Birmingham (BCN Mainline) to Rushall Canal below lock 2

We have another long day today so we set off relatively early, well for us anyway and it was another hot and sunny day, a bit too hot really, but we shouldn’t complain, at least there was no rain!

Leaving Brum

In Galton Tunnel

Turning onto the Wednesbury Old Canal

Going down the Ryders Green Locks

Waiting for the pound to fill!

We set off along the Birmingham main line canal which is quite straight but has a few bits with concrete in the middle of the canal so you have to go either side and some of them were a bit tight.  We went through Galton Tunnel which is 122yds longs, a very high tunnel with the towpath running through it.  After several miles we turned right at Pudding Green Junction onto the Wednesbury Old Canal which then turned into the Walsall Canal and were soon at the top of the Ryders Green flight of locks, there are eight locks.  A CRT lock keeper came up the canal and said some of the pounds further down were low so he was going to send some water down.   It seemed like a nice area and we set off down the locks.  Unfortunately as we got further down, it changed and was not very nice, rubbish everywhere and people near the lock drinking.  Also the pounds were low and in one Kev came a short way out of the lock and got stuck and that’s where he stayed until I had let enough water through to get him going again.  Luckily the pound I was taking water from had water coming into it, obviously the lock keeper was letting water down and after about 20 minutes Kev got off and into the next lock.  The bottom gate of this one didn’t open or close properly, but Kev just managed to squeeze through.  That was probably why the pound was empty!

The Tame Valley Canal

Alongside the M6

We got to the last lock and went through there, but again the bottom gate wouldn’t open fully, but Kev managed to squeeze out again.  On we went thankful to leave those locks behind.  The next bit of canal was not very nice, lots of rubbish but shortly after we turned right onto the Tame Valley Canal which was much better and felt nicer although there was some youths on the towpath with a motor bike and one of them had fallen off and scrapped all his hand, so they asked us if we had any clean water, so we gave them a bottle full. I wanted to say to them what are you doing with a motorcycle on the towpath anyway, but didn't, although Kev did tell him not to throw the bottle in the canal when he had used the water, he said he wouldn't!

Turning onto the Rushall Canal

Working up the Rushall Flight

On we went and soon we were up quite high and running alongside the M6 and then we were turning left onto the Rushall Canal and then came to the Rushall flight of locks where there is nine in the flight, but we are only doing seven and hopefully mooring before the last two.  These locks were quite hard as the pounds on this flight were down as well so I had to run water down every time, but we worked through and eventually we had done the seven locks and chugged on a bit further and moored in a sunny spot not far from the last two locks.

We are staying here tonight then chugging on tomorrow, but it will only be for a few miles.  It has been another hard day but really good as all this is new to us and not many people use these canals but we are glad we are venturing off the beaten track and exploring them but you can certainly tell they are not well used by the state of the locks and the weed in the canals but we can now say we have done them!

Moored at Rushall below Lock 2