Black Country Living Museum

Like most of the country we enjoyed an enormous thunderstorm on Monday night. It woke us up at about four-thirty. At times when it was right overhead the thunder shook the boat. We managed to drift back off to sleep and once the rain had stopped we decided to cruise up to the junction with the New Main Line, wind the boats and head back to the Black Country Museum.

This is one of my favourite museums, there is so much to see, I recommend a visit even though we didn't go in on this occasion. There is also the opportunity to take a trip through the Dudley Tunnel, one which we can't take Morgana through. There are secure moorings here, confusingly where we are moored says 48hrs at one end and 24hrs at the other but as we are moored right beside the sign that says 48hrs that's how long we are staying.

Today we took the bus into Dudley, it would be walkable but I didn't fancy doing that in the current temperatures and now that Ray has his 'old codgers' bus pass at last at least we only had to pay the fares for me. Dudley has the normal range of shops that one can expect these days in most high streets and also a small market. Towards the mid afternoon we managed to pick up three punnets of strawberries for £1, as they were about 1lb weight each it has given us enough to make a gallon of strawberry wine which is now starting to brew. Some of them were a bit soft but none would have been thrown away even if we had been intending to eat them.

Tomorrow we intend to head part way back to Birmingham and then into the city centre on Friday for the weekend.

Yesterday's journey 1.7 miles

This year we have travelled 313.1 miles, 288 locks, 6 swing bridges, 13 lift bridges and 6 tunnels

In 2012 we travelled 876.9 miles, 675 locks,  55 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 31 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 2391.7 miles, 2049 locks, 117 swing bridges, 74 lift bridges and 77 tunnels

Visiting Tipton

We spent yesterday giving Merlin a good tidy and generally relaxing. This was our little bit of countryside in the urban sprawl of Birmingham and surrounding districts.

We didn't set off until lunchtime today as we didn't intend going very far. The M5 kept us company for about a mile and a half, it was either above us or beside us then we headed westwards towards Oldbury and Tipton and the motorway made its way southwards. We crossed the Stewart Aqueduct and could see the BCN New Line below us. New Line is a bit of a misnomer, it was built in 1827! Although we are on a 'new' canal for us we are very close to a route previously travelled., actually passing over it on a couple of occasions today.

From Stewart Aqueduct under the M5 and over the New Line

This section of canal is definitely the road less travelled, it seems two boats per day is the norm. We are moored at Tipton for the night with the intention of picking up a few bits of shopping tomorrow then moving on either late tomorrow or on Wednesday. We are sat here with the doors wide open still at ten at night, the news reckons it is the hottest day for seven years, and it has just started raining.

Today's journey 4.7 miles

This year we have travelled 311.4 miles, 288 locks, 6 swing bridges, 13 lift bridges and 6 tunnels

In 2012 we travelled 876.9 miles, 675 locks,  55 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 31 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 2390 miles, 2049 locks, 117 swing bridges, 74 lift bridges and 77 tunnels

Back from Brizzle

After a very enjoyable sojourn in Bristol with Keith, Leesa and baby Ellie I arrived back on board Morgana on Wednesday evening. It was a very nice break but I missed my boat and my life afloat ( and my lovely hubby, of course).

Morgana is looking much smarter than she did when I left and my flowers are looking beautiful, Ray has kept them well watered in this scorching weather. We have the official 'go-ahead' for the floating market on the last weekend of September.

It's really quite exciting to be involved in something like this, I'm now busily crafting so that I have lots to sell, hopefully. I can't offer accommodation to any visitors but it would be lovely to see some familiar faces there.

On Thursday I went round the markets and stocked up on fruit and veg plus a couple of nice chunks of cheese. Apart from that I spent the day just enjoying the sunshine. Today it was time to move on, we have decided that  we will spend the ten weeks between now and the market exploring the BCN ( Birmingham Canal Navigations). Birmingham is proud to boast that it has more canals than Venice, over 100 miles, although it used to be over 180 miles. It isn't as picturesque as Venice but it smells better! We may venture a bit further afield.

