Hard work but worth it – Garrison, Ashted and Farmer’s Bridge flights

Friday 4^th October; Star City to Sheepcote St bridge

The extractor fans on Star City were noisy last night but were turned down a bit by 11, though they started up again before we left.  There was very little other noise.

Star City pontoon

Dragonheart, which arrived yesterday evening, left quietly before 7 but it was nearly 9 before we got away.  In fact we just pushed across to the towpath, where Dave and Jess jumped ship for a bit.  They were back on board before we reached Garrison locks.  I was delighted to find these all empty, though as this is the Grand Union canal rather than the Birmingham and Fazeley, the bottom gates are paired rather than being the single gate of a B&F lock.  So that meant more walking while working a lock, as I didn’t feel like stepping over the gap between gates so early in the morning.  Garrison locks are not my favourite, though they do have the odd highlight.

I like to think the artist was standing on the ledge at the time!

Well who'd have thought it

Round Bordesley junction we went and along the Digbeth branch.  One of the hire boaters we met yesterday said they had stopped round here overnight, it was ‘sh*te’.  Apart from the plastic detritus swirling around when the paddles were opened, especially on the Garrison flight, there was a lot of graffiti which didn’t really add any loveliness to the area at all.  There is a series of boards here specifically for people to use, but they were only filled with tags, none of which were particularly interesting though clearly there was a degree of skill involved.  The worst example was on the Ashted flight, where there was a probably once striking mural about 20 yards long, maybe of moorhens though it could have been dinosaurs – only a few beaks and feet hadn’t been obscured by tags, of varying artistic ability.  Ugly and pointless vandalism.  Or maybe the mural was so hideous, action had to be taken.

HS2 bridge under construction across the Ashted flight

And on the far bank ...

The Ashted flight was ok, and with the sun shining it got quite warm.  There are the buildings of Birmingham City university, then a stretch where the blocks are of flats for sale.  Here the grass by the locks is neatly mown, and someone has even spread astroturf on the offside of a lock to make it look green.  Astro is horrible plastic stuff and should be banned outside sports pitches. 

The slope at the far end of the lock is the bit with astroturf

There was a large log against the top gate, too big and waterlogged to be hauled out so Dave got the hook and dragged it round into the side pond area.  I held the centre line as we went through the Ashted tunnel below the top lock, as recommended to avoid damage to your handrail, then it was time for a big decision.  Do we stop for the day at Aston university?  It’s not even lunchtime.  Do we moor and have an early lunch?  No!  a couple of chocolate hob-nobs should get us up the Farmer’s Bridge flight, surely.  And they did.  Sadly, almost all the locks were against us – we were on the B&F once more, so back to single bottom gates and none of them were leaking, so if a boat had already gone up – which we knew at least one had – the locks were all bound to be full.  The paddle gear of most was stiff, and the bottom gates were all heavy, so it was a good thing I had scarfed those biscuits!

First view of the landmark, an obligatory photo op

About a third of the way up we met a boat coming down – a single-hander with two volunteers assisting.  Well, we got one top gate closed for us, and one set of bottom gates left open for us, but that was all.  I hope the single-hander was duly grateful!

Difficult to get into position for this one

Lock 5 leaks badly – there had been a notice about it, I seem to remember – and it took a long time to equalise the levels when emptying it for Dave to bring Bonjour in.  My leg muscles in particular were especially glad to get to the top lock.  Those bottom gates, and some of the top ones too, are very heavy!  We moored in our ‘usual’ place, opposite the Arena and Lego Land car park.

Yeah Jess, me too

Lola the pizza boat was moored almost opposite, so lunch was a no-brainer.   

It was mid-afternoon before Jess persuaded Dave to take her to play in the park with the Frisbee.  I read for a bit, and may have had a nap, I really can’t remember!  We had a curry from Banerjee this evening, and an early night.

5 miles, 24 locks and blimey some of them were hard work.