Three tunnels

 Monday 7^th October; King’s Norton junction to Tardebigge top pound

The sky was clear-ish this morning and with the fridge off overnight, the batteries had pretty much kept their charge.  As Jess will be spending a lot of time inside on her own (which she hates when we are moving) we all went for a walk in the park before leaving.

Flying frisbee and St Nicolas’ church

While Jess was playing with another young dog we got chatting to the owner.  He knows the midland canals well, but from a fishing point of view rather than boating.  He is one of the fishermen who thanks boaters who pass properly - slowly, in the middle of the canal as they are usually fishing along the offside edge with poles, or close to the towpath side if not.  He is also fully aware that no boating equals no fishing, because the canals would quickly silt up and fill with reeds,  and he tells his grumbling colleagues so too.  He once competed in a match which started below Stoke Bruerne locks and continued for 70 pegs …. that must have been somewhat tedious to pass!  He said that on the Grand Union, in spite of the electro-fishing to remove the introduced zander, the effect on native fish has been terrible – for example, very few small roach are caught nowadays, because the zander polish off most of the fry before they have a chance to grow up.  A really nice chap, you could easily imagine having a pleasant evening in the pub with him.  I popped up to the little convenience store near the bridge by the water point, then we set off around 10.30.

North portal, Wast Hill tunnel, a boat's headlight dim in the distance

There was a boat coming, but it looked a long way away.  We were through in 31 minutes, getting a bit wet but not too wet, and having passed the other boat with neither touching the sides of the tunnel or each other.  The wind was cold but the sun was warming us up nicely. 

Swan family at the fishing lakes

At Lower Bittell reservoir the weed boat must have been through as there was less invasive pennywort than on last year’s trip, though there were lots of smaller bits floating about.  There is not usually much of interest on the reservoir, just a couple of swans and one great crested grebe today.

This pussy cat spotted something, but it wasn’t interesting enough for it to jump down to investigate

We stopped for lunch near the Crown Meadow arm, where the pennywort was already building up again on the offside.  We called in at Alvechurch marina for a bag of coal.  Dave didn't expect them to have our kind of batteries – they are 130ah rather than 110ah – and they didn’t.  However, he did get some engine oil which was on offer.  It was also a good opportunity to dump rubbish and recycling.

Stay!

On we went in the sunshine to Shortwood tunnel, which was a bit wet inside, and past the site of the massive landslip which happened the day after we passed though last year.  The slip has been dealt with, and it looks as though the drainage pipe to carry away rainwater before it floods down the bank is still in place.

Maybe the pipe is now a permanent feature

There are still small slips happening

The Anglo-Welsh base, now closed, appears to have occupants in the house but there doesn’t seem to be much else going on.

The pennywort has spread through Shortwood tunnel to the stretch of permanent moorings between the tunnels.  Sadly, it has made it through Tardebigge tunnel and down the first lock too.

Tardebigge tunnel was dry, and then there was just the top lock of the Tardebigge to do.  Great, a boat just above, it would be set for us … but no, this is one that must be left empty, and they had just done it.  This lock has narrowed somewhat (there is a Mikron short video showing the crew ‘unjamming’ Tyseley by all jumping at once) and now use is restricted to boats of width 6’ 10” or less.  We found a sunny mooring about mid-afternoon, and Dave set to washing and polishing the port side, washing the roof and bow deck, and then bar-keepering the soot and rust marks on the roof around the chimney.  He finished at 6.30, just in time to avoid a heavy shower.  Good thing he hadn’t been tempted to touch up paintwork instead.  Meanwhile I made soup for tomorrow and laid the fire – but it was so mild we didn’t need to light it this evening.

8½ miles, 1 lock, 3 tunnels.