Knowle (Bridge 72) to Catherine de Barnes (Grand Union Canal)

We are moving on today, just a couple of miles mind you to Catherine de Barnes, so we set off along the canal, the sun was shining and it was warm for a change!

Passing the fishermen

Under the M42 Motorway

Under the bridge there was a long line of fishermen, so we chugged slowly past them but they were all friendly and said hello, obviously there is a competition on today.

On along the canal we went, it is a bit winky wonky but a nice canal and oh so quiet, we didn’t see any boats moving at all.  Under the M42 motorway and past Copt Heath Wharf where they have two day boats

 for hire, but they were both moored up, we have seen them out the last few days, but not today.

Catherine de Barnes Church

Around the corner and we were at Catherine De Barnes where we moored up on the visitor moorings.

Newlands Bishop Farm

We went for a walk up to the road which was very busy.  We eventually crossed the road, walked past the Spar shop and Longfellows Restaurant which was closed.  Across the road was the small church.  We carried on up the road and down a lane as we were looking for Newlands Bishop Farm.  We took a lane on the right and soon came to the farm.

Newlands Bishop Farm has been developed to give people with learning disabilities and mental health problems the opportunity to learn work based skills.  This is provided through unique work experiences in horticulture, woodwork, gardening, horse care/riding, catering and retail and animal husbandry.  Since 2005,the farm has had a partnership with Birmingham Metropolitan College to provide opportunities for project workers to gain qualifications in ICT and numeracy/literacy.

Stables at Farm

Gardens at Farm

They grow fruit and vegetables on the farm and they use these to make jams, chutney and apple juice.  There is also a café where they use the produce grown in the dishes prepared there.  We had a nice walk around the grounds.  Unfortunately it was really quiet and we were the only visitors.  We had a drink in the café and bought some free range eggs, some home-made plum jam, marmalade, pear chutney and apple juice.  All these things are made by the students there.

It was a lovely place doing a great job and we got some goodies as well, so glad we were able to find it.

We are staying here tonight then off into Birmingham tomorrow so a big day for us, lots of miles and locks so an early start, not sure how I will cope as we are going to leave by 8am!!

Moored at Catherine De Barnes

Walk around Knowle (Grand Union Canal)

Friday 3^rd June

Knot Garden

We are staying put today and going to explore Knowle, so we had breakfast then headed up the lane, a short way up on the right there was a pathway through a field so we decided to follow that and it came out into a new housing estate and then onto the road at the bottom of the village near the Toby Carvery.  Yesterday we saw a really nice bakery so we headed for that bought some lovely bread and fresh scones.

Archway to Knot Garden

Knowle Library

We then went to look at the library which is a very old building and dates from 1400 and at the back is an authentically designed Elizabethan knot garden which is accessed through an archway.  It was really interesting.

We had a walk around the shops and couldn’t believe it but we bumped into the lady who we had met in Lapworth walking her cavalier on the towpath then met her at the farm shop at Lowsonford, she said I thought I had got rid of you two, laughing.  We had a nice chat, she works on a Friday in the Charity shop in Knowle for a couple of hours, then said bye to her as don’t think we will see her again.

The King's Arms

We walked back to the boat, had lunch then decided to walk down the locks and along the canal to The King’s Arms where we were moored on Thursday.  It is a nice walk down the locks and there was one boat coming up, a chap on his own and had left some gates open, obviously too lazy to shut them, so we did our bit and closed them.  We walked on down and soon came to the pub.

They have a nice canal side garden so we had a cider and sat in the garden as it was a lovely sunny afternoon.  The pub building was completed in 1799 and was one of the first canal inns to open in 1816 under the name of ‘The Blue Bear’.  By 1841, it had become ‘The King’s Arms’ and remained such until the late 1930s when it became ‘The Cat in the Window’ because the Land Lord owned a cat which sat constantly in the window watching the world go by.  The building was also an Italian Restaurant for a short while before reverting to a pub called ‘The Heron’s Nest’.

It was renamed ‘The King’s Arms’ in 2014.

Heronfield Animal Sanctuary

Goats at the Sanctuary

Across the canal to the pub on the road is Heronfield Animal Sanctuary, so we went to have a look as they have a little shop.  We had a look around and left a donation. They take in rescued and injured animals and nurse them back to health.  In the field near the canal was two lovely goats.

We walked back along the canal, back up the locks to the boat.  We are staying here tonight then on the move tomorrow.

