Now that is really boring

Monday, 22 February 2010 14:33

I mean, I am not going to blog about it and bore you!

Just a photo!

However, being by a boatyard meant there had been a few boat movements by the time John returned from the 8am church service. So we set off towards Tardebigge but we had no intention of going down the 22 locks, only to come up them again! We have to be in Birmingham for the first weekend in March!

This guy had the right idea - far above and enjoying the view

But - oh no, we had two tunnels to do before Tardebigge; fortunately for me they were short ones, so I was not such a wimp this time.

Shortwood Tunnel (the first one of the day)

The other hire base hereabouts soon loomed ahead of us. Anglo Welsh were ready for the season with most of their boats repainted. Having spent most of our hiring days on Anglo Welsh narrowboats (the first time on AW was 1973, coincidentally on the Stratford and Avon Canal), I have no compunction in advertising for them.

Anglo Welsh Hire Base before Bridge 57

Very soon we were at our second tunnel of the day - Tardebigge

At first the roof was brick lined, but then it became very rough and I could see the rock the tunnel was hewn out of. This seemed to make the fact that we were hundreds of feet underground more real and I was glad to be in the bows this time!

We emerged at Tardebigge Wharf and here I happily snapped some iconic sights, so bear with me as I share them.

This was where author Tom Rolt spent 4 years moored and living on "Cressy" and the Inland Waterways Association was founded. Where would we be today if Tom Rolt and Robert Aickman had kept quiet?

Moorings and wharf at Tardebigge

St Bartholomew's Church, at Tardebigge

We filled up the water tank and then winded to return whence we came. Most of the visitor moorings were taken and I suspect there may have been some official and unofficial winter moorers!

Old Wharf and crane

The wharf is much changed, since it was originally built as the temporary terminus of the Worcester and Birmingham Canal. As the Company were concerned about the expense of building locks, a boat lift was created to take the boats down to Worcester and the River Severn. The wharf later became a BW yard.

Square by wharf

Warehouse before Tardebigge Tunnel

The return journey involved two tunnels again. Four tunnels in one day is really a bit much, but at least we were planning to moor before the mighty Wast Hill Tunnel - phew!

Tardebigge Tunnel - SW portal

The sun was behind us now and blazing down. This made for some lovely reflections and views of the countryside.

Bridge 57, Anglo Welsh Base the other side

Bridge 58 - I am rather proud of this one!

It could almost have been summer at Alvechurch, except there were too many hire boats moored up. However, it made a pretty sight.

Alvechurch Marina

I spotted this old AW hire boat, Silver Stone at the LT mootings

It is one of the Silver Class and we last saw it on the Stratford and Avon Canal in May 2001! We had hired its sister narrowboat Silver Swan on the Kennet and Avon Canal in 2000.

Silver Stone in 2001

Passing the Lower Bittell Reservoir again we noticed what looked like a breach repair, but it was the extension of the Bittell reservoir feed, a BW project.

Piling and puddling

We finally moored on the moorings we had made a note of on the way down the previous day - the 14D "unofficial" moorings at Hopwood - lovely, countryside all around and no need to move for 14 days! Ha ha - I think we have other plans but the peaceful, dark nights with the calls of the wild around us make a wonderful change!

Moored beyond Hopwood

Worcester and Birmingham Canal, Alvechurch to Tardebigge to Hopwood

3 hour 10 minutes, 8.12 miles, 0 locks & 4 tunnels!