Wednesday 31st May
Off a little after half past seven. Going past a factory, we heard an electronic-sounding voice (rather like a Dalek) saying, 'You have been recognised as an intruder and you are being recorded on closed-circuit video. Leave immediately.' It was about this time that we decided we'd had enough of Birmingham for the time being! Our original plans didn't include any specific target once we'd gone round the Stourport Ring as far as Birmingham — so we'd been feeling a bit aimless for the latter part of yesterday, once we'd joined the Birmingham Main Line. Nick suggested Stratford as a place to head towards. There was general agreement with this — partly in the absence of any particular counter-proposal. I'm glad we have a target of some sort, whether or not we actually get all the way there.
Early
Morning on BCN Main Line
Another beautiful sunny morning. Will this day be the one that breaks the pattern and gives us a sunny afternoon as well? Railway bridges, road bridges and factories alternate with stretches where by all appearances we could be miles out in the country, with banks of meadow and woodland on either side. Bird-song is coming from all around and the early sun is glinting on the water, from which steam is slowly rising as the water warms up.
June was doing some steering just now. A good place to try it out, while the canal is quite wide and straight! Meanwhile I've just confirmed June's view of Camomile tea. I've taken to using herbal teas recently. Though not intending to cut out tea and coffee entirely, I've brought quite a selection of herbals — which I've enjoyed. But I'm afraid the camomile packet has gone straight into the bin once I'd sampled the first cup. Back to peppermint, nettle, and various fruits.
Our course now was straight down the Birmingham New Main Line, until we came to Winson Green Junction, where we turned into the Soho Loop — just to add a minimum of variety. Then, at five to nine — loud scraping noises from the front of the boat, rapidly moving aft. Pause. Bang! The rudder's lifted out again. We struggled for about a quarter of an hour to put it back. No good. Have to ring the boatyard again. We thought we might as well take the opportunity to go to the shops to stock up on our supplies, so Nick, Penny, Maddie and I went to the nearest substitute for a High Street. There was no supermarket, but a smallish Indian grocers at which we managed to get enough to keep us going for the next day or so.
Where we stopped was just alongside Winson Green Prison. Other features include a rather good Buddha statue on the opposite bank, and on our side some tiled platforms at intervals by the canal-side, evidently to allow wheelchair users to fish from. While we've been waiting, Alan has put on some bread dough to rise. June has been doing some work for her Open University course. I've been reading some more of Post Captain.
Half past eleven. The man from the boatyard arrives — a different one from last time. He put the rudder back so quickly and nonchalantly that we hardly had time to see what he did. Anyway, we were off again by eleven thirty five.
Birmingham Centre
We reached Botton Park Junction by mid-day, turning left into the Main Line again. We followed a passenger narrowboat for a while, until we came to the centre of Birmingham, where it stopped for passengers. At twenty past twelve we arrived at Farmers Bridge Locks, which we completed by half past one. Not our best time, though we pulled right away from the boat which started the flight just behind us. They were nowhere in sight after the first 3 or 4 of the 13 locks. This flight took us through a stretch I remember from our first canal holiday in 1978 — the place where the canal goes underneath a large office block near the Post Office tower. The building is supported on piles, in between which the canal picks its way rather gingerly. It's a little bit unnerving to think of this massive building looming above us.
At twenty to two we came to Aston Junction, where we turned right. Fifteen minutes later and more locks: the Ashtead flight, which we finished by half past two. Now we were on the Grand Union — wide and easy to navigate, but not particularly interesting to say the least. The best thing about it was that it was our quickest way out of Birmingham. It's a city which we all like in general, but we'd all got a bit fed up with it over the last couple of days. Camp Hill Locks took us from a quarter to three until half past.
From there, the canal becomes increasingly rural: first fairly open in aspect, then for an hour or so it goes through a heavily wooded stretch. This is quite picturesque, but it becomes quickly monotonous. I was steering at this point, and it does get very tiring just staring ahead into a long tunnel of trees. It felt a bit like motorway driving in some ways: little variety, but still needing considerable concentration. The greatest danger in both cases being that one might nod off. At least the consequences on the canal would be less severe.
Eventually we emerged into open country — quite a relief to have something to look at other than trees! A little light entertainment was supplied by a heron at one point. It stood by the towpath as we approached. When we came level with it, the heron flew off ahead of us and took up a new position. Again it waited till we caught up, then repeated the performance. And again. And again... It must have done this eight or ten times before getting fed up with it. With a derisive cackling sound, it flew up through the belt of trees lining the canal, and then headed off back whence it came.
We moored at Knowle at seven o'clock and went off into the village. We knew there was a fairly decent pub, but we were just hoping for the best as regards food. It turns out that Knowle is very well supplied in this respect. We counted four Indian, one Thai and two Chinese restaurants. Before trying any of these we had a couple of pints of very good beer at The Vaults.
Afterwards, we opted for one of the Indians, the Cafe Saffron. It looked the most interesting of the four, if possibly the most expensive — judging from the fact that it didn't have a price list in the window. Actually it wasn't unreasonably priced, though somewhat more expensive than the places we've patronised hitherto. It was clearly making an effort to become trendy — and, to judge by the numbers of customers even on a Wednesday evening, it seemed to be succeeding. Good curry, too — some attention to detail in the spices — a more extensive range of dishes than you'd usually find. The ladies toilets came in for particular acclaim, with comments like 'Wow' and 'Amazing' being made. (You have to remember that on a canal holiday the facilities on a boat are somewhat limited, so that finding good loos in pubs and restaurants is something of a welcome bonus).