Below Tardebigge Top Lock to Alvechurch (Worcester & Birmingham Canal)

We are on the move today after a couple of relaxing days at Tardebigge, it is a really nice area but time to go now.

Coming into Tardebigge Top Lock

Tardebigge Tunnel

And out we go

We have one lock to do, Tardebigge Top Lock it is the deepest lock in this flight with a rise of 11ft.  I walked down to the lock and a boat had just come out, that was lucky so I opened the gates and Kev brought the boat in.  It doesn’t take too long to fill so after a short while we were at the top and on our way.  When the canal was built, there was a vertical boat lift here, but technical problems caused it to be replaced by the lock, and there is no trace of it now.

Shortwood Tunnel

We stopped at the services to fill up with water, get rid of rubbish etc. then on we went and straight into Tardebigge tunnel which is 580yds long.  Smugs and I stayed inside and Kev took us through and soon we were out into the sunlight again.

Coming out Shortwood Tunnel

We chugged on past a hire boat place and into the next tunnel, Shortwood Tunnel, this one is 613yds long.  We were soon out into the daylight again and on we went and after about a mile or so we were at Alvechurch and we moored up under the bridge past the marina in a nice sunny spot.

Lovely reflections in the water

We had lunch then walked down to the bridge and up onto the road.  Alvechurch station is just there.  We walked on up the road, down a hill and into Alvechurch village centre where there was two butchers, a coffee shop, a chemist, three takeaways and a co-op.  We went in the co-op and got a few things. It is a nice village.

We carried on through the village and went back to the canal via Bridge 61 so we did a circular walk.

We are just chilling out for the rest of the day and having the huge chicken we bought at the farm shop yesterday for tea so looking forward to our roast dinner.

We are now staying here until Monday then off we go again.

Moored at Alvechurch

A couple of days at Top of Tardebigge

Thursday 27^th and Friday 28^th April

We have been moored at the top of Tardebigge the last couple of days.  It is really nice and peaceful here.  We have been out walking and doing a couple of geo-caches.

HMP Hewell Grange Farm Shop

Farm shop sign

There is a farm shop up on the main road run by HMP Hewell Grange.   It is a nurseries run by the inmates of the open prison.  The prison is about a mile away and has a farm next door to it.  They rear the animals there and then send them to slaughter and the prison officers (not the inmates) butcher the meat, make sausages and burgers etc. and they sell them in the farm shop.  They also grow fruit and vegetables and all the growing and picking is done by the prisoners.  They also have chickens and cows.

Inside the Church

Church at Tardebigge

It is a really great place.  We wanted some rhubarb and some green beans so they went off and picked us some.  Also they had frozen chickens from the farm so we got one of them, it was enormous about 3.5kg and only £7, what a bargain!  We also got some apples, some bacon and Governor’s Breakfast Sausages which apparently have all the breakfast ingredients inside the sausage so we are looking forward to trying them.

Lovely views from church yard

We also went for a walk to the local 18^th-C church, St. Bartholomew.  Its delicate spire sits atop an airy Barogue bell-chamber and slender tower, designed by Frances Hiorn and it has an unusual round end.  The church was open so we went in for a look, it is really nice inside and Smugger said his prayers and then we went outside.

Smugs enjoying the views

Tardebigge Cafe

There are some great views from the church yard and while Smugs and I admired them, Kev went into the field below to see if he could find a cache, we couldn’t go as there was sheep in the field, but he didn’t have any luck with this one. We may go back and have another look if we have time before we leave here.

Tardebigge Court craft centre

We also visited the craft centre, Tardebigge Court made up of several independent shops including music shop, hair salon, pine stripping and a bowls shop to name a few and also a café and stopped for a coffee although we had to sit outside but that was okay as it wasn’t raining.

It has been really nice staying here for a couple of days now we have found the church, farm shop and craft centre and some nice walks but it is time to move on so tomorrow we will be on our way.