Today we travelled westwards and round the Icknield Port and Soho Loops before making our way up the Smethwick Locks to Sandwell. It proved to be a rather slow journey, firstly we stopped after less than an hour to clear some debris from the prop, then we had to stop again after ascending the locks as our water cooling inlet had become blocked so we were in danger of overheating and had to let everything cool down and finally the prop again became fouled so we found a spot to moor and gave up for the day. We did have some help at the top lock from a group of youngsters who were enjoying the sunshine and their release from school for the summer. As boaters we do tend to be wary of kids hanging around locks but these were very nice, polite lads.

Where we are moored is opposite the site of Sandwell Park Colliery wharf which was used to load coal onto boats until the colliery closed in 1960. Considering we are sandwiched between two large warehousing/distribution sites and about 200 yards from the M5 bridge over the canal it is remarkably quiet here, the noisiest things are the seagulls. The cats seem to like it here so we will probably stay here tomorrow as they have had to tolerate two weeks in the city center.

Today's journey 4.5 miles, 3 locks and 1 tunnel

This year we have travelled 306.7 miles, 288 locks, 6 swing bridges, 13 lift bridges and 6 tunnels

In 2012 we travelled 876.9 miles, 675 locks,  55 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 31 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 2385.3 miles, 2049 locks, 117 swing bridges, 74 lift bridges and 77 tunnels

A belated update

Well it has been ages since I posted anything. We moved into the Birmingham suburbs and moored at Star City. It is a really good mooring, I can't see any reason why it is designated a 24 hr mooring. There is space for four or five boats and when we arrived there was one other boat. We were naughty and stayed about 40 hours and although the other boat left no other boats moored so we didn't feel guilty. It is an offside pontoon mooring with secure access to Star City carpark which is patrolled 24 hours by security guards and also has CCTV.

On the Tuesday I took the train from Aston into Birmingham to check out the city centre moorings and have a bit of a look round. I had a good look round the markets which are some of the cheapest I have seen but the produce looks good quality. I didn't buy much as we had a trip to Bristol planned on the Friday.

The moorings were remarkably empty so we decided to move into the city on Wednesday. It is quite a long haul into Brum no matter which route you take, in our case we had 24 locks to look forward to. We soon got into a rhythm and by the time we reached the final 13 lock climb up to Cambrian Wharf  we were making really good time. We have moored at the St Vincent Street moorings which are 14 day moorings.

On Friday we both took the coach to Bristol to visit our gorgeous new granddaughter, Ray returned to Morgana on Sunday but I'm still doing the doting grandmother act for few more days.

Ray has been busy on the paintwork on Morgana and Merlin as we are now moored with the other side to the towpath, I'm looking forward to seeing improvements when I get back.

Last week's journeys 11.7 miles, 27 locks and 3 tunnels

This year we have travelled 302.2 miles, 285 locks, 6 swing bridges, 13 lift bridges and 5 tunnels

In 2012 we travelled 876.9 miles, 675 locks,  55 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 31 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 2380.8 miles, 2046 locks, 117 swing bridges, 74 lift bridges and 76 tunnels

Almost in the suburbs

We had a productive couple of days,although Friday was 'dodge the showers' day. One side of Morgana, now nameless, is undercoated, so is one side of Merlin. The door I am trying to construct for between the engine room and the bedroom is beginning to take shape, although I probably won't get much more done to it for a while as I need to have the workmate out on the towpath and our next few moorings are likely to be a bit 'urban' for that.

We spent today cruising in glorious sunshine, listening to the Grand Prix as we went along, the wind was a bit of a pain when we were travelling slowly past moored boats and we lost our chimney to an overhanging tree.
The chimney was a homemade one and beginning to look a bit battered so I'm not shedding any tears.

We have moored for the night above Curdworth Top Lock listening to the gently hum of traffic on the M6 Toll and the occasional roar of an aircraft on its approach to Birmingham International. Actually it is relatively peaceful for the most part.

