Escape from the city

Our plan was to make a really early start this morning but our feline alarm clock let us down. Gwynie can normally be relied on to wake us at sparrow fart, she does this by walking across my head then purring loudly whilst nose to nose with Ray. If that fails to elicit a response she starts gently patting Ray's eyelids! This morning Ray woke at 7.30 without a cat in sight.

We indulged in our morning cup of coffee, got dressed and were on our way about an hour later than planned. The first leg of our journey took us down through the nine Rushall Locks to the junction with the Tame Valley Canal. I'm glad I wasn't attempting these locks single handed, on two of the locks the bottom gates swung shut unless you leaned on them. It was enough of a pain having to haul Morgana part way out of the lock with the rope so that we could both be on the lockside keeping the gates open until the boat was preventing them from closing. Single handed you would have had to either tie the gates open or wedge them open! Note to self, only attempt Rushall Locks single handed going up!

As a boater you often hear tales of the local yoofs throwing stuff at boats from bridges but today was the first time I experienced it personally. A group of four brainless teens who should surely have been in school, decided to drop something on me as I passed under a bridge, thankfully they were lousy shots! I flashed them a two fingered salute and headed off down the cut.

Once we joined the Tame Valley Canal we could tell we were in a city environment, lots of rubbish, bottles, cans and even a three seater sofa floating downstream! We soon reached the top of the Tame Valley Locks where we met a CART worker who told us the leak between locks 7 & 8 was fixed and that we should find most of the locks full. Not only were the locks full so were the pounds and in some places the towpath, well I haven't been to the seaside for a paddle this year. We found the Perry Barr Locks very well maintained and made rapid progress. We had been told it was possible to moor overnight between locks 11 & 12 but decided that as it was only mid afternoon we would carry on and get out of the city environs.

Spaghetti Junction from the canal

Our journey took us underneath Spaghetti Junction, past the canal junctions which would take you into the heart of Birmingham and onward through three more locks past Minworth to our overnight mooring spot. We encountered our first boats that were obviously cruising, although moored at the time, in a week!

As I knew we would have a long day today I was sensible and prepared a Lamb Tagine yesterday for tonight's dinner and put it in the slow cooker while we were cruising. I'm ready for dinner!


Today's journey 12.5 miles and 25 locks

So far this year we have travelled 689.4 miles, 559 locks, 49 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 26 tunnels

In 2011 we travelled 461.4 miles, 444 locks, 3 swing bridges, 34 lift bridges and 15 tunnels

During 2010 we travelled 740.3 miles, 642 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 25 tunnels

Since Ray retired we have travelled 1891.1 miles 1645 locks, 105 swing bridges, 61 lift bridges and 66 tunnels