Smuggler having his evening nap!

Queens Head Pub to Below Tardebigge Top Lock (Worcester & Birmingham Canal)

We are off up the mighty Tardebigge locks today, we have 29 to do, there are 30 in this flight but we will moor below the last one and save that for another day.  The sun was shining but the wind was cold, it felt more like November than April but at least its dry so no complaining.

And off we go, only 28 more to go!

Working up the flight

It's hard work, this locking lark!

We set off early, just after 8am, well that is early for us, maybe not for others!  Smuggler and I walked to the first lock, got it ready as unfortunately two boats had already gone in front of us so the locks were against us, but didn’t take long to empty and in Kev came and we started off on our journey.

Come on Kev, not too far now

Smugs and I walked to each lock and got it ready while Kev finished off the last lock then brought the boat into the one I had got ready and we worked our way up the flight.

Great Crested Grebe

Passing the Reservoir

In the middle section we met two boats coming down so some of the locks were set for us which made life easier.  In one of the pounds there was a Great Crested Grebe which was nice to see as you don’t see them that often.

Our last lock for today

Hurray, we made it!

We worked our way up and then we got to Tardebigge Reservoir, when we see this we know we are not too far from the top.

Up we went and eventually we were at the top of the flight, not the very top as there is one more lock but it is a little way from all the other locks and we are mooring before that lock.  Smugs and I cheered as we went through the last lock, it took us about 4½ hours to get up the flight so we moored up just under the bridge and we all had some lunch and a well earned rest. The flight is hard work but really nice to do as they are set in lovely countryside and the locks are easy to work.

A bit later in the afternoon we went for a walk along the canal and up to the last lock.  We are now chilling out and staying here for a couple of days. 

Moored below Tardebigge Top Lock

A couple of days at Stoke Pound (Worcester & Birmingham Canal)

Monday 24^th and Tuesday 25^th April

Monday - We are off to do some food shopping today so we left Smuggler in the boat and walked to Morrisons and Aldi.  It is about a 20 minute walk from the canal so not too bad.

Our lovely pizzas

Our Gins!

I had a bit of an altercation in Morrisons as we bought some peppers which were priced up at one price but when we got to the till we were charged a higher price.  We went to customer service and told them and the chap came to the peppers to have a look and said they were priced correctly as there were two boxes of peppers the top box was the cheaper peppers and the bottom box was the dearer peppers, but obviously they had run out of the cheaper peppers and put a box of the dearer peppers there so people including us were being duped into thinking they were getting the cheaper ones when in fact they were paying the higher price so I told this chap that he was duping people but he wouldn’t have it.  I said to him that if they had no cheaper peppers they should take the sign down and he said Head Office wouldn’t allow that or I said that they should leave that space empty and he again said oh no we can’t do that Head Office wouldn’t allow that!  Aweful makes me so cross and he knew I was!

Gin menu

Inside the Queens Head pub

But we did get our money back and he gave us the peppers as well so I suppose that is something, I expect I am on their blacklist now!

We then went back to the boat, got Smuggler and went to the Queens Head pub for lunch.  In the week they do 2-4-1 pizzas and they are really good so we had them with the salad bar.

The Queens Head pub

They also had a gin menu so we tried a couple on there as there were some that we had not tried before and they serve them with lemonade and different garnishes so really nice.

We then just chilled out for the rest of the day. 

Tuesday – We are staying here again today.  The weather has turned cold and we are running low on coal so we walked back up to Morrisons and Aldi but they didn’t have any, so we walked to Home Base and luckily they had a bag so we popped it on the sack truck and wheeled it back to the boat.

Smugs enjoying the morning sun

It was a lovely sunny morning but it turned really wintry early afternoon and we had rain, sleet and hail, but only for a short period and then the sun came out again.  We are chilling out here for the rest of the day then an early start tomorrow as up Tardebigge we go!

Top of Astwood Locks to The Queen's Head pub, Stoke Pound (Worcester & Birmingham Canal)

Beautiful night sky at Astwood

Into the lock they go

Sunny morning on the canal

After a couple of days at Astwood chilling out and doing some really nice walks we are on the move today and the sun was shining.  We set off along the canal and stopped at the water point to fill up.  We then carried on along the canal and soon came to our first lock for today, we have six to do, the Stoke flight of locks. 

Smugs in charge again!

The lock was empty so I went and opened the gates and Kev and Smugs brought the boat in.  We were soon at the top and on our way again. The next five are quite close together so when we got to the next one, Smugs and I got out and he stayed with me up the flight.

Luckily today all of them were set for us, so it didn’t take that long to do the flight although there was a lot of water coming down and running over the lock gates in places.  We only met a couple of boats, the canal is very quiet now after the Easter rush.

Working up the flight

We came out the last lock, went under the bridge and moored up opposite The Queen’s Head pub at Stoke pound, it is at the bottom of the Tardebigge locks which is 30 locks but we are saving those for another day!

Not many more to go thank goodness!

Nearly at the top

Coming back from our walk

We had lunch then went out for a walk.  We walked back to the last lock as there was a cache there but no luck finding it today. We then walked down the lane to find another cache and we were lucky with that one.  We walked across a field but then turned back as there was young cows in the next field where the path went and they all came to the fence they were interested in Smuggler so we went back the way we came and then took a footpath to take us to the canal.  Unfortunately the stiles were not at all dog friendly and the first one Smugs managed to jump over with a bit of help from us, the next one he squeezed through the bars but the last one which took us to the canal was really high so Kev and I lifted him over with a bit of help from him, mind you it was like lifting a small horse or donkey!  We then walked down about five locks back to the boat.

We then just chilled out and Smugs was soon fast asleep outside at first but then made it to the chair where he stayed until his tea was ready!

We are now staying here for a couple of days then Tardebigge beckons!

Moored at The Queen's Head 

Hanbury Wharf to Top of Astwood Locks (Worcester & Birmingham Canal)

We are on the move today and we have six locks to do, but they are a flight and quite close together so should be fine.

In first of the six locks

Nearly up another lock

It was another dry day again.  We went over to the boatyard first to get some diesel and gas then off we went.

Smuggler likes to be outside so he went out the back with Kev and we chugged on to the first lock. 

  

Is he coming?

The first lock was set for us so we didn’t take long to get through.  Smugs walked with me to the next lock and a boat was coming down so we waited for them to come out and then in we went.

Me and my helper

Can you see me!

This set of locks aren’t very deep so they don’t take long to get through.  Smugs stayed out with me for the rest of the locks and Kev finished the lock we were in and Smugs and I went on to the next one.  Unfortunately the rest of the locks were against us, but they didn’t take that long to get through and soon we were at the top of the flight.

Hanbury Church

We chugged under the bridge and moored up just past there.

Lovely window in the church

Very apt cache container

We had some lunch then went off for a walk, hopefully it would be a circular one if we went the right way.  We walked down the lane and uphill and after a while we were at Hanbury Church, St Mary the Virgin. There was two caches there and we were lucky today as we found both of them.

Lovely views from the church yard

The church is an Anglian parish church in the village of Hanbury, its earliest parts date from about 1210 and it is a Grade I listed building.  It is a really lovely church and the views from the church yard are absolutely stunning, it’s a fantastic place.  We then went inside the church and there are some lovely windows and also there is a little self-service café in the church where you can make a hot or cold drink and have a biscuit or chocolate bar and put the money in the box by the door, what a great idea.

We then walked down the other way and did one more cache and found that one too so we had a hat trick today! We then walked through Piper’s Hill Nature Reserve and eventually back to the boat.  It was a really great walk, just under 4 miles.

We are staying here for a couple of nights now.

Moored at the top of Astwood Locks