Black Boy Bridge (No. 69) to Knowle (Bridge 72) (Grand Union Canal)

Passing the Black Boy Pub

Passing the King's Arms

We are on the move again today and we have 5 locks to do, so we had a reasonably early start, 9.20am, well its early for us!  We chugged under the bridge and past the Black Boy pub and the Black Buoy Cruising club which has boats both sides of the canal.  Just before the next bridge is The King’s Arms pub and just a short way past there we came to the bottom of Knowle locks.

Approaching Knowle Locks

Up Knowle Locks we go!

This flight of five wide locks used to be six narrow ones, until the 1930 improvements;  the remains of the old ones can still be seen alongside the new, together with the side ponds (originally built to save water).

Into the next one Kev goes

A boat had not long come down so we were hoping that the locks would be set for us and the first one was so I opened one gate and Kev brought the boat in.  The lock seemed to fill quite quickly so soon we were on to the next one, but this one was full which seemed a bit odd but never mind, it emptied quickly and soon we were on to lock No. 3 and this one was full as well.

Remains of old lock

I opened the paddle to emptied but it seemed to take for ever and then I noticed that one of the paddles on the top gate was fully up, I ran down and quickly closed it before the pound was completely empty.  Goodness know how long it had been left open and obviously that the was the reason this lock and the one below was full, wish I had looked before, but as there were no boats in sight I didn’t even think about it, I just wish people would check before they leave the lock. 

One in, one out!

The next lock was empty so we were soon through that one and then there was a boat in the top lock coming down.  It was a boat belonging to the Sea Scouts, we had met them at Lapworth when we were there last weekend.  One of the lads told me the boat is moored at Alvechurch so they brought one lot of sea scouts down to Birmingham then they went home and the next lot came by train and they were taking the boat back to Alvechurch.

Kev came out of the lock and thought they would come out of the top lock but they said they would stay in the lock until Kev came in for some reason so Kev chugged in and they chugged out!

The lads stayed and helped me shut the gates which was kind of them.  I filled the lock and soon we were going out. There was a boat waiting to come in and two day boats so we left the gate open and stopped at the services at the top of the locks to get rid of rubbish,  get water, etc.

Our Heron Guide

Knowle Church

Then on we went to just before Bridge 72 (Kixley Bridge) and moored up there in a lovely sunny spot. We had a heron guide for some of the way from the locks, its always nice when they fly in front leading the way.

We had lunch, then walked up over the bridge, along the lane and came out by the church which has been there since 1402.  It was open so we had a look inside then we walked out on to the street and had a look around the shops. There is several shops in Knowle, most are independent shops.  We found a chocolate shop called 1683 Chocolate Place.  It is an artisan chocolate shop, selling couture chocolates, handcrafted on the premises by 16 year old Chocolatier  Joseph Vaughan so obviously we had to go in and buy a small box!

Knowle High Street

There is also a nice deli and a traditional butchers and plenty of restaurants and cafes.  We stopped for coffee at one of them, then walked back to the canal via Bridge 71 and along the canal back to the boat.

It was very chilly this morning, but the sun came out this afternoon and it warmed up nicely.  We are staying here tonight and tomorrow as well.

Moored at Knowle

Kingswood Junction to Black Boy Bridge No. 69 (Grand Union Canal)

We are moving on today just a few miles up the canal.  It had rained in the night and was raining when we got up but by the time we were ready to leave, it had stopped but it was very overcast and a chilly wind was blowing, more like the 1^st October than the 1^st June!!

Passing the Navigation pub

We chugged past The Navigation pub which is canal side by Bridge 65, it is a nice pub, we spent a couple of hours sat in their beer garden by the canal a couple of days ago.  It has been good exploring around the Lapworth area as it is really nice but time now to move on to pastures new.

We stopped at the water point at Bridge 66 to fill up then chugged on.  This bit of the Grand Union is new to us so quite exciting not knowing what is around the corner.  We chugged on for a couple of miles then moored up a little way before Bridge 69, Black Boy Bridge.

We had lunch, then went for a walk along the towpath past two pubs, The Black Boy and the King’s Arms and walked on to the five Knowle locks which we will be doing tomorrow.  These are big double locks but not very deep so should be okay.  We walked on past the bridge to see what the moorings were like as we want to moor at the top of the locks tomorrow and found a nice spot just before Bridge 72 so that is where we will be heading too tomorrow.

We walked back down to the boat.  We are staying here tonight then off up the locks tomorrow.

Moored at Black Boy Bridge