Tomorrow's journey will be relatively short as we head into Birmingham, we hope to moor at either Cuckoo Wharf or Star City before the long haul of 21 locks into Cambrian Wharf in the center of Brum.

Today's journey 4.6 miles and 11 locks

This year we have travelled 290.5 miles, 258 locks, 6 swing bridges, 13 lift bridges and 2 tunnels

In 2012 we travelled 876.9 miles, 675 locks,  55 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 31 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 2369.1 miles, 2019 locks, 117 swing bridges, 74 lift bridges and 73 tunnels

Onto the Birmingham and Fazely

Another sunshiny day so we got a few more miles under our belt. The weather forecast from here on seems to be a bit of  matter for debate between the various weather sites so we took advantage of the sun while it is here.

Before we headed off Ray picked elderflowers and our first batch of elderflower champagne of the year is now brewing. As there were only a couple of locks on our planned journey today I did some washing while we travelled, not too much I wanted to enjoy the sun.

The fishermen were out in force on the approach to Tamworth but they were all good natured, everything is better when the sun shines.

The two Glascote locks were very easy, straight into both of them and no need to close up because there was another boat waiting to go up. I made a complete pigs ear of the turning onto the Birmingham and Fazely, I don't like it from this direction, you can't start turning until you are through the bridge and then any forward motion means you overshoot the junction. I got us round eventually and then we headed out of Tamworth for a couple of miles and moored before we reached the Curdworth Locks.

Showers are predicted for tomorrow and Friday so we are going to linger between here and Minworth until Sunday so we can do the run through Birmingham on Monday rather than at the weekend.

Today's journey 5.9 miles and 2 locks

This year we have travelled 285.9 miles, 247 locks, 6 swing bridges, 13 lift bridges and 2 tunnels

In 2012 we travelled 876.9 miles, 675 locks,  55 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 31 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 2364.5 miles, 2008 locks, 117 swing bridges, 74 lift bridges and 73 tunnels

Atherstone and onwards

We spent the weekend plus a bit at Atherstone, I think we had it all weatherwise, rain, hail, strong winds, sunshine but no snow!

We are moored in about the same spot as where we had the goat on the boat last year. No goat this time but we did have a rabbit for a couple of days. Treat brought it on board, still alive of course and then lost it under the bed. We looked for it and couldn't find it so hoped it would reappear and one of the cats would catch it. The next day, Sunday, we looked again, no sign of it and no indication from the cats that there was anything onboard worth hunting. Then in the early hours of Monday morning I woke to find three of the four cats surrounding my left boot, hiding right down in the toe of it was the rabbit, uninjured. Ray took the boot outside and shook the rabbit onto the towpath where it happily ran off none the worse for it's experience.

This morning I walked up into Atherstone to visit a shop that sells herbs, not the usual cooking ones but medicinal ones so I did a bit of stocking up. Mullein, eyebright, passionflower and eucalyptus. when I got back we were ready to move.

Except that when I started the engine there was no water flow on the raw water cooling system. Turn the engine off check the filter and pipes. Start the engine again, still no water flow. Stop the engine, check the water pump and drive belt. Start the engine again, water flow even though we hadn't adjusted anything. I walked down to the lock to set it expecting Ray to come cruising towards me. No sign of movement, so I walked back. You guessed it, engine off because there was no water flow. On the sixth attempt we actually got everything running and were able to move, and we still aren't sure what the problem was.

We made our way down through the remaining six Atherstone Locks, stopped at Bradley Green to get rid of our rubbish then made our way towards Nuneaton. We moored short of Nuneaton just after Polesworth for the night. The first job tomorrow is elderflower picking for our first batch of elderflower champagne.

We are slowly making our way to Birmingham with the intention of travelling down to Bristol to see the new arrival in about 10 days or so.

Today's journey 4.3 miles and 6 locks

This year we have travelled 280 miles, 245 locks, 6 swing bridges, 13 lift bridges and 2 tunnels

In 2012 we travelled 876.9 miles, 675 locks,  55 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 31 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 2358.6 miles, 2006 locks, 117 swing bridges, 74 lift bridges and 73 tunnels