Halesowen

Here I am Rune

Distance  11.8 miles

Total 3447 Locks  191 Tunnels

Running total mileage 4995.7 miles

After mooring in central Birmingham for 6 nights, we’ve moved on today to get to our mooring in Halesowen before the bad weather forecast for Thursday moves in. Having said that we were pestered with pretty strong winds throughout the trip from Birmingham City Centre out here to Halesowen to the degree that I actually looked forward to getting into Gosty Tunnel to get out of the wind for a short while.

The intention now is to be on our mooring until sometime the beginning of next month, so not many updates until October.

Birmingham

Here I am Rune

Distance  5.7 miles

Total 3447 Locks  188 Tunnels

Running total mileage 4983.9 miles

Today was a very pleasant run into Birmingham, I have to say that passing the Cadbury Factory and the University is bar far the best way into Birmingham, other routes in tend to take you through somewhat run-down areas. To make the trip even better, it was sunny for most of the trip as well.

We are now moored near to the Birmingham Arena where we will be staying probably until the beginning of next week.

Kings Norton

Here I am Rune

Distance  10.6 miles

Total 3447 Locks  188 Tunnels

Running total mileage 4978.2 miles

After the trip up Lapworth, today was an easier day for the crew, just three lift bridges to negotiate, one of which was fully automated. The canal has started to get shallower as we’ve come further up which has slowed us down a bit, although, since we aren’t in any rush, that isn’t a problem.

Tomorrow we’ll head off into central Birmingham to moor up for a few days with a few bits to do.

Lapworth

Here I am Rune

Distance  2.2 miles

Total 3447 Locks  187 Tunnels

Running total mileage 4967.6 miles

Quite a hard day’s work up through Lapworth Flight of locks, although we managed it in just under 3 hours so at 6 locks and hour I’m happy with that. We’ve gone for a mooring just beyond the first lift bridge, initially for lunch but since it was quite late anyway, we’re taking it for the night.

Had a long chat with some fellow moorers from Hawne Basin who run a glass jewellery business from their boats and had gone down to Saltersford at Warwick for a festival/open day that was on over the weekend, they are now making their way back. We expect to see them in Birmingham over the weekend.