Withybed

 Today's Canals - Stratford, Worcester and Birmingham

Most of today was, as forecast, very overcast and a little chillier than yesterday. \It was to be a day of ;level cruising, firstly to complete the Stratford Canal to Kings Norton where it joins the Worcester and Birmingham and our route southwards back towards Droitwich.

Our first target was Bridge 20, reached in just under half an hour. 100 m from the bridge is Wedges, a locally well known bakery which we try to visit whenever we pass this way. Whilst Mike held the boat on the centreline, Christine popped to the shop and returned with a large loaf of bread, two eccles cakes, a fruit cake and a large pork pie!

One of the reasons for stopping where we did last night (apart from being able to visit Wedges!) is because the canal from here onwards is very much surrounded by greenery, sometimes making it quite dark and at risk of 'stuff' falling from the trees onto our roof. But it makes for a pretty journey.

Somewhat later we reached Dickens Heath. Until 1997 this was a tiny hamlet in open countryside. But in 1989, Solihull was faced with the need to build a significant number of new homes and a major part of the ensuing plan was to create a New Village - Dickens Heath. Within 10 years the village had expanded to around 4000 residents. It is obvious that the developers were keen to create 'significant' architecture but to us it all looks like a mish mash of different pastiches without any real visual integrity. It certainly does not look like a traditional village.

The water feature which is part of the view up towards the central piazza is not always wrong but was flowing today. However, the steps involve significant upkeep and a worker was out today trying to remove the green colour which slow moving water inevitably encourages to grow. But why did he start from the bottom? Surely it is better to start from the top so that all the debris is swept down and out of the way?

Shirley Drawbridge carries only a minor road but it looks from the map as being a useful shortcut for people living in the Major's Green area to get to Shirley Station or Solihull. When we came this way a few weeks back, the road was closed to vehicles but could still be opened for boats to pass. Today it was carrying traffic and although we could see plenty crossing as we approached, we only managed a measly tally of lour car held up as we passed through!

The overhanging greenery gradually becomes thicker as we neared the entrance to Brandwood Tunnel. Although it is wide enough for two-way working (but we did not meet anyone today) there is no towpath and originally horses had to be walked over the top of the hill.

Shortly beyond the tunnel we stopped for lunch, during which there was a brief spell of light rain but it cleared by the time we were ready to set off once more.

Bridge 2 was previously a swing bridge which has now been removed. As such bridges are often hard to move we can be grateful that it is no longer an obstacle. When originally built this was open country and the track served a nearby farm. By the start of the 20C, Lifford Chemical Works was built alongside but has now been abandoned. However, its wall on the side of the towpath is home to a number of colourful and intriguing tags. The adjacen site is still operational and its webe site says: "In the UK Specialty Minerals have a manufacturing plant in Birmingham that produces a range of precipitated calcium carbonates for use in a variety of applications and markets that include plastics, sealants, inks, pharmaceuticals and food."

Just before reaching Kings Norton Junction we passe through the guillotine stop lock. It was built to maintain a very small difference in level between the two canals, at a time when there was often fierce competition over the ownership of water, always a vital resource for canals. The present structure was restored in the 2011 to the design constructed at the start of the 19C but was abandoned when the canals were nationalised and the competitive need eliminated.

At the junction we turned left onto the Worcester and Birmingham. As we passed under one of the urban road bridges it seems as if magnet fishermen have been active here, their haul including a mu h crumpled motorbike. Pity that they have not taken it away as there is a high risk that it will before long end up back where it was, alas.

Wast Hill tunnel is 2493m in length, wide enough for boats to pass but again with no towpath. As we approached we could see a boat not ling to emerge so we held back go let it complete its transit before we entered.

After the tunnel we were back into largely rural countryside.

The Bittell Reservoirs were an important part of the water supply for this canal but we have not been able to establish reliably the sequence of events in their construction. Different sources tell slightly different stories. As far as we understand it, the Lower Reservoir was built at the time of the canal construction which used water from the River Arrow to feed the canal. Mill owners downstream complained and so this reservoir was built to maintain their supplies and is lower than the canal. The Upper Reservoir was built when the canal was well established and able to afford a backup supply in case the river dried up in drought weather. Only a few years later the canal company was bought by a railway company and the need was never fulfilled.

We had hoped to reach Tardebigge tonight but by now it was clear that it would be quite late before we reached there. With a lack of mooring opportunities beyond Alvechurch we opted to stop at the Withybed Visitor Mooring.

14.3 Miles - 0 Locks