaters do. 

 

If you moor at Ocker Hill, or at Sneyd for that matter, the locks on the gates are site specific so you'll need to borrow a key if you are coming back late. 

Just to be clear, there is no specific visitor mooring at Sneyd though Ralph will usually accommodate you and the one at Ocker Hill is marked as Operational, visitor mooring if empty after 6pm, or something like that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haven't tried mooring at Sneyd so not sure of arrangements there.

Never had problem getting in on visitor mooring at Ocker Hill though, but had to move maintenance boats once to make some space. Visitor mooring just inside entrance on left. There is access out onto towpath with BW key next to service block. Large gates to access service block from mooring always open so we were told. Moorers there very friendly and helped make space for us and showed us how to access service block and towpath.  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Tom and Bex said:

Haven't tried mooring at Sneyd so not sure of arrangements there.

Never had problem getting in on visitor mooring at Ocker Hill though, but had to move maintenance boats once to make some space. Visitor mooring just inside entrance on left. There is access out onto towpath with BW key next to service block. Large gates to access service block from mooring always open so we were told. Moorers there very friendly and helped make space for us and showed us how to access service block and towpath.  

 

All we got was dogs peeing over our mooring ropes whilst owner looked on. 

As you enter the arm, if going in forwards, the right hand side is all marked as operational although the sign nearest the bridge is probably completely overgrown by now. The two boat lengths on the left never seem to have any permanent moorers but wouldn't surprise me, given CRT record, if they never been let. However, if trying to get up to the gate on that side there are a number of 'dog gates' to negotiate. 

I forgotten about the towpath gate but a bit of a walk to civilisation. Though I guess Great Bridge by towpath is no further than via the road. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry, meant the right as you come through the bridge! Normally reverse in that's why I had it in my head the moorings were on the left?

Never had any problems with dogs there though. Also been told its ok to moor on the unused moorings on the left, but no access out from that side with bw key, need special moorings key. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
On 20/04/2018 at 13:45, Tim Lewis said:

Manor Arms at Rushall is a must!

Don't expect an extensive menu, or a bar!

I have to admit that I didn't quite understand this comment, not until we got there ! I do agree now that The Manor Arms is not to be missed !

 

To follow the rest of the trip, follow this link

 

P1000575.JPG

  • Greenie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 20/04/2018 at 15:51, dmr said:

Its will be good if the Inn on the Wharf gets some new life breathed into it, even if that does result in noise, because when I went in a few year ago was a truly desperate place. I tried to leave but my feet had stuck firmly to the floor in an accumulation of spilt beer that had not been cleaned in years. Actually not sure it was beer, I drank a couple of pints and totally failed to get even slightly drunk, think it was just sticky brown water.

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

It was the place to go to if you didn't want to get drunk, and get some awful disease from the tables and floor. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.