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