Narrowboat Epiphany cruising again and the sun comes out!

Wednesday, 11 January 2012 20:23

Well, I got my wish. A late start, but at least we were back on the move on the North Stratford Canal, cruising through the countryside on the outskirts of Birmingham. It was shallow in parts, ther were a couple of lift bridges and even another narrowboat on the move!

We still had a bit of a way to go to get to Kings Norton Junction 

But that was not our target for today - it was only to be a short cruise, ha ha ......

John easily opened the lift bridge above us - but the canal was a little shallow so I dredged up a few leaves and stuff making the tiller a little unresponsive! 

The Old Coal Arm from the canal perspective

I was "into" trees today - maybe the bit about David Hockney's fascination with a lane in East Yorkshire on Countryfile had inspired me! Not that I can ever aspire to his genius.

Trees and sunshine (one of about 5 photos I took of trees!)

Bridge 24 was to be our first small delay as we met another narrowboat coming the other way. We saw him before he saw us and slowed down to let him through.

Meeting at Bridge 24

But no - he insisted on us going through first and by the time we did he was aground - oops! That's why we had waved him through first. Take a closer look at the parapet - a repair, but not a repair.

What a glorious day!

As per the comment on yesterday's blog we pulled in for me to go to the lovely bakery 100 yards from Bridge 20. Bread, cakes, fruit and veg and a couple of bacon butties later we were off again. Our second delay!

We needed water and I had rung Earlswood Motor Yacht Club at Lady Lane Wharf to see if they had any for general use - yes, for £2. But we spotted a tap at Warings Green Wharf with a £1 notice on it so pulled in.

Warings Green Wharf

We had a good chat to a nice chap from one of the resi-boats there and he said we could use the elsan and rubbish too - done and dusted now for a few days! That was the third delay! At Lady Lane Wharf the guys on the terrace waved and put on their best smiles as we passed the club house. I promised them a feature on the blog!

A liquid lunch boys?

The incongruous development at Dickens Heath was next - the area has now grown to a large modern estate beside the canal and contrasts with the older buildings at Bridge 12.

Flats and fountain

Blue trees this time at footbridge 13

We had in mind a mooring before the rail bridge at Shirley - we had moored there before. It has an open aspect and sure enough our memories served us well this time.

Moored before Shirley Railway Bridge

It was lovely, but John went for a walk up to Shirley Drawbridge and after a while we decided to move again. So there is just a bit more to the story to come .....