Earlswood to
Cambrian Wharf, Birmingham
12 miles, 0
locks
Yet another
glorious autumn day. Today’s sky as we
left this morning for our run to Birmingham.
Now to the
splash – no it was not either of us or anything belonging to us, but it
certainly gave us both a big surprise.
We had stopped at bridge 5 on the Stratford Canal for water and our
first experience of these new-fangled water taps.
The first
one did not work at all, so onto the next with success. Having filled the tank we were both by the
tap with our backs to the canal when all we heard was a skid and a splash. We turned around to see a youngish man
standing there watching his bike disappear under the water!! He said the bike skidded on the damp towpath
and that he managed to jump clear before the bike hit the cut. Out came our trusty magnet and the boat pole
and I am glad to say we managed to retrieve it for him and he went on his way a
little shocked and with a rather drippy bike, but none the worse for his
ordeal. Well we hope he wasn’t. We would both to know what he said when he
went home!
Before we
knew it we were at Kings Norton Junction
and then the
first signs that we were heading for a large city.
There was a
short stop at Selly Oak – Monty and I stayed with the boat whilst Chris popped
in to Sainsbury’s for the paper and a few essentials. The access is by the railings well before
the bridge.
Then it was full steam ahead for Birmingham. A restaurant boat was winding at bridge 84a
and they kindly waited for us to pass behind before completing the manoeuvre.
This was the
first big building we spotted in central Birmingham – it is near the Mail Box
and, we think, it is relatively new.
Certainly different.
The sky is unbelievable for mid afternoon at the end of September, but much appreciated.
Last time we
came this way there were mooring bollards in the Mail Box – very convenient for
Tesco Express, but they have now been removed.
Then as we
rounded the corner heading towards Worcester Bar
We got a
wonderful welcome from a man waving his arms and saying ‘do you remember
me? I hope you enjoyed your review?’.(We did!) Yes it was none other than Andrew Denny from
Waterways World on his boat
He was
hurrying off one way and we continued on to Cambrian Wharf where we secured a
good mooring for the night. Safe and
free! We will probably stay here
tomorrow, so who knows we may yet catch up with Andrew.
We
discovered when we arrived that they had the first ever floating market in
Birmingham this weekend – the story of our lives – a day late and a dollar short! This is one of the boats on it’s way home! We are wondering if the event is to be reported in WW? Is that why Andrew is here?? We shall see